Cooler Mastercase 5 Racing Case Mod & Gaming PC

[MonsterMawd]

Finally, I get to build something for myself 😄 The opportunity presented itself after Cooler Master sent me their new Mastercase 5 ($109.99) to evaluate and brainstorm retail accessories / bolt-on custom parts as part of their "Make it Yours" campaign. The Mastercase Pro is the same chassis as mastercase 5, but includes window panel and top cover for $139.99. If I kept waiting for personal time to build a PC for myself, it would have never happened due to lack of free time. I have to admit, I didn't like the Mastercase at first. I captured my mod zoo staff/friends unbox Mastercase 5 / Pro in my VLOG. I feel Cooler Master missed a lot of details that could have made the case even better. Especially since CM marketed it as "modular" and designed for DIY liquid cooling. It falls 40% from it's marketing pitch, but the overall build quality and finish is outstanding and eventually won me over after dismantling and re-assembling the case. Here is my final thoughts about the Mastercase, keeping in mind that I look at cases from perspective as PC Customizer and Case Modder.

RAVES:

*Overall Build Quality, Fit & finish.
*Top panel / cover design options are nice.
*Modular HD/SSD tray design and mounting options are best to date.
*240/360/280 radiator option for front is nice.

My suggestions REVISIONS:

*Top radiator mounting location should be offset, to clear DDR slots on some motherboards
*100% Riveted chassis?! I understand using rivets over screws to save time in manufacturing, but at minimum, the mid section floor should be removable for better access.
*Lack of Water pump and reservoir mounting. CM's competitors started embracing DIY cooling market over year ago, by including mounting options for reservoirs and water pumps.
*Mastercase 5/ Pro window panel is very flimsy. The "smoked" poly window is bluish/purple and has very poor clarity for viewing inside the case.






Inspiration for the custom painted exterior will be the 1970 Porsche 917 from Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" movie. His 917 from the movie was chassis #022 and purchased in 1970 from Porsche by Steve McQueen's movie production company, Solar Productions. It was also the company that would bring the movie "Le Mans" to the big screen. This is the car that McQueen's character, Michael Delaney, starts the race in, and "crashes" late in the race, "writing the car off." The car that was crashed was really a Lola T-70, painted and rebodied, to look like a 917. Many innovations in cinematography, were first tried in this movie. They even went so far, as to weld brackets to the front frame work of the 917, so they could mount a camera to shoot Steve, and the other drivers, in the cockpit. I'll replacing the #20 with #5 to represent the Mastercase 5.

Cooler Master Mastercase 5 Chassis assembled with final coat of Gulf Racing Blue paint from 1970 Porsche 917 race car





Porsche 917 inspired graphics are finished on the Cooler Master Mastercase 5 / Pro. Next stage is clearcoating everything.







I'll replacing the Mastercase 5 steel side panel with this clear side panel window, http://mnpctech.com/cooler-master-mastercase/



I'll replacing the Mastercase top grill panel with this clear "moon roof" style top window, http://mnpctech.com/cooler-master-mastercase/mastercase-top-window-panel-clear.html]http://mnpctech....

Parts laid out with final clear coat. Time to pop rivet!













Black Powdercoated 1/8" Pop Rivets, http://mnpctech.com/pc-mod-tools/pc-pop-rivets/







GULF RACING theme Cooler Mastercase 6 / Pro Chassis assembled and ready for mounting EK XTX 360 radiator next.

[MonsterMawd]

Dressing up the 120mm Typhoon GT fan with machined overkill grill with Blue anodized washers for M3 screws, http://mnpctech.com/screws-anodized-m3-m4-30mm-35mm-40mm-red-blue-green-gold-ek-alphacool-hardwarela...



120mm machined aluminum Overkill Ring fan grill, http://mnpctech.com/pc-computer-cooling-fans-grills-custom/

[MonsterMawd]

Painted the Koolance GTX 980 blocks, bridges, and back plates the Porsche 917 GULF Racing Blue.

Dismantled blocks


Primer coat


Water block Bridge


GULF Racing Livery Factory Blue Paint


Koolance GTX 980 waterblocks with final coat


GPU and motherboard cables will be sleeved in Burnt Orange paracord from Ensourced, I'll be making billet combs for them, http://mnpctech.com/buy-stealth-cable-combs-for-pcs/

[MonsterMawd]

Thanks for your support and patience guys! Somebody referred me to Ensourced for custom cable sleeve ordered and extension cables with paracord. Really Nice Quality & GREAT PRICES. I initially thought Burnt Orange would work with my color theme, but didn't look right, so thinking of matching the Stainless Tubing instead, so I bought these three variations of Grey.... Hmmm



"Charcoal Grey" paracord



"Graphite Grey" paracord



8 pin GPU Paracord individually sleeved cable in "Smoked Grey"

[ChasBurkhart]

Looking really good and great detailed work!

[MonsterMawd]

Thank you!! Finally back from other commitments and*got to fill the loop last night for leak testing. Only remaining items on*to-do-list are*connecting all of the cables,*installing SSD and Operating System.

[MonsterMawd]

Back at the workbench today, I created a PSU shroud for my Cooler Master Mastercase 5 build. It's made from 1/8" thick cast acrylic with embedded magnets I found on ebay, I drilled holes and glued on two legs with weld-on acrylic cement for easy on/off installation. Next step is painting the shroud gulf racing blue and draping over the orange stripe onto the shroud.

[MonsterMawd]

Slow progress is better than no progress.. ha! Found time this week to get the Mastercase PSU shroud painted to match the chassis. Here is the plate with and without the gulk racing stripe and just after applying the gloss clear coat

[MonsterMawd]

SLI bridge mod 99% finished over my weekend. Replace green nvidia logo with transparent orange acrylic window, I'm looking for GULF pin to mount over the LED, so it's illuminated from behind. Here is some of the progress photos

[CptSpig]

Awesome!

[MonsterMawd]

Uploaded video of current state of my Cooler Master Mastercase 5 build with SLI Bridge mod