Alternatives to the 800-series case

[Bunsen]

*hissssss*

The Quadra 800 case, as used by the 800, 840av, 8100, and 8500, though attractive enough on the outside, is universally reviled as a pain to work with. Hence, I'm looking for advice on the best alternative cases to use with, or modify for use with, motherboards from that series, in particular with the Q840AV and PM8100 logic boards.

The simplest mods would I assume require the use of an existing 3x Nubus slot case, of which to my mind the most appealing would be the classic Snow White box IIcx/IIci/Quadra 700:

though that precludes an internal CD-ROM drive, without some face modifications. Additionally, I am told the power supply from this case may not match up with the 8xx logic board, so further mods would be required either to the PS, or to the case to allow mounting the 8xx PS.

The next obvious choice would be the case from the IIvi/vx, Performa 600, C/Q650, and PM7100, which does have a CD bezel, but is just a little on the fugly side for my tastes, and also can't be mounted sideways as a tower:

Beyond there, you start to run out of Nubus machines. Though the 9600 and drawbridge G3/G4 tower cases are appealing for easy access and expandability, they all would require extensive modification of, or replacement of, their rear panels, at a minimum - by which point you might as well hack up a generic ATX to the same end.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I got a bunch of factory fresh, Radius 81/110 front bezel units from macmetex. They match up very nicely with some readily available, short, wide MiniTowers from the PC side of the thrift world.

I haven't checked it yet, but the spacing of the Bezels looks like it may be very close to that of the HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6400/6500 excuse for a case.

Hacking a DIY NuBus BackPlane from the @$$ end of the donor should be no biggie. [] ]'>

 

[beachycove]

In the interests of authenticity for a machine like that, I'd keep it stock myself.

Now, in that connection, I have an 840av front panel that you can have for the price of shipping (Canada), as I seem to recall that yours got damaged and the one I have needs to go. I do not have an intact rear panel (in the set I had, the rear panel had been dremelled out to fit an 8100 logic board -- so it is toast).

The 840av front panel is, mind you, an absolutely ideal candidate for a retrobrite experiment.

 

[Unknown_K]

The 840av front panel is brittle enough with age, adding peroxides to it will not be good.

 

[Byrd]

It's fugly, but no doubt you'll find it much easier hacking up a an AT or Micro ATX case. A decent quality one from a HP/Compaq/IBM would look reasonable. I don't know where you'd fit the power supply in a IIci/Q700 case without it sticking from the top, and have enough room to keep the existing 3.5" floppy and HD brackets inside.

Have a spare Q8x0 steel lid? You could always ahem put a hinge on the side panel for easier access

 

[Bunsen]

Byrd, you mean - turn the 8x0 case into a drawbridge? Hmmm interesting.

I have an 840av front panel that you can have for the price of shipping (Canada)

Thanks beachycove, I'll keep that in mind - though I seem to recall that postage from Canada to Australia for anything large is pretty expensive.

the rear panel had been dremelled out to fit an 8100 logic board

That may not be a dealbreaker, if you want to dispose of that one as well.

Beyond there, you start to run out of Nubus machines.

Well, there is of course the long-II six-slot case, but I only have one of those, and I plan to put my IIfx logic board in there.

 

[Bunsen]

drawbridge G3/G4 tower cases

Thinking about those, it occurred to me that the way the PCI slots and a good proportion of the backplane are attached to & fold down with the drawbridge could make this a viable case for a Nubus backplane mod.

On the other hand...



*snicker* }

 

[Byrd]

That could work quite nicely, especially when low-end G5 towers (or just the cases) go so cheaply now. It would be quite perfect with a Q950 in there ...

 

[Bunsen]

Yes, there's a seller here with a few empties going cheap. That's what got me thinking.

Everymac says:

==========================================
Model               mm |  H  |  W  |  D  |
-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+
Power Mac G5 / Mac Pro | 511 | 206 | 475 |  [2]
Mac II / IIx / IIfx    | 475 | 140 | 366 |  [1]
Quadra 900 / 950       | 472 | 226 | 523 |
PowerMac G4 / B&W G3   | 432 | 226 | 467 |  [2]
Quadra 840AV           | 356 | 196 | 400 |
Q700 / Mac IIci / IIcx | 302 | 140 | 366 |  [1]
==========================================

[1] as tower; width for H
[2] includes handles, feets, side panels

Conclusions:

=======================================================
Logic -> Case |  G5   |  G4   | Q9xx  |II-long|II-shrt|
--------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
Q8xx          |   Y   |   Y   |   Y   |   ?   |   ?   |
II-long       |   Y   |   ?   |   Y   |       |   x   |
Q9xx          |   ?   |   ?   |       |   ?   |   x   |
=======================================================

Also: dang that Q950 is a beast:

(vs Q700)

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

. . . On the other hand...
'>

Don't rule the 7100/650 case out as a tower, BTW, I'm using naked sheet metal 7600 as a PCI Card test station sitting on the solid side (reminds self to stick on rubber feets for cooling) and it looks really

Everybody raves about Macintosh case design, but I really love the look of the bare-@$$ nekkid metal chassis Macs. The sheet metal design/packaging engineers at Apple are waaaaayyyyyy better than Jonathan Ive. I have tremendous respect for JI's giftss in the Industrial Design and Artistic Talent departments, he's good enough to be on the FROG team, but I'm just in awe of the Packaging Design Team's work!

 

[Bunsen]

That would be power supply down, open top facing to the right? Got pix?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

That would be power supply down, open top facing to the right? Got pix?

PSU up drives on left . . . I'll take some.

 

[tmtomh]

Just an FYI - in my experience you can put a Quadra 800 motherboard into a Q700 case with no problem. No problems mating to the CPU, the internal speaker, or anything else IIRC.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

What priority are aesthetics when considering IIvx/vi/7100 case on its side? These Macs don't have "feets" to get in the way but they wouldn't probably look very good like that.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I think I'll do a clear plexicase for my 9600 metal tower's sheet metal and I'll take a look at the 7100's sheet metal while I'm at it.

With the drive platform's MonoFeet hanging straight down it looks just right. I may use aluminum leaf to create an engine turned (swirliques to make it more semi transparent) RFI containment for the slot bay.

Pics up tonight sometime.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

7600MetalMiniTower™ pics are up!

 

[Bunsen]

Just an FYI - in my experience you can put a Quadra 800 motherboard into a Q700 case with no problem. No problems mating to the CPU, the internal speaker, or anything else IIRC.

That's good to know. That would imply the same transplant is possible with an 840AV. Even better if you don't need rear access for the third Nubus slot. I could possibly get away with just drilling out a hole for the RCA plug on the Spigot, if the other two are taken up (fast SCSI, Audiomedia II for example)

What priority are aesthetics

Somewhat of a priority, but not necessarily a dealbreaker.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

There's usually a lot of spare room on the backplane plate, even of something like your FSCSI2 card, either above or below the primary connector.

Yours might be more difficult to place due to the larger connector. VidCards & NICs are easy!

Oddly enough, the only Macs in my collection that will remain forever safe from re-casing are actually the only two Q800 Road Apple Cases in the menagerie. The 8500 and 840AV are the supports for the MacCoffeeTable™ that was the first example of, and the impromptu inspiration for, the entire MacFurniture™ collection. Go figure! :

At any rate, I agree with beachycove, the 840AV should probably remain stock. Not only was it the be-all-n-end-all dream machine of the Quadra line, that also made it the right side bookend of the 68k era for all intents and purposes, if not in fact.

 

[Bunsen]

Fear not, jt. Wherever the 840 logic board ends up, the case will be safely preserved for the future.