Scratch Build – In Progress Project: LAN Truck (My First Mod)

Hi after looking at many of the case modding going on I thought I would do my own. Liking RC cars my choice was obvious. I decided on using the Tamiya 1/14th truck as I am a great fan of this series having a few of these trucks already. I choose the MSI mega pc, as this is small and has lots of great features. Fairly simple mod as the back body of the truck offers a nice space to put the pc into.


Also just recently getting a CNC machine in my garage makes this project nice; I can then make everything so it’s just a matter of screwing it together.

The first part is to see how the Mega PC will fit on the trucks chassis and from the picture you can see it fits quite nicely.



I will be posting more over the next few days as I go along. My plan is also make it so it’s still fully drivable as well!

 

Hay man, u might want to fix ur pictures. The after the whole address.

Sounds like a kewl project tho



[edit] you beat me to it

 

It's his first post with pics...

He's a dab hand on the CNC mill though!

 

What are we not allowed to point out something to help him on his way?

 

He's on the phone at the moment... I beat you to it

 

AAAHHHH that was MY idea
o whel
make it a more than great project

 

Should have some more on it soon. Building up the rest of the truck as I type. I have also got the cnc running cutting out the first panel to hold the power suppply in place. Enak can be so obvious at times lol

Ant

 

Ragh, god i aint posted here in a while.


It's looking very tidy inside. Hopefully ant will post the pics soon

PS kane smells

 

Just thought I would post the picy of how the truck is looking with the power supply in place. You Can see where the power lead plugs in to the bottom left hand corner. The panel has been cnc'd and also with the body work of the truck bolted on.



Designing the motherboard bits up next!

 

wow, that looks pretty good! nice cnc job mate!

 

that is going to be sweet when its done

man, this is making me want a computer built into an rc car/truck now. all these projects with people building computers into rc cars. wish i had the cash to build one. well, keep up the good work mate~Sunny-D

 

Right I have now got the Motherboard tray machined up out of 2mm ali. I have placed a fan so as to blow the warm air out of the case. The pictures show the tray before mounting and put into place on the rear of the truck, Next to mount the motherboard into to place!





Close up shot of the fan to take the warm air from above the PSU.



More shots to come of hopefully the motherboard mounted over the weekend!

 

Well i have now got the motherboard in and gave it its first test over the weekend and its all woking great. Just have to extended a few cables now to reach places where in want the lcd screen to go.




The Specs on my Lan Truck are:
P4 2.8ghz, 512mb ram, 160gb HD, MSI FX5600, netgear wireless pci card and a laptop cd-rw dvd combo slot load drive. (orignal cd drive in pics as only got new drive today) Also works as a hifi radio when pc is off.

Going to cnc a back panel out of clear polycarb to mount a blue fan and to also hold the graphics and wireless card in place, off to machine now!

 

Looking nice, great idea, reminds me of the aircraft carrier mod over @ mini-itx.com

 

nice looking mod!

 

These type of mods are starting to grow on me...are a bit of fun. Looks nicely done btw It still drives and everything right?

 

yep fully driveable, with the lights working as well. Once I have finished I will put up a video clip of it moving!

Ant

 

Sounds good, I wish I had access to a cnc machiene... I hope it does not move as slow as an "Ant" though

Are you going to paint the cab? It looks kind of boring right now...

 

The paint job is being decided upon, my friend has said he will airbrush it for me, so may have images of games sprayed on to the cab, and box. I am also building a trailor for it to tow which will carry all the cables and such, so it should look smart at the end. So once it all finished i will then paint it up!

 

Right few more pics.
Driving it around in the garden so took some pics,


Some pics of the motherboard and other parts which make up the lan truck.


and the cnc'd back panels


all the parts now fixed together stopping the graphics card coming out. All mounted into the back of the truck


And lit up


This picture is of the truck all together. I now have to machine up the ali side so as to close it all in.


And then work out the paint job!