Gutting A Clamshell

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So I love iBook Clamshells. I bought one not so long ago, been using it on and off for fun. Anyway I love it very much, purely because of the case. A dream of mine would be to gut a Clamshell and fit in new parts, as if the case is just.. well, an empty case to build it into. I appreciate that this has been suggested before, and that it would be no easy project at all. But I'm crazy enough to want to give it a shot. To have, I dunno, a 1 to 2 ghz setup, with 1gb of ram, an 80 to 120gb HD would just be flash inside a Clamshell case.

I am going to be able to free up $800NZD or so dollars soon (thats just under $600 USD or $600 CAD). I was thinking about putting it towards a new system but.. well, gutting a clamshell and refitting everything is an attractive idea. So a few questions:

- Is it possible at all? Could I find hardware and fit it into the Clam (obviously not just plug it in, I'd have to secure it inside the case) or is the case just too awkward?

- Would my budget be acceptable for a project like this? Could the price sky rocket because of the nature of this mod.

- Is this a bit too deep for someone like me? I've never done a lot of work inside computers before, other than plugging crap in to slots such as ram and whatnot.

Also, what are some of the challenges that I could run into. Frankly I haven't thought this through entirely, but I figured consulting a community of "Mac experts" might be a good place to start.
 

pigoo3

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It wasn't so long ago you couldn't afford the proper "Yo-Yo" power adapter for your iBook Clamshell...and you really wanted the little plastic Apple logo insert for the lid of your laptop...now you want to spend up to $800NZD to gut a Clamshell & install newer hardware???:Confused:

I'm not saying it wouldn't or couldn't be an interesting project...it just seems that unless you just won the lottery...or a rich distant relative passed away & left you a bunch of money...that spending that $800NZD on something more important would be a better idea.;)...for example purchasing a MUCH newer Macbook.

Just trying to help,

- Nick
 
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Yeah, I was broke then. I have a job now. :p
I kind of want something with a bit more style though. Something unique. Lots of people have MacBooks at my school, and frankly it ends up looking boring. To carry around a Clamshell, then shock people when I tell them about the upgraded specs would be awesome.
 

pigoo3

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Yeah, I was broke then. I have a job now. :p
I kind of want something with a bit more style though. Something unique. Lots of people have MacBooks at my school, and frankly it ends up looking boring. To carry around a Clamshell, then shock people when I tell them about the upgraded specs would be awesome.

Hey congrats on the job!...it's nice to have some spending money!!!:)

As far as the project...yeah I totally understand the "style" angle. I think one of the limitations of the "clamshell case" is the area for the display. The Clamshell iBooks had a somewhat small 12" display...and considering the size of the clamshell housing...you should be able to put a bigger display into it. Just got to trim the display bezel. But if you don't mind the 12" display...you could leave it.

Good luck,

- Nick
 
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Also, would I have issues with the keyboard? I believe I read something about it having a strange or outdated cable that could be a problem if I was to gut the rest.
 

pigoo3

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Also, would I have issues with the keyboard? I believe I read something about it having a strange or outdated cable that could be a problem if I was to gut the rest.

Yes...I was thinking that the keyboard would be a hassle as well. If you try installing a newer logic board into the clamshell's case...the connector on the Clamshell's keyboard cable most likely will be different. Same thing goes for the cables from the display to the logic board.

These are just some of the "hurdles" you face when considering this sort of project. If it was easy...many many more people would be doing it.;)

- Nick
 
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The Clamshell iBooks had a somewhat small 12" display...and considering the size of the clamshell housing...you should be able to put a bigger display into it. Just got to trim the display bezel. But if you don't mind the 12" display...you could leave it.


Didn't the Clamshells have a maximum of a 800 x 600 Display? If your willing to tackle this project, I'd go with something with at least a 1024 x 768 Display. That way you'd have a resolution to match the specs. :)
 
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Didn't the Clamshells have a maximum of a 800 x 600 Display? If your willing to tackle this project, I'd go with something with at least a 1024 x 768 Display. That way you'd have a resolution to match the specs. :)

I'm pretty sure theres a mod to do that anyway, even if I wasn't going to scrap most of the internals.
 

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