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I have the limited run Hot Wheels PC case from when I was a kid. Do you have any idea if I could build a modern computer in this case without doing serious damage to the case? I'd like to make it my new tower if I can  What kind of parts should I look for?
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Jul 26, 2017 22:53
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The first step would be to figure out the form factor for the case. Can you take some pictures of it with the side panel off and ideally the old motherboard removed?
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Jul 26, 2017 22:58
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Yeah, one sec, I'll post some of the inner case real quick.
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Jul 26, 2017 22:59
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfhmBcBPNyc This might be of some use to you for general information and teardown. edit: whoops wrong video
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Jul 26, 2017 23:03
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Yeah, the major difference is I've already gutted the thing, I'm just looking to build in it. The old parts are long gone.
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Jul 27, 2017 00:01
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Based off what I see in that youtube and know from experience it'll be a shitload of moving metal brackets around, trying to find parts that dont crash into each other in the cramped space, but I would say it wouldn't be impossible, just really loving hard since you'd have to literally check every inch of your parts to make sure you have clearance for the CPU, memory, plugs... If you're very persistent and really want to upgrade it then it's possible, but you'll have to cherry pick parts and likely need to do a lot of zip-tying and minor modifications, and it'll likely never be a gaming computer due to the lack of expansion slot. For almost every other person it'd just be way too much effort to work with the limitations.
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Jul 27, 2017 00:04
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I don't need it to be top of the line, I'm willing to go a few years back. And I can do whatever to the inner shell and be fine, as long as the outer shell still looks mint. It's probably an incredibly dumb idea but man it would be cool if it worked.
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Jul 27, 2017 00:12
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I mean I assume you've got the volume to fit an ITX or similar motherboard, a low profile cooler, and a SFX power supply. It just might be a bitch to mount any of it.
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Jul 27, 2017 00:15
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Fruit Chewy posted:I mean I assume you've got the volume to fit an ITX or similar motherboard, a low profile cooler, and a SFX power supply. It just might be a bitch to mount any of it. My thoughts exactly. If they want to build like a normal mITX PC in there it's doable, but I hope OP realizes they're fabricating a custom chassis frame and rear panel to fit. It seems wide enough horizontally for a mITX build too, so you have a ton of choices for which direction to go. Doesn't have to be a standard pattern either, with a riser you have a lot of options for allowing bigger CPU coolers and compartmenting/handling your CPU/GPU/PSU heat individually if desired. You could go with a Dan A4-like build for example, with the GPU and the mobo back-to-back, or you could move the GPU a little further away from the CPU for better air clearance. It would also probably reduce your tolerances and make the whole thing easier to fabricate. You can also probably throw in quite a lot of cooling using some large-diameter fans running fairly slow, just be aware of noise. Since your cooling system is nothing like the louvers on the case you'd probably want to go positive pressure. The alternative would be something really simple like just throwing a small engineered mini-PC in it, and having some slow quiet fans to cycle the air. Skull Canyon would be another, but it's loud. That's typical, a lot of small powerful PCs either have heat problems or noise problems or both. Are you trying to do a full-on gaming build, or do you just want something that could do basic stuff? There are some very cheap mini-PCs and mITX boards that use Atom processors or mobile Celerons that have 10-25W TDPs and iGPUs. Paul MaudDib fucked around with this message at 01:29 on Jul 27, 2017 |
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Jul 27, 2017 01:23
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Paul MaudDib posted:My thoughts exactly. If they want to build like a normal mITX PC in there it's doable, but I hope OP realizes they're fabricating a custom chassis frame and rear panel to fit. There shouldn't be any significant fabrication necessary. The original board looks to be FlexATX so an ITX board will fit fine using four of the six original standoffs.   The rear panel shouldn't have to be modified since it uses a regular ATX I/O shield. It's a bit hard to see but note there is a cut out on the case.  LGR was able to fit a Cooler Master DP5-6I31C  and that cooler is 60 mm tall. That's more than enough for a Cyrorig C7 at 47 mm or even a Scythe Big Shuriken 2 at 58 mm. Power supply could be an issue though as LGR found out. The original is an SFX but it exhausts along its width unlike modern SFX power supplies that exhaust through their length. Some judicious dremeling could be done to remove the right mounting tab and that would be enough for the power socket to clear.  Another possibility would be to bypass the whole power supply issue altogether and just use a thin mini ITX motherboard that has DC input like the Gigabyte GA-H170TN or ASUS H110T/CSM and a high watt power adapter like the Dell TW1P0. edit: Corsair's SFX power supplies have the socket on the left rather than the right so no case modifications are necessary. 
big time bisexual fucked around with this message at 15:04 on Jul 27, 2017 |
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Jul 27, 2017 12:38
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between SFX, ITX and SFF GPUs being more and more common, you could build an awesome rig in that volume. If you do go the itx/mATX route (ie, not using a skull canyon or whatever) I'd really suggest thinking long & hard about how you're gonna keep it cool, that case doesn't look to have the best airflow. Even if it's just some small feet and holes dremelled into the bottom of the case.
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Jul 27, 2017 13:59
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As others have said, there's a lot of SFF/Mini ITX stuff out there now. There's even a thread right in this subforum: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3776587 With a useful OP, and helpful people in it, that can probably help you figure out what you can get done in that case.
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Jul 27, 2017 14:36
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There's no PCI brackets in the back, so you're not really going to be able to do a lot with the case, besides run a CPU with onboard video. I'd say throw out all of the drive bays/brackets and toss an SSD in there, but freeing up that room doesn't really grant you space for anything besides better airflow. In the end, you end up with something way bigger than a smaller ITX case for no real advantage, other than the nostalgia, I guess.
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Jul 27, 2017 23:44
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 22:06 |
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I think you could just dremel a hole in the back to make up for the lack of a PCI bracket or use a riser cable to mount the GPU somewhere else in the case and find a hole to lead a single Display port out. As pointed out cooling would be the real issue. I had some modern parts in a slightly bigger case with 2x 120mm and that got too hot for comfort. This case has a single 80mm exhaust so you would probably have to cut extra holes in the back to fit more fans or use low power components or undervolt.
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Jul 31, 2017 18:48
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