Scion xB '06 -- in-dash screen -- details, pictures, links

rdholtz · 01-13-2008, 07:14 AM

sheet metal fabrication, plastic welding, head unit relocation, battery box fabrication, etc.

Guide to this Thread:

Aluminized Steel -- Posts 83, 84
Bezel Modification -- Posts 3, 9-11, 13-17, 22, 30-31, 50, 55
Case Design and Fabrication -- Posts 2, 8, 27, 69
Dual-Lock Fastening -- Posts 153-155
DVD Player -- Posts 3, 40, 89, 96-97, 119
Foam Tape -- Posts 151-152
Hard Drive and Mount Fabrication -- Posts 5, 64
Head Unit Relocation -- Posts 3, 25, 40-42, 80-83, 85-88, 90-91, 94-95, 98-102, 105-111,114-119, 123-124, 126-128, 132, 137-140, 142-144, 151-156
Keyboard & Mouse -- Post 18
Lilliput 10.4 Complete Screen Dimensions -- Post 53
PC Location, PC Mount Fabrication -- Posts 2, 72-73
Plastic Welding -- Posts 16-17, 19-21, 31, 56, 58, 60-61
Polyethylene Adhesives -- Post 50
Polyethylene Sources -- Posts 17, 21, 30-31, 59
Power Adapter (110V to 12V) -- Post 75
Punching Tool -- Posts 158, 159, 161-164
Sandbags -- Post 57
Screen Button Placement -- Posts 25, 52
Screen Concealment -- Posts 173-177, 180, 182-186
Screen Glare -- Posts 54, 181
Screen Location and Mount Fabrication -- Posts 3, 9, 35-38, 40, 43-47, 54
Sheet Metal Fabrication -- Posts 2, 5, 8, 37-38, 43-47, 80-88, 90-91, 98-102, 105-109, 113-116, 119, 126-128, 132, 151
Slotted Parts -- Posts 43, 54, 100, 101, 105, 111, 113, 115-117, 119, 124, 127-129, 132, 143, 151, 153, 157-159, 161-172
Software Choices -- Posts 65, 183
Steering Wheel Audio Controls -- Posts 62-63, 114
Switches -- Posts 2, 143-148
Trapster -- Post 74
Velcro Fastening -- Posts 119, 132, 138, 151-153

(There are 15 posts per page)

About the Photos:
All images have been uploaded to the MP3Car.com site, so they're automatically sized to fit. After some experimenting, I make almost all the photos the maximum size of 1524 pixels on the longest side, and no more than 2MB in size. I try to keep them all in a width-to-height ratio of 4:3. I do the photo editing in Irfanview 3.99 or Google Picasa.
Click on images to enlarge them.

----------

System:
Monitor: Lilliput 10.4" touchscreen
Case: Custom 12"x8"x3" 22-gauge steel chassis box & 20-gauge steel cover
Power Supply: Mini-box M2-ATX
Motherboard: Biostar K8M800-M7A, 9-5/8"w x 7-1/2"d
Processor: Mobile AMD Sempron 3000, 1.8GHz, 25W
Memory: 1 Gb Crucial PC3200 DDR
Hard Drive: 60Gb 2.5" SATA laptop
Sound: on motherboard -- Realtek ALC655 6-Channel AC97 CODEC
Video: on motherboard -- VIA S3 Graphics UniChrome Pro
Optical Drive: Combo DVD player / CD burner; may elect to use a Blueray DVD reader
Bluetooth: HP bt450 USB
Keyboard: USB Micro Thumbpad from MP3Car
Mouse: USB finger-mount trackball mouse -- to be mounted to shifter
Ports: 6 in-case USB ports, 1 serial port; VIA VT6103 10/100 Ethernet
Unused: 8x AGP slot, three PCI slots, one CNR slot.
Wireless: Sprint Ovation USB
Dash-mounted 5v powered USB hub

Software:
OS: Windows XP Pro
Front End: Centrafuse or RoadRunner
Skin: (TBD)
GPS Software: (TBD -- maybe Garmin)
Phone Software: (TBD)

Car Audio:
Head Unit: stock Pioneer
Speakers: stock front and rear
Subwoofer: (TBD)
Steering Wheel Controls: stock

Install Plan:
Phase 1: Build case (completed)
Phase 2: Assemble PC and install Win XP Pro and other software using 110V / 145W power supply (completed)
Phase 3: Design and build mount for PC (completed Version 1, but I may redesign it)
Phase 4: Finish PC internal wiring (completed)
Phase 5: Test system under 12V (completed)
Phase 6: Design and build mount for monitor (completed)
Phase 7: Design and construct replacement bezel (in process)
Phase 8: Design and build mounts for relocated head unit (completed)
Phase 9: Extend Head Unit Wiring (completed)
Phase 10: Design and build holder for second battery
Phase 11: Install car wiring for system
Phase 12: Permanently install system
Phase 13: Test and tweak
Phase 14: Celebrate, improve, redesign, decide on additions, etc.

Current Progress:
Just completed a new head unit support system; working on LCD screen cover.

Previous Projects
(1) A laptop holder for the xB and other cars with dash cubbyholes. How-to-build instructions are in the link.
(2) A thread on How To Find and Hire a Fabricator for parts of the project you can't or don't want to do yourself.

Thank You
This worklog is an attempt to repay -- or pay forward -- some of what I've gained.

I owe tremendous thanks to my Dad and some other mentors. Because they took the time to teach me, I'm pretty shop-savvy, so I'm comfortable that I can do most of the things I'll need to do. Skills I haven't developed yet -- like sheet metal work, fiberglass work, and plastic welding -- I figure I'll pick up working in the garage. Many of the tools I use were Dad's, and some of them have been handed down from his Dad.

I also owe great thanks to my Mom and several good teachers over the years who taught me how to write, and to Mom, my sister and several friends who've encouraged me to keep on writing.

Thanks, too, to the founders, moderators and posters who started and built the MP3Car forums to the tremendous resources they are. Without all the information available from those who came before me, I may never have started this project. I lurked for six months, reading about other projects, before I posted the first time; the information available here made the decision to build a CarPC easy.

And thanks to you for reading here. I hope you'll provide feedback and tips to make this a great resource for those who follow us.

Let's build a CarPC.

rdholtz · 01-13-2008, 07:16 AM

Case:
I was looking for a PC case about 8"x12"x3" because that would fit very nicely between the seat rails. I did a bunch of web-crawling looking for electrical boxes, project boxes, cash boxes and even lunch boxes and cookie and candy boxes. They were all the wrong size or outrageously expensive.

I decided to go the build-it-myself route. I went to Home Depot and got a galvanized steel stud drywall track, which would be almost perfect for 3-1/2" sides. I did some test bends. It bends fine across the web, but when I went to bend the flanges, they simply broke when I got to 90 degrees; apparently, the material is work-hardened from manufacturing. Bummer. I aborted that plan.

Then I found the Hammond Manufacturing (www.hammfg.com) boxes. They produce lots of sizes, and the 12"x8"x3" seemed perfect. It's Hammond part # 1441-24BK3 (box) and 1431-22BK3 (cover). The box is black powder-coated 20-gauge steel, and is $36 plus shipping from Mouser Electronics (www.mouser.com) and other dealers. Canadians can find Hammond boxes at Parts Connexion (www.partsconnexion.com). I'd have used this box if I wasn't so impatient, but I decided to build a duplicate of the Hammond box from some sheet metal I have on hand. I'd never done much with sheet metal, so this seemed like a good way to learn.

The sides and bottom are a single piece of 22-gauge galvanized steel (HVAC duct material from Home Depot) formed in a $30 lightweight bending brake from Harbor Freight (www.harborfreight.com). The front and backplate are from the same material. It's riveted together using 1/8" stainless steel pop rivets. If I do this again, I may try solid rivets -- the pop rivets work fine, but they don't look very classy.

So I had the basic box, not quite as pretty as the Hammond box, but done in a day. It wasn't too hard, but I did a LOT of fit checks between steps.

To turn the bare box into a computer case, I drilled holes in the bottom for the motherboard and power supply standoffs; the standoffs attach with serrated locking washers and cap nuts. I cut a 1-3/4" x 6-3/4" hole for the interface insert panel, and hand-filed it to finish size. In each side, I drilled a pattern of holes for inlet air. The hole pattern duplicates the power supply cover of an old PC case I have.

With plenty of fit checks along the way, I also added holes for four additional USB ports, a 12-pin Molex connector for the various electronic connections (switch, LEDs, etc.), plus a power port from an old PC power supply. The power port isn't the standard 115V, but instead the reverse one generally used to power the monitor; it requires a special plug. I used that because I didn't want anyone -- or even me, in a moment of brainfade -- to plug in a straight 115V line and fry the system. The Molex connector is on the opposite end from the power plug, because I like to keep data and power cables away from each other as much as possible.

Here's the raw case:

Click images to enlarge.

The top is made of heavier 20-gauge pre-painted steel that was previously the side of a computer case. It fastens with four standard computer case screws that go into automotive-type 6-32 speednuts in the case. I drilled a pattern of holes -- similar to the ones in the sides, but larger -- centered over the processor cooling fan.

I paint-prepped both parts with an abrasive pad. On the unpainted steel, I followed with a vinegar (acetic acid) wash, followed by a water wash and air drying. Then I gave both parts several light coats of textured satin black Rust-Oleum paint. I left the inside of the case bare metal; with all the heat it produces, I don't expect corrosion to be an issue.

Here are the case and top after paint:

The top, which was probably powder-coated, has shown fine scratch resistance. But I wasn't so lucky with the previously unpainted galvanized steel. The paint initially seemed to adhere just fine, but it had pretty low scratch resistance, and I scraped paint off in several places just using it for fit checks when I built the mount (see below). So I stripped it back to bare metal by wetting it with acetone, waiting 30 seconds, and lifting off the paint with a plastic scraper and an acetone-soaked rag. Yep, I used latex gloves so the acetone wouldn't soak into my skin.

This time I gave it a phosphate wash, and, after drying thoroughly, a black epoxy base coat. It still didn't stick well enough. Stripped it again and phosphate washed and rinsed it twice more. Once it was dry, I gave it a some light coats of the textured satin black, and they stuck. Whew!

A local powder-coating company had priced the job at $30. I just figured the phosphate wash would be inexpensive -- a quart of the phosphating chemical cost $7 at Home Depot -- and would be good experience. What about a professional appearance? Well, yes, I want it to look nice, but this box is going to live under the seat, so learning about the phosphating and painting processes was more important.

Mistake Avoided: I dodged a mistake by luck. I decided to go extra wide on the case by about 1/2". It's a good thing I did, because I needed that space at the back so I can reach in and attach/detach the power supply connector, which sits right at the back of the motherboard. Next time I design my own case, I'll be sure I leave that little extra bit of space, instead of trying to get it all to the absolute minimum dimension. That extra space also makes it easier to neaten up the wires that connect the PSU, the motherboard, and the Molex connector.

PC Mount:
The PC sits under the passenger seat near the front of its travel, raised off the floor about 3". This position provides plenty of airflow around the case. The mount is built much like the laptop holder that I'll use until this PC system is up and running. The how-to-build instructions on the laptop holder are here. The mount is soldered 1/2" copper tubing, covered with hot-water line insulation, a gray foam material that lets the PC float on a foam cushion for shock absorption, and provides positioning. I painted the caps on the legs black, because they're the only copper that will show.

Here are the soldered-up mount, and the mount with insulation cut and ready to install:

The legs extend up from the base far enough to hold the case in position, but are low enough that they don't interfere with the top. The rear passenger floormat extends all the way up under the seat, and I cut holes in it for the legs. The holes will keep the mount positioned, and it's stable enough that the weight of the system should hold it firmly in place. If I were going to take my car off-road, I'd devise something hold it tighter, but this is a street machine.

Here's the mount completed, and the nearly-completed case nestled into the mount:

The power connection on the left side and the 12-pin Molex connector on the right side ride up against the foam on the legs, so they'll maintain the case's position on the mount laterally. The legs keep it positioned fore-and-aft.

In under-seat installations, especially where the ports face the rear, backseat passengers' feet can do damage without the passengers even knowing it. In this installation, all the connections are in the front face seen in the photo. I'll still have to devise a way to keep rear seat passengers' feet off the back of it, but they're unlikely to damage anything since there are no cables or switches there.

Phase 1 is almost done, Phase 2 is coming up soon, and Phase 3 is Completed.

rdholtz · 01-13-2008, 07:16 AM

Monitor location:
Here's a picture of the stock dash on the xB:

Click images to enlarge.

I originally wanted to put the monitor into the dash, but not actually build it in. I wanted to keep the monitor intact because some test fitting indicated that removing the case wouldn't gain me much. I eventually caved in to the idea of building it into the dash at some point. Moving the 2-DIN head unit from the top to the bottom of the panel means I'd eliminate the cubbyhole and the lighter/ashtray panel seen in front of the shifter. Here's the dash with those components out, and then a test fit with the head unit moved and the monitor stuck into the opening it left:

To build into the dash, I'll have to fabricate some brackets and extensively modify the bezel, but I won't have to make structural changes to the dash itself. I'll also have to extend the radio and antenna wires. The major time involvement will be fabricating brackets for everything and making the revised bezel.

Because I want to leave the HVAC controls where they are, the monitor may rise about 1" above the current top of the panel, but it won't obscure the dash readouts when I'm driving. Here's a driver's-eye view with the parts temporarily placed:

The dash slopes forward -- away from the driver -- quite a bit, but I want the monitor to be vertical to eliminate as much sun as possible. It will have significant space behind it in the area previously occupied by the 2-DIN radio -- an area roughly 7"x4"x6". I originally thought I could build a metal box the same size as the radio, use the radio mounting brackets to install it, and mount the monitor to the box. I considered using the box to hold the powered USB adapter and mounting the monitor on rails in such a way that sliding the monitor out would provide easy access to the hub. I eventually abandoned that idea.

I also considered locating the monitor below the HVAC controls. This option would also require mount fabrication and bezel fabrication, still with no structural changes to the dash, and would mean I don't have to move the head unit. But I decided it would also place the monitor so far out of my line of sight that using it there would be too distracting. I want it closer to eye level.

DVD player/CD writer:
It looks like the best option available is to mount a DVD player below the climate controls and above the relocated head unit. That will entail more brackets and an opening in the bezel, but will only require a 4-foot cable to the PC.

redls1bird · 01-13-2008, 10:01 PM

Your off to a great start!! Lots of good custom stuff in here. Kepp up the good work.

rdholtz · 01-17-2008, 11:02 PM

Thanks, redls1bird . . .

Hard Drive Installation:
I decided to mount the hard drive up on the inside of the lid, close to the vent holes, figuring that would make sure some air flowed around it to keep it cool. I allowed about a 1/4" gap between the hard drive and the lid. I'm not very worried about shock mounting, because the entire case rides on a foam cushion.

Using 20-gauge galvanized sheet metal, I cut two strips 4"x5/8", rounded the ends with snips and a file, and drilled 1/8" diameter holes, 5/16" from each end. Then I drilled two 3/16" holes in each piece, 1" from the center. A quick pass through the bending brake making bends 1-3/8" from center, and I had hard drive brackets.

After drilling matching 3/16" holes in the lid, I bolted the brackets in using standard hard drive screws and 6-32 nuts; there's a fiber washer under the head of each screw and a serrated locking washer under each nut. Here's the top with the brackets mounted, plus views of the top with the hard drive in place, seen from the inside and the outside:

Click images to enlarge.

fcastle · 01-18-2008, 03:10 AM

Great work, it's good to see another xb. I took way to long to finish mine, so no work log, but thanks for the link to the project boxes, it's what i've been looking for.

What did you use to make the cuts? A Dremel?

Phatsacks · 01-18-2008, 08:15 AM

So much work into the case, but you did not want to go 7" LCD and make it look like an OEM install?

rdholtz · 01-18-2008, 08:29 AM

Fcastle, it's good to hear from another xB owner. Do you have pictures?

To make the cuts, I used a combination of tools: drill, sheet metal snips, a Ryobi rotary tool (like a Dremel, but bulkier and 18v), and an air-powered nibbler. I could have done it without the rotary tool or the nibbler, but this project was a great excuse to buy toys for the shop. The air nibbler was about $25 from Harbor Freight, and the Ryobi rotary tool was about $40 -- without battery or charger -- from Home Depot; I already have the batteries and charger from other Ryobi tools.

I used a center punch to mark hole centers so I could drill the holes where I wanted them. To guide the cuts, I put a wide Magic Marker line about where the cuts would go, and then scribed the exact location in that mark. That gave me perfect lines to work up to. If I do any more of this, though, I'll get a can of layout dye.

All the cuts were hand-filed to final dimensions and finish. Because the USB port openings are too small to use my regular files, I bought a set of little hobby files at Lowe's (www.lowes.com).

I tested my skills on scrap before doing the real thing. Even so, I ended up building a couple of parts over. I learned a lot about sheet metal doing this job.

I learned a lot about painting and paint prep, too. And I learned that the satin black texture paint hides little screwups.

rdholtz · 01-18-2008, 09:00 AM

Phatsacks, I'm working on making it look OEM. It appears that by doing some major bezel work, I can encase the monitor in the bezel. I bought a spare bezel on eBay and have already started hacking at it. I'm slurping up the the tutorials from turbocad6 and gorky and lots of information from others.

I didn't want a smaller monitor. Unfortunately, this 10.4" monitor conflicts with the a/c vents; there's 1/2"+ interference on either side. I'm thinking of cutting the bezel and building it deeper and wider. I'd essentially be moving the outlets an inch further apart, and making the bezel deeper by 2" or more at the top, but the same depth at the bottom. That will allow me to build the ducts around the monitor, and to keep the screen relatively upright rather than laying back and being unreadable in sunlight. It will also mean completely reshaping the bezel. That will be interesting, since I've never done bezel work before.

I don't think the new bezel will be silver like the original; I'll probably go with a satin black similar to the rest of the dash. Turbocad6 points out that subtle is better than flashy. When that monitor lights up, that'll be flashy enough to suit me.

When I get the space in the dash made, I'll post more pix. Since this car is my daily driver, and since we still need a/c here in sunny south Florida, I work to keep everything functioning as I modify.

I think I've resigned myself to building this permanently -- not being able to go back to stock -- but I still want to build a bezel I can easily remove for maintenance.

fcastle · 01-19-2008, 07:54 PM

I went the same route you did for the bezel, I bought an extra one off of scionlife. I am having an 8in screen molded in. It will be painted flat or texture black to match the dash also (I too figured the screen should hold your attention). I'll get some pics of it the next time I go by the shop.

I already have a couple of orders for some more once this is hashed out, but I'm still learning a lot from the folks here. Everytime I think I have a new question it's in the search,lol.

I'm currently trying to get off of windows and over to linux, but I know little of it so it's slow, but seems worth it.

fixerofallthing · 01-19-2008, 08:01 PM

This is what I did.

Phatsacks · 01-19-2008, 10:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by rdholtz

Phatsacks, I'm working on making it look OEM. It appears that by doing some major bezel work, I can encase the monitor in the bezel. I bought a spare bezel and have already started hacking at it. I'm slurping up the the tutorials from turbocad6 and gorky and lots of information from others.

I didn't want a smaller monitor. Unfortunately, this 10.4" monitor conflicts with the a/c vents; there's about 1/2" interference on either side. I'm thinking of cutting the bezel and building it deeper and wider. I'd essentially be moving the outlets an inch further apart, and making the bezel deeper by an inch or more at the top, but the same depth at the bottom. That will allow me to build the ducts around the monitor, and to keep the screen relatively upright rather than laying back and being unreadable in sunlight. It will also mean completely reshaping the bezel. That will be interesting, since I've never done bezel work before.

I don't think the new bezel will be silver like the original; I'll probably go with a satin black similar to the rest of the dash. Turbocad6 points out that subtle is better than flashy. When that monitor lights up, that'll be flashy enough to suit me.

When I get the space in the dash made, I'll post more pix. Since this car is my daily driver, and since we still need a/c here in sunny south Florida, I work to keep everything functioning as I modify.

I think I've resigned myself to building this permanently -- not being able to go back to stock -- but I still want to build a bezel I can easily remove for maintenance.

Doing anything this in depth is worth doing right. Anxious to see how it turns out, as I'm sure it will be stellar.

rdholtz · 01-19-2008, 10:26 PM

Fcastle, I think an 8" or even 9" screen would be directly workable with some modification to the stock bezel. The 10.4", however, is just too big in both directions. It looks like I'll have to completely rebuild the bezel. I've sliced the spare into the outer sections and the inner sections. It looks like I can whizwheel the duct portions of the bezel out, and begin to modify from there.

fixerofallthing, I'd seen your setup while cruising MP3Car. I like the built-in appearance, and now I notice one thing I missed before: I like the way you brought the screen buttons into the bezel. That's a nice touch, and an idea I may use.

Phatsacks, thanks for the encouragement. I hope to use the plastic welding technique discussed by turbocad6 in his posts. "Stellar" is a pretty high bar to reach on the first try, but I'll give it a shot.

rdholtz · 01-28-2008, 05:38 PM

Bezel Fabrication:
No matter how I work it, my 10.4" screen is just too big for the original bezel. To keep the original case on the monitor, I need a bezel 2" or more deeper and at least 1/2" wider at the top; it can be the same as the original at the bottom. I want it to attach it the same way as the original, and I want it to look as close to stock as possible. The original already tapers, so more taper shouldn't look out of place. I don't want to modify the actual structure of the dash any more than necessary, but the bezel is just cosmetic. You can see the stock dash earlier in the thread.

To get the project moving, I bought a spare bezel on eBay. I've cut that bezel apart, slicing the center section away, and leaving the two outer pieces to work with. Here's the OEM bezel alone, a side view of one part to clearly show the curvature, and an inside view that shows the mounting points where it snaps into the dash:

Click images to enlarge.

I'm not sure what material these are. If I could find more of it, I'd use turbocad6's technique and simply heat-weld new pieces in place. Because I don't have similar material, I'll try using a semi-rigid epoxy, Duramix 4040. I bought the 6-ounce system plus a dozen mixing tips at Finishmaster in West Palm Beach, FL.

The current plan is to split each of the side pieces, effectively separating the faces from the sides, just behind the curving transition, cutting all but the last bit at the bottom. I'll leave them still connected at that one point. I used a Sharpie pen to draw a dashed line on clear tape, and then trimmed the tape to less than 1/8" wide. I laid that on the cutting line to make it easy to see in these pictures:

The OEM silver paint will stay on to make the cut lines easy to see, but I'll use acetone to take it off once they're cut. Then I'll put the bezel sides back in the dash just as they're originally installed, and move the tops to their new locations, further apart and further out from the dash. Next, I'll make some plastic braces to keep them in the proper relationship to the sides, and adhere them in place. Once they're solid, I'll take the assemblies out of the car and add more plastic to form the revised and extended sides, with lots of fit checks and match checks along the way. I want to add enough material that I can trim and sand away the excess material and make them as smooth as stock. I'll leave the mounts as intact as possible; when the modifications are complete, I'll build extensions into the revised sides and remount them so they fit right into the dash.

I'll keep the front of the ducts absolutely stock, including the louver systems, but I'll slice off the back of the ducts where they fit into the dash, and I'll build a new middle section to connect the faces to those cut-off pieces.

Once the bezel sides are complete, I may have to relocate some controls. The monitor will be at the top of the bezel, where the head unit was located. Below the hole for the head unit, you can see two slots, and I'd like to use their space for the monitor, too. The left slot is for switches that control a/c on-off, the rear window heater, and the emergency flashers. These switches are on two separate panels and should be relatively easy to move. The right slot is for a big lever that controls recirculation of air. It appears to be an adjuster, but it's actually an on-off microswitch, so I could eliminate the big lever and use the switch alone. Since I want to install fog and running lights later, I could probably just make another three-switch panel, similar to what's on the left side, and locate the switches there. Then I could move all of these to the space below the a/c controls panel (the three circular controls in the middle of the center section) that wouldn't be moved. That would keep all the a/c controls close together, and make a logical panel layout.

Next, I need to fabricate brackets for the monitor up at the top, brackets for the DVD, which will sit below the new switch panel, and brackets for the relocated head unit, which will sit right below the DVD.

With the new mounts fabricated and all the pieces installed, I can remount the modified bezel sides and fabricate the center section of the bezel to fit everything. No matter what, when it's all done, my goal is to have OEM look and feel, OEM strength and durability, and OEM ease of access for maintenance.

I'll add pix and comments as the project progresses.

seanshine · 01-29-2008, 07:07 AM

The bezel material is PE....no conventional epoxy or glue sticks to it.
There are two special purpose epoxies that do work,but,they are expensive.One is from Devcon,and it's either plastic welder 1 or 2.(I can't remember which)Another is from 3m,I beleive it's scotchweld 3000.
For my bezel,I just made a frame of abs,and used a combination of the stock screw holes,and a few holes drilled into the back of the center vents,and a few scraps of aluminum for brackets.
Your Xb is coming along very nicely,and you've done a great job fabricating that computer case and mount,I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.