When I was going to the College of San Mateo (1975-1977) I worked at a local computer store, Allied Computers. My job was to assemble computers kits. This included IMSAI, Processor Tech, SWTPC and any other kit that a customer wanted assembled. I would take my pay in computer parts. The first pay check was a SWTPC CT-1024 terminal followed by a SWTPC 6800 computer. By October of 1976 I had a complete system running BASIC.
My brother, Pat, made a nice sheet metal case as a project for one of his mechanical engineering courses. I upgraded this to 64 characters per line. This was my main terminal until I got a Hazeltine 1500 in 1978.