HummerPC

Introduction

Inspired by the four or so model car PCs that have been produced, I've decided to build a PC into a Hummer (H1) wagon case. This was chosen mostly because of my mother's huge Hummer/Humvee model collection.

What's different about mine? I've decided to do some very specific things:

• The ports at the back of the motherboard will be directly accessible, none of this cable crud.
• 802.11 networking. Antenna should swing up from the roof.
• Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. (I'm hoping that Bluetooth is more robust when operating near 802.11 -- I know it wins when fighting Logitech's proprietary RF system.)
• Flip-top DVD/CD drive, accessed by popping the hood.

I was hoping to find a flip-top DVD drive that was powered purely by the Firewire interface. Unfortunately I could only find a tray-style with that feature. Instead, I've used a flip-top with a 5V DC input and I'll be modifying a molex connector to supply the power.

This PC will become my LAN bash machine. Fortunately my friends and I play mostly Diablo II, so system requirements aren't a big issue.

2003.06.04

I ordered most, if not all of the PC parts today. Pricey at almost A$1,500, but I've gone with a mildly expensive DVD drive and a severely overpriced keyboard and mouse. Here's the complete list:

VIA EPIA-M 1000 - $357.50
235W MicroATX PSU - $88
20GB notebook HDD - $187
ASUS SCB-1608-D - $390.50
Microsoft Bluetooth Optical Desktop - $319
NetGear MA101 WiFi USB - $181.50
256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM - $60.50
2.5" to 3.5" IDE adaptor - $11

Hummer shells should be arriving in a little over a week.

2003.06.12

Picked up a Hummer Wagon shell today. Only just 17cm, it'll be tight. Also, given the shape of the case, it'll be tricky designing the frame.

The Hummer has a lot of clearance front and back. It means the bottom of the shell in the middle is far below the bottom of the case at the ends. I had originally considered two different levels of platforms for mounting stuff, and I'd not really worked out how to mount some parts. Instead I'm probably going to mount the motherboard updsidedown with a clip-on protective shell. Cabling and heat might be issues, but we'll see. And here's a picture (the HDD and WiFi are side-by-side):

2003.06.17

Got most of the bits sorted out on Friday, now the motherboard should arrive this week. Below are pics of the case (which is a bit like trying to photograph a jellyfish in a puddle) and some of the bits that are going into the case.

Still haven't sorted out the plate aluminium that's going to be used, but I have a couple of leads. Also, the design has changed again -- two platforms separated by what I know as "risers" or "spacers" (brass tubes with thread on the inside). I'm hoping to findout if the motherboard actually fits in the case before I get too carried away.

2003.06.29

All the PC bits have arrived, and the machine boots, can connect to the network and plays a decent game of Diablo II. However...

[Rant]
The Microsoft Bluetooth Optical Desktop is an incompatible peice of junk. It isn't compatible with a huge host of existing BT adapters (such as the one in my Fujitsu laptop), nor is the included BT stack compatible with a huge range of BT devices and the USB transceiver itself is not largely compatible with some modern High Speed USB ports. Ultimately I was unable to get the, expensive, Bluetooth desktop functioning with my MiniATX computer and I've had to swap it with my older Logitech Cordless Desktop Pro (now using an optical mouse). Congratulations Microsoft, another technology successfully squashed. DR DOS, Quicktime, Java and now Bluetooth. I hope you're happy with yourselves.
[end Rant]

2003.07.01

2003.08.16

Finally got around to painting the shell last weekend (weather has sucked). Got the screws and spacers I'd been wanting for a while from a local electronics store. Means the motherboard is upright, but I need to cut a number of holes in the upper plate. I've drilled matching holes in the large upper and small lower plates. The mounting system works perfectly, but the first set of holes on the top plate are too far back. It wasn't going to be a problem but it looks dramatically better without the wheels sticking out, so space is a lot tighter at the back than I though it would be. Keyboard and mouse wouldn't have been a problem if I'd got the Microsoft Desktop working, but I didn't so I have to use a PS/2 receiver. I'm tempted to get a USB-to-(two)PS/2 adapter so I can plug the old Logitech cordless desktop into a USB port, but that can come later. Thought I'd sorted out the wheel mountings, but the narrower wheel base means the brackets I've found are too big. Anyway, pics:

2003.08.30

I don't think I ever posted the update from the 16th. Never mind.

The Hummer PC now runs with the shell on. That means I've cut and mounted pretty much everything. The only remaining things are:

• 5V power cable for DVD/CD drive.
• Mount the power switch.
• Mount the wheels.
• Apply the stickers that came with the case.

Everything else is done!

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Thanks to