G4 Quicksilver Frontpanel Flip Mod. & Worklog

[DiaboliK]

Got the Case off of eBay for $40 shipped. everything perfect except for some scratches on the door side plastics. (i can get them out not a big deal right at the moment)

Original Pic if you dont remember what the quicksilver looks like

 

First off i Stripped the case of its plastics, All of it, took awhile but its worth not scratching it up.

next i dissasembled the drive cage and drive door assembly.

then i assessed the drive door (the one the logicboard sits):

-ground off the logicboard standoffs from the back then pulled them out the front with some pliers.

-Then took off the airport guides. drilled out the rivets then broke off the remains.

 

Now for the fun part the front panel.

 

-First i find myself some clear plastic (a box the held my thermal controller worked perfectly). traced the opening for the drive door and the holes. then carefully cut it out with scissors.

-Next i grabbed the front panel plastics and flipped it and placed it on top the case and measured and filed the cd drive opening a tiny bit so the speaker slid in nicely with out scratching.

-Then i aligned my cutout under the plastics and between the case so i can tape it in place.

-Broke out my sharpie then marked out the inside of the cutout. Next took out my trusty sheet metal nibblers and proceeded to nibble away at the hole.

that was the hardest part, at least on my hands.

-As soon as i got it all roughed out i then took my dremel and a grinding bit and did the final smoothing and shaving down the sharp edges.

-With the cutout still in place i then took out my drill and a small pilot bit and drilled out all the corresponding holes to hold the cd door assembly.

-Now to make sure it all aligns right and fits tightly...

attached the door assembly to its new home on the bottom and the carefully attached the front plastics...Woohoo! fit on the first try!

-now took off the front plastics again and set it aside. left the drive door assembly in place now i take the drive cage support and place it behind the door assembly and mark and drill the corresponding support holes.

-Attached the drive assembly to the case with its four screws.

-now take my nibblers again and detach the support for the drive cage from the main support beam for the case. (its squareish with two holes for drive support)

-now to move it to the bottom.

-Attached the drive cage and then too the support and placed it accordingly so it would have a nice solid fit. marked and drilled the holes. placed in some case screws to holed it in place.

-now to test the sucker. grabbed an old cd burner and placed it in the drive cage and then attached it to its new home.

-grabbed the front plastics again and attached it. sat back and admired it for a long while.

I did it! all in about 2 hours total work time.

 

-then i proceeded to take off the front plastics so i dont scratch it.

 

 

Pic 1 - Pic 2 - Pic 3 - Pic 4

 

Let me know what you all think!

Ive still got alot to do on this case and i still dont know what im doing with it so im up for suggestions.

Plus ill add more pics when i get to taking them.