Modding An amazing case saved from side of the road, but I need tips.

One of my friends rescued this gem from the side of the road. He gave it to me because he had no use for it and he had nowhere to store it. I'm planning on modding and I have a few questions but first PICS:





I thought this was interesting, the harddisk that was in the computer is that brick beside the somewhat normal looking harddrive.



Holy crap. The thing is a tad more than 2 feet tall. It's intimidating compared to my current case, with all the components that are originally in it the thing weighs 65 pounds. The side panel is actually a huge door but it's unscrewed from the hinges right now. So I have some ideas for modding it, I worked on a case mod with a friend last summer and I know how to use a dremel fairly well. I've also been looking up tutorials on how to properly paint cases and make them look very professional. I want to add a window (already have a large piece of plexi ready) and I want to paint it black with cool details like a yellow and black hazard pattern on the sides of the front panel. I am also planning on building a new system and this case will save me a bit over $100 (CAD) since I wont need to buy a case (wanted to buy Antec 900 but this one is cooler).

Of course I need a solid plan and design which I am working on now (on paper and in sketchup), but I would like to know of any little tips anyone has to offer about modding like case windows, paint and cutting fan holes. The one thing I would really like to do is know how to cut 120mm fan holes with a dremel since this case is seriously lacking fan holes.

By the way, if anyone knows what that huge slotted component on the bottom expansion hole at the front of the case (the thing that says 700MB, its below the 6x CD ROM drive you can't miss it) please post. All I know is that it's connected to an extremely long SCSI card.

Any comments/ideas are appreciated.

 

I thought that thing would never end when I was scrolling down the page!
since you already cracked it open, I guess you don't need to worry about it having a dead body in it.
I bet it still works too!

I say put -2- micro atx systems in it!

The 700mb thing is an old tape backup drive. They sucked when they were new.

 

It does still work however when I turn it on it says "ENTER CURRENT PASSWORD", I tried unplugging what looks the be the battery (its a small box plugged into the mobo that says "Computer Clock Battery" but that didn't help. I think the case could probably even fit 2 full ATX systems in there but I want the space for some harddisk racks.

 

wow some serious retro hardware in there it must have been a serious work station system when knew, are you sure that bit box is a hard disk as it's not a from factor I recognise and there looks to be a hard disk under the central support in the third pic. I would see what data is on it may be interesting. As for BIOS passwords you can get rid of them sometimes by removing the bios battery or there are lists of default passes on the web.


what cpu is that 486 DX 66?

 

The huge hard disk is a Micropolis 1588 (http://www.memoryxsun.com/3701326.html), its SCSI, 760MB, 3600RPM and I think it was made is 1987. The disk under the support is a Micropolis 4110, it's also SCSI, its 1GB and made in 1993. I can only imagine how overkill having 1GB of storage in 1993 must have been. As for seeing the data I am going to plug the drives into an existing system with a SCSI card since the case is already gutted. THe CPU is a 486.

 

You could gut the old hardrive and turn it into a pump/reservoir. There would be a lot of holes to fill in though...

 

That's an interesting idea, however the problem is that drive still works. I just can't bring myself to destroy a computer component that works. I'm considering using it in my new build along with the 1GB drive when I decide to order in the parts (probably when the case is done). I haven't really though about water cooling but if I did I'd probably make a reservoir out of plexi.

I was hoping to get cutting soon but my friend who has a dremel decided to go camping for a week. I've been looking to buy one but the kits are pretty expensive (about $130 CAD). Seeing as how I wanted to save about this much by not buying a case I don't know if I should get one or if I should just wait for my friend to get back. He's really into computer modding too (he hasn't even seen the case yet) so I think he'd be disappointed if I started without him.

I do however want to start sanding and painting but should cutting (fanholes, windows) come before painting? I think it would be easier to sand if the parts were already cut out but I'm not really sure how the pros do it.

 

Wow i love that is ti an old server or something? there was one like that in my A+ certification class last your in 10th grade, only half the size of it. i can't wait to see this finished that thing has so much potential with it's size.

 

yes, you usually want to cut and drill everything before painting. it lets you sand easily and you dont have to worry about ruining the case.

also, it has the potential for a great mod, and im sure you have great idea's. im looking forward to this, and i wish you good luck

 

Thanks for the info.

I do have some interesting ideas, mainly for painting though. Today I cut a rather large window on the side panal and I am pleased about how it turned out (pics will come when I have a worklog ready). I was able to use a dremel one of my other friends had but the blades were cheap as hell, I easily went through at least 15 blades.

One idea I've been toying around with is watercooling. I originally said I didn't want to do watercooling and that was mainly because it is usually expensive but that got me thinking. I could make my own watercooling system. I've worked with plexi before and I could easily make a reservoir out of that, I could go to the local hardware shop and get some clear tubing, I could buy a $20 fish tank pump and to top it off I'd just use antifreeze from the bottle I have in the garage. Of course I'd buy a heat sink (I'm not about to go out and machine a heat sink) but the rest is so crazy it could actually work.

Is this a good idea or a huge mistake? The main thing I would be worried about is if the pump not being powerful enough but the rest I am pretty sure I could do.

 

I say Go for it. that's how watercooling started. By manufacturing all the parts that couldn't be brought or was too expensive

 

There's no reason at all not to go for it!! Eheim pumps that a lot of people use for watercooling were designed for fishtanks anyway. If you've worked with plexi then thats your res sorted then. You may still have to buy barbs unless you can source some other cunning and cheaper alternative. I would definitely buy decent tubing, otherwise you may run into problems with it kinking (cheap tube does this) and therefore no water flow and dead hardware. Unless you have cutting edge hardware there are always loads of second hand waterblocks on the FS forums and ebay from people having upgraded. Go for it - will be an interesting project to watch

 

How do you think most watercooling systems were built only a few years ago? Only today's spoilt young whippersnappers can buy ready-made setups in a shop (grumble, grumble). You can buy the Eheim aquarium pump, a few blocks and simply get some Tygon or PVC hose by the metre. Buy the clamps, buy the barbs, glue your own res. No school like Old Skool. Very befitting an old 286 XT tower.

If, however, it sounds all a bit like too much hard work (especially converting the tower for ATX format), then you can always find some more boxes and do this:

 

Yeah, I'll see to it that I get some good tubing. One of my friends said that he tried using cheap tuning and the pressure from the pump simply closed up the tubing when he turned it on. As far as keeping the tubing from kinking I think I'll just try to find a way to zip tie the tubes at such angles so they wont.

I don't think converting the tower to ATX is going to be much of a problem. It seems like a pretty easy process, just cut rectangle hole where nessisary (ill use a mobo to see) and drill the holes for the standoffs.

 

The 80s called, they want their computer back!

Gad, I love big tower cases.

I'd say stick an ATX system in their, use the top half of the tower, stick an LCD in the side panel, make it an all-in-one brute. Maybe even mod in some sort of keyboard and mouse holders, couple luggage wheels on the bottom, a long handle, and voila, easy (heavy) LAN rig....

 

You have enough room to use an old-school Chevy heater core for a radiator too! That should put you back less than $10. -Heck, you have enough room for a full car radiator. Go passive cooling!

 

True retro hardware

If i may suggest something - how about modding the large floppy drive (the 5 1/4" unit) with a slot-in dvd-drive (or cd for that matter) ??

Regarding watercooling - go for it... plain and simple. The project logs contains a lot of examples that can be used for inspiration

 

Interesting idea but I don't really like LCD monitors. I've never owned one and I don't really plan on owning one, I like CRT's much better. I do like the idea of having some kind of keyboard and mouse holders, as for handles and wheels the case already has them. I didn't really get them in the pictures but it has a pull out handle at the top of the back of the case. On the bottom in the front it has two wheels, so you can pull out the handle, lift up the back, then pull it around.

I'll check the local car shops, I've been looking for a cheap way to make a radiator but that would work.

I was planning on stealthing the DVD drive but that sounds like a better idea. The thing is though that I don't really want to buy a slot in DVD drive since I have one that already works. I think what I'll try to do is use the faceplate of the 5 1/4" drive on the DVD drive.

 

I like the idea of having something on the case (or space in it) to store the mouse and keyboard when traveling to lan parties.

 

Yeah, I do go to LAN parties every now and then so it would definitely be useful.

I am trying to plan out the watercooling idea. So far a pump is no problem, tubes are cheap, the CPU waterblock is going to be expensive though. I'm uncertain about a radiator however, I've read that people use small car radiators and they're fairly cheap. But with car radiators they need to be specially welded or soldered to fit the proper sized tubing. I don't know what to do about that, I'm trying to spend as little as possible and I don't want to spend money on an overpriced computer radiator.

Anyone have any ideas?