painkiller64

I have a IBM CAMS machine from the late 80s my dad got from the GM dealer he worked at quite a few years ago. anyone having any knowledge of this please post lol.

thanks, and btw im a new member and new owner of a 84 vette! Glad to join and see lots of info on this forum.

vetteoz

What's it supposed to do?

painkiller64

its basically like a tech 1/tech 2 scanner but it has an 80s computer in it with a crt touchscreen and a cabinet full of cables n stuff to monitor/check engine codes, diagnostics etc. lol perfect retro scanner to use on my 84

JSI

Anyone have info? Just picked one of these up myself

Matatk

I tried to find some info on this a few years back and I found almost nothing. Also called the T100. It was a dealer service tool that was a roll around cabinet with a touchscreen and did diagnostics and also had factory recall info and some engine specs/torque values. It also had a modem to connect to GM. Made obsolete by smaller computers, from what I understand. I'd love to see some photos of yours.

JSI

Information is very scare on it, I know it was used up until the mid 90s when OBD II came into play. I saved this one from being scrapped. It came with floppy discs,cds,manuals, a ton of GM connectors and break out boxes. It powers up, I just don't know how to make it work

3JsVette

I can't give you any tech info on the CAMS Machine but I can tell you that all GM Dealers had at least one as it was an essential tool. It was quickly outdated by the Tech I about the same way the flip phone was by the smart phone. Technology quickly passed the CAMS Machine by.

Matatk

Very cool, thanks for the pictures.

Does it power up?

JSI

Lol that makes my day, I still carry a flip phone

JSI

yes it powers right up, I just can't get into the actual GM program

Matatk

Is it password protected? Or perhaps you have to hook it up to a car? I am not sure how it actually boots/functions. Does that manual give any details?

NativeTexanXX

I was a service tech for IBM out in far W. Tx when that machine was introduced. It has an IBM PC/AT under the covers with some special adapters for attaching to various GM cars ALDL, doing the same things our code readers do today. It was ghastly expensive, and I don't know how long it remained relevant. It had a cool power up device in there that could boot the machine by calling from a phone line for updates. I only saw it in use one time, and we did have special arrangements for repair parts (we didn't cover the special cables.) The cabinet was heavy and well built, and I do believe there was a simple printer in there. Lordy, 1985 was a LONG time ago. The machine I actually dealt with was at Pollard Chev in Big Spring TX. I saw it running tests on a 1986 Riviera with the touch screen dashboard. It will be running some kind of PC DOS; probably DOS 6.