My Frankenstein motherboard just completed its first test - serial RS232 data transfer at 9600 baud to the VFD Display. 

A friend sold me a HP 1662 logic analyzer with one of the probing cable missing, so I built an adapter.  All those vertical IDC40-M connectors you see on top of the peripheral boards will go to this logic analyzer.

In the mean time I am preparing the box where all this frankenmonster will stay hidden.