Thinkpads Forum

As a freshman member, I have decided that now is a good time for me to build a T601F and perhaps advance to the next step of my ThinkPad obsession.

I have committed myself to this and I've done my research. I know I have to:
1. Take apart both systems down to their motherboards
2. Cut off certain parts of the T60's rollcage
3. Transfer the motherboard, cpu fan assembly, and pcmcia+expresscard cage from the T61 to the T60 chassis
4. Put everything together and maybe even build a reverse FrankenPad...a T610?

Now my question is what exactly do I need to cut in the rollcage?
I've looked into this for a few days now, and all I've seemed to be able to find was that I needed to cut but not what to cut.

Any guidance would be helpful
If I missed anything in the list above, please correct me.

Not my video but does this help at all?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWEiXnbKJ04&t=290s

viewtopic.php?p=845909#p845909

Gently wiggle the modem-connector off the motherboard and put some electricians tape over that spot.

PiZzA EnGiNeEr wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 12:24 am

Not my video but does this help at all?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWEiXnbKJ04&t=290s

Ah I've seen that video.
But he only seems to mention the chassis mods and I can't really tell in his video what parts he had cut.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 1:38 am

viewtopic.php?p=845909#p845909

Gently wiggle the modem-connector off the motherboard and put some electricians tape over that spot.

Thanks I know what to do now

How necessary is the removal of the modem connector? I prefer not to mess with the motherboard.

dcfbf wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 22, 2025 7:57 pm

Now my question is what exactly do I need to cut in the rollcage?
I've looked into this for a few days now, and all I've seemed to be able to find was that I needed to cut but not what to cut.

Any guidance would be helpful

1. Note: You only need to make cuts if you're using a T61 motherboard with Nvidia graphics. The Intel graphics motherboards do not have the same clearance issue. I've put together three frankenpads with Intel graphics and have had no problem fitting things together without any alterations. But the times I've done it with an Nvidia board, there was one place that needed to be modded.

2. If you're set on Nvidia graphics in the frankenpad: see here. https://www.flickr.com/photos/glaurungquena/54943088275 That's a closeup of the area revealed when you remove the modem from a T60. The bit circled in green where two screw holes are right next to each other? One's a screw for the modem, the other's for the silver screw that holds the top corner of the heatsink bracket in place. Anyway, on the underside of that spot of the frame, there's another screw mount, which is where you need to dremel. It's one of the places where a T60 board has a screw but the T61 board does not.

Remove just enough from the underside that it's not standing proud of the surrounding frame - not so much that you weaken the structure, because on the top side you're still going to need to screw in the heatsink bracket.

3. But don't take my word for it (it's been years since I last did this) - test fit your T61 board to the frame and make note of where the board is having trouble lying flush against the frame. I am pretty sure that that's where there's a problem fitting the board to the frame, and the only place where there's a problem, but I could be wrong.

dcfbf wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 4:27 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 1:38 am

viewtopic.php?p=845909#p845909

Gently wiggle the modem-connector off the motherboard and put some electricians tape over that spot.

Thanks I know what to do now

How necessary is the removal of the modem connector? I prefer not to mess with the motherboard.

You don't need to modify the motherboard in any way, just the structure frame, and only if your specific board has a clearance issue in one of the places where there's a screw mount but no screw hole on the T61 board.

There used to be a web page or blog with photos showing a T60 frame modded for frankenpadding, but Google is not surfacing it for me today, it may no longer be there.

Glaurung-quena wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:08 pm

There used to be a web page or blog with photos showing a T60 frame modded for frankenpadding, but Google is not surfacing it for me today, it may no longer be there.

Yeah probably because I couldn't find it

Glaurung-quena wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:02 pm

You don't need to modify the motherboard in any way, just the structure frame, and only if your specific board has a clearance issue in one of the places where there's a screw mount but no screw hole on the T61 board.

which motherboards have this issue?

Maybe Glaurung-quena knows something that I don't?
I've done only 76 Frankies.

dcfbf wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:35 pm

Glaurung-quena wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:08 pm

There used to be a web page or blog with photos showing a T60 frame modded for frankenpadding, but Google is not surfacing it for me today, it may no longer be there.

Yeah probably because I couldn't find it

Glaurung-quena wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:02 pm

You don't need to modify the motherboard in any way, just the structure frame, and only if your specific board has a clearance issue in one of the places where there's a screw mount but no screw hole on the T61 board.

which motherboards have this issue?

As I said above, an Nvidia T61 board will require the mod. The Intel GMA t61 boards I've used have not.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 24, 2025 1:23 am

Maybe Glaurung-quena knows something that I don't?
I've done only 76 Frankies.

Not sure... but the board I'll be using is an nvidia board so I'll need to do the chassis mod anyways.

Glaurung-quena wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 24, 2025 2:06 am

As I said above, an Nvidia T61 board will require the mod. The Intel GMA t61 boards I've used have not.

Ah sorry I didn't see that