Chieftec Dragon - Fan over CPU?

[Novakog]

Despite the fact that I'm a n00b at modding, when I build my next comp I was gonna get a Chieftec Dragon (light, extremely easy to change hardware, looks nice) and put some more fans in. I wanted to put one directly over the proc, but the handle to open the side panel is right there and thus blocking my ability to put a fan. Are there any side panels for it that have the handle somewhere else (like one of the corners)?

[Novakog]

After looking around, I found this:

I wonder how they did it?

http://www.voyeurmods.com/modded%20c...erge_ix_23.jpg

[tgxiii]

My guess is it's not a Chieftec case but one that uses the same design.

[Novakog]

Well, that's what I meant. If I could get a silver colored (aluminum, if possible) side panel that would fit on a Chieftec Dragon (without the handle, obviously), that's the same to me as far as I care, although they actually do say it is a modded Chieftec case (but, ya know, they could be lying).

Anyway, I sent them an e-mail for a quote on a simple side panel without the handle, and if it's reasonably cheap I'll ask em how you open it without the handle (unless someone with a Dragon tells me that the handle is just for grip, it doesn't have an actual function, but I don't think that's true).

[DallasDon]

If it's like this one, it's just a grip. I built this for a buddy, and that's one sweet case. Room for excess psu wires above the power supply. Got a fan template on the RIGHT side for hard drive cooling, and all the usual spots.

Friction tabs on all drive bays. Notice the gold thumbscrews on the rail from power supply to CDR drive slot. It has five predrilled holes for extra thumbscrews.

[sweeper2]

http://www.chieftec.com/products/Newg/Install.htm

i use the DG-01WD-U...the fan on the door basically sits slightly lower then the cpu but my cpu overclocked stays at 38 C with a decent heatsink and fan... got it shipped from tiger direct for 42$
great cooling, plenty of room and looks good also, your choice if you want a clear door or not. I don't have anything special in my case to put on a clear door at this time...

[Novakog]

So it is just grip... that means the guys over at voyeurmod just cut it off and placed a window there. That's good to hear, that means I can just remove the grip entirely and put a fan in the remaining hole (which is pretty much exactly where I wanted it).

Yeah, the thing I've heard about these case is that they pretty much require no tools to add and remove hardware, even PCI and AGP cards. Even if I did need the grip, I would still get this case, so it's not like I'm decided whether or not to buy it, I was just curious.

Thanks guys (I'll post my modded case when I do it, won't be for a while though)!

[sweeper2]

what kind of system...just curious...installing a pentium or athlon system?? with my board,,,having a fan where the handle is wouldn't be all that great....but not sure on a pentium system or some other type of system...

[Novakog]

I'm gonna be installing an Athlon 64 system (after 939 pin comes out, so it will be a while), which as far as I can tell from pictures is under that handle, however if it's not then I just leave the handle when I get it.

I mean, take a look: http://www.overclockercafe.com/Revie...eftec/1027.htm

However, it does seem as if the handle is too far back to put a fan over it, so I might end up cutting a window over the whole thing (like they did at voyeur mods) and putting a fan on the window, which would look pretty nice as well.

BTW, I wasn't planning to have the fan centered where the handle is, just that part of where I'd like the fan to be would overlap with the handle. So, yeah... I guess I'll end up doing what I said at the end of the above paragraph (putting a window pretty much over the whole side, and cutting a fan hole out of the window).

Also, do you guys know any cheap places I can get a Dragon case? Tigerdirect seems to have upped their prices to $99, without a PSU, and I can't seem to find it anywhere less than $80 (without a PSU, again)...

[bombledmonk]

Well as mods go you could always put the fan lower in side of the case and us a duct or some tubing to direct the air onto your fan.