iMac G3 Bondi Blue with Rev. C spec?

[MrUNIMOG]

Hi folks,

about a year ago I got a Bondi Blue iMac G3 from eBay, to complement my Tangerine iMac G3 ("5 Flavors", Rev. D).
Given the color, I assumed it to be a Rev. A or Rev. B Model with 233 MHz CPU.

However, just now I decided to set it up and discovered, much to my surprise, that it has a 266 MHz CPU just like the early "5 Flavors" iMac (Rev. C), which to my knowledge was only available in the five new colors (Tangerine, Lime, Blueberry, Strawberry and Grape), not in Bondi Blue.

It's other specs corresponded to the Rev. C models as well, it has a 6 GB HDD and ATI Rage Pro with 6 MB VRAM. Contradictorily, it not only shares the Bondi Blue color with Rev. A/B models, but also it's "hockey puck" mouse lacks the notch on the mouse button and isn't rubberized like the mouse that shipped with Rev. C iMacs.

It was manufactured on January 04, 1999 according to the serial number sticker.
That is exactly one day before the Rev. C iMac ("5 Flavors") was introduced, which got me thinking:
Perhaps a small number of Rev. C models were built using leftover Bondi Blue cases?

Does anyone know more about this?

 

[0248294]

Curious. Given you're sure this is a Bondi, and it has the IR on the front, could you check underneath the hood? There's a panel on the bottom you can remove to get access to bottom screws, but a few connectors are seen there, for things like the video and IR. There should be a loose cable there, if it is a Bondi, coming from the front IR. Is that seen there? If there is, someone might have done a logic board swap with a Rev C.

 

[swamprock]

Perhaps a small number of Rev. C models were built using leftover Bondi Blue cases?

Does anyone know more about this?

You nailed it with this. One thing to check is, does it have the mezzanine slot and infrared port? If so, it was probably a Rev C processor card transplant. But yes, some of the early Rev Cs were in Bondi cases, to use them up. My own Rev B Bondi has a 333mhz card in it, as they're compatible...

From Low End Mac: "There are rumors that some Bondi blue ones were built in January 1999 using the last of the Bondi cases."

If you do a Google search, there are a few people who have stumbled on these machines, including one here on MR- https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bondi-blue-rev-c-imac-not-blueberry.181736/

 

[MrUNIMOG]

Curious. Given you're sure this is a Bondi, and it has the IR on the front, could you check underneath the hood? There's a panel on the bottom you can remove to get access to bottom screws, but a few connectors are seen there, for things like the video and IR. There should be a loose cable there, if it is a Bondi, coming from the front IR. Is that seen there? If there is, someone might have done a logic board swap with a Rev C.

The color is definitely Bondi Blue, not the less-greenish Blueberry. It also has the corresponding Mouse without the notch, and the non-translucent grey power button.

It doesn't have IrDA, but from what I read only Rev. A models have that.
[doublepost=1507236008][/doublepost]

You nailed it with this. One thing to check is, does it have the mezzanine slot and infrared port? If so, it was probably a Rev C processor card transplant. But yes, some of the early Rev Cs were in Bondi cases, to use them up. My own Rev B Bondi has a 333mhz card in it, as they're compatible...

From Low End Mac: "There are rumors that some Bondi blue ones were built in January 1999 using the last of the Bondi cases."

If you do a Google search, there are a few people who have stumbled on these machines, including one here on MR- https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bondi-blue-rev-c-imac-not-blueberry.181736/

There's a round FCC compliance sticker on the bottom which says "PowerPC G3 266 MHz", so apparently it's not a card transplant.

That's cool! I was glad to find a Bondi Blue iMac in such pristine condition for just 50 €, but I had no idea that I got such a rarity!
[doublepost=1507236306][/doublepost]Only thing that makes me worry, it makes some slight whimpering noise when plugged in to power, even when turned off. Might that announce a failing power supply? My tangerine Rev. D doesn't make such noises.