Mini-itx Supra Server
This is V8Supra.com, my mini-itx website and ADSL modem/router.
Ever since first seeing the mini-itx website I wanted to do my own computer conversion. After doing an engine conversion on my Supra a computer should be a peice of cake.
The main thing I wanted was to look like just a car, and it had to have a purpose. I saw the HTPC cars on the mini-itx site, and on a few others and realised with my expertise in computers/RC cars/engine conversion this was the task I was made for.
I originally had the Epia 800 mini-itx motherboard, 10gig laptop HDD, slimline CD ROM, 60Watt PowerSupply inside a cardboard box! |
I cut it all out with my pen knife, and actually screwed the mini-itx motherboard, laptop HDD and 60 watt power supply directly into the cardboard. |
With the server not being a HTPC there is very minimal cabling needed.Just the power, LAN and modem cables were needed. |
This was only temporary, and serving a website about my car, it should be a car. It couldn't be any other car than a Supra! I bought a JGTC Supra remote control car shell, wheels & tyres, translucent red and black spray paint, 2mm aluminium checkerboard plating and 1mm angle-aluminium. |
I marked out the base from the shell. |
To cut through the aluminium a bit quicker I modified my wood jigsaw to a metal jigsaw by putting a hacksaw blade into it. This worked well until the blade got hot and bent, but there were more peices of hacksaw blade handy. |
The fine edges were done on the bench grinder and later cleaned up with a file.
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Test fitting the base.
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Base ready for components.
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Next the shell had to be cut out and prepared.
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I made some mounts out of peices of the angle aluminium to mount the shell to the base.
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I cut out some holes for the wheels and bent the aluminium into wheel hubs.
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Trial fit of components, including the ADSL modem, mini-itx motherboard, power supply, hdd.
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