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looking real nice. I'd go with the smoked plexi - what I see right now is smoked plexi essentially comprising an outside element on that side panel, and some solid black shapes (fans, PSU) comprising interior elements, all of which contrast with the main outside element of white. I think having black fan grilles might take away some design uniformity by adding solid black as an outside element as opposed to just an inside element. But then, that's just my opinion :).
about 4.5 years ago I used to work at a Micro Center computer retailer in northern California, selling compaqs and HPs like this one. My overriding memory of the cases they used...well to keep this G-rated I won't add the choice adjectives that I can think up for their design/quality. :D Suffice it to say you're doing a great conversion so far, much better than what you started with! (and yes...modular PSU's are the best, although in my own mod I may completely disassemble my PSU...jury's still out on that one)

Thank you. Ya, the side panel is smoked plexi, just no point and taking the protective cover off until the end of the mod. The smoked plexi would be real nice for the grills, I would just have to order another sheet.

I might have a small scrap leftover somewhere that I could maybe make the small fan grill to see how it looks.

EDIT: WOOT! I've got a piece big enough to do the entire front panel, top grill, and the small fan. I just can't make any mistakes. My history with not breaking plexi isn't too great, but then again Project: Nightrain I didn't have a dremel, just a drill and a mini hacksaw.

I'll make one out of clear just to get it right.

ideas... hmmm... ship me the modular!.... oh.. mod ideas :P j/k i like the smoked idea...
smoked plexi gives that wicked "i got something pretty, but u cant quite see it" feel...
like ladies in lingerie.... leave a lil something to the imagination :)

very slick man i like it the white and black fans looks cool +rep

Ya, I do like the smoked plexi. It's what I've got in Nightrain II, which will eventually get finished as well (are they ever finished?). The issue with that is that I've grown out of the style that it was made in. . .

The smoke is really nice. You can barely see anything at all that is in the case without lights. I really like that look.

The issue now is how to do the front panel grill. Because I used the holes on the chassis front, the upper 2 bolts are further in than the lower. As it is, it doesn't make much difference, but if I make the width of the grill somewhere between the two dimensions it is going to show, hard. If I make it a new front face, then it hides that a bit, BUT do I really want the whole panel plexi. I did that with Nightrain, and not sure if I want that again. Time to think.

I'll answer your parenthetical question with a paraphrase (alliteration not intended :D): A great mod is never finished, only abandoned...

For this update I want to start by asking if anyone knows of a source to get this type of bolt?

I would like the head to be a little smaller in diameter, and the shaft to be thinner, but I think they look killer. These are spares from my glass desk, so I can't use these, nor do I have enough.

And I started making the fan grills. I started with the smaller rear fan to see how it works out.

Fresh from the dremel. No filing or anything yet.

After a few hours of filing and sanding. It's not perfect, but with the rudimentary tools I've got I'm proud. No waterjet for me (although sometimes I wish I had one!).

I frosted the smoked plexi as it was far too see through/clear for what I wanted. Looks quite nice, even with the temp bolts and only primered case.

Looks pretty nice, no? The hole above will have power switch and be made out of the smoked plexi as well.

looks nice :up:

Poor lighting pics tonight. Mostly because my brother keeps bugging me of my process so I'll just update here instead of just sending him pic links.

Current work on the front panel grill. I didn't like how the grey overtook the entire panel, so I didn't bother finishing the holes for fans and such, as I am going to cut it down much smaller.


Here you can see what I was thinking by not liking it; the smoke was supposed to be an accent, not overtake the entire panel.

I decided to look at some of the hardware I would be using and noticed the shroud on the 8800GTS was SMOKED PLEXI! Ripped off the stickers and after a couple hours of peanut butter application and scrubbing this is what I wound up with.

Still need to finish sanding/wet sanding with 1000 grit, as I've noticed some of the unevenness in the pics, but it looks much better now than before.

It makes me sad that such beauty isn't going to be seen with the side panel on. I think the window is just lower than it. That's okay, I'll give some nekkid shots when its finished too. ;)

I'm not sure what is under the black eVGA sticker so I hadn't removed it yet. As it looks like there's a funky divot that might look weird if I take the sticker off.

I know how much you guys love hardware shots so here's a few more.

No sticker smoked plexi shroud vs. regular ugly sticker stock shroud.

Unfortunately, no SLi in this build.

Gigabyte G31m-ES2L mobo, e5200, 8800GTS 320MB, along with the CM Geminii cooler.

If I can find the fan bracket the Geminii will have 2 of the Scythe slims on it. It's been running "passive" in the TT Lanbox it's in now keeping the e5200 high 20's/low 30's under general use, so if I can't find it, then it isn't a big deal.

29$ AR OCZ Modular 500W psu

I am really enjoying the modular cables. =)

Hopefully in a few days I'll have the front panel cut down. And maybe some more paint if I can get one decent day.