Thinkpads Forum

More specifically, a 14.1" 4:3 T60 screen (including LCD, bezel, hinges, etc.) onto the chassis of a T61 that has the same screen configuration.

The hinges, for one, are different between the 60 and 61. If I remember correctly the T61 has a wide hinge on the left and a slightly thinner hinge on the right. On the T60p I'm typing on now, the hinges are the same size and are of MUCH higher quality than my T61p was. They stay tight and the overall build seems much better.

This has been covered recently in another thread (the search feature is at the top of each page), the answer is YES, you can do a complete swap --> http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=100877

as rumbero points out in that thread, you'd be losing a huge advantate of the T61 rollcage, and gaining something trivial. In addition, you'd be swapping one very unremarkable screen for another equally unremarkable screen, while completely ignoring the fact that the T60 15" has an optional screen that is one of the best ever put on a laptop, so getting a 14" is much like passing up a genuine rolex in favor of a timex watch, then having your jeweler install a custom crystal on your timex. You'd end up spending far more then it's worth and still end up with something very ordinary.

However, if that's what makes you happy, then that's all that matters.


ps. has anyone put a T61 board in a 14" T60? I imagine it would work since it uses the same board as the 15", but I've never heard of anyone doing it.

TuuS wrote:ps. has anyone put a T61 board in a 14" T60? I imagine it would work since it uses the same board as the 15", but I've never heard of anyone doing it.

I did multiple times already when i swapped the boards between a 14.1"/4:3 T61 and a 15"/4:3 T60 in order to create these T61+ Frankenpads i am so fond off. The T61 rollcage doesn't fully match the T60 mainboard, and one has to rasp away two mounting holes and also loses the modem, but other than that a fully functional T60 in T61 disguise is the reward for these manipulations. I gave them away as very welcome presents within the family.

rumbero wrote: I did multiple times already when i swapped the boards between a 14.1"/4:3 T61 and a 15"/4:3 T60 in order to create these T61+ Frankenpads i am so fond off. The T61 rollcage doesn't fully match the T60 mainboard, and one has to rasp away two mounting holes and also loses the modem, but other than that a fully functional T60 in T61 disguise is the reward for these manipulations. I gave them away as very welcome presents within the family.

I'm aware of this, even building one myself, but I specifically wanted to know if it works with a 14" T60.

I know, can't imagine why someone would waste their time, but I was asked by someone who definitely doesn't want a 15" flexview (even if at the same cost) and would prefer the 14".

TuuS wrote:I'm aware of this, even building one myself, but I specifically wanted to know if it works with a 14" T60.

Now that you say that i have to admit that i obviously understood you backwards, sorry for that! But given the similarity of the mainboard layouts, i doubt that it would be any issue to perform any such swap this way.
But you are right in that only seeing is true believing.

Regarding specifically the 14" 4:3 screen swap, the hinges on the T60 and T61 models are physically not the same size, with I believe the T61 having larger hinges. Wouldn't this prevent the T60 hinges from being installed on the T61 chassis?

underclocker wrote:This has been covered recently in another thread (the search feature is at the top of each page), the answer is YES, you can do a complete swap --> http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=100877

It works. Apparently, just the upper portion of the hinge assemblies are larger, not the actual hinge section that secures to the subframe. I found it somewhat shocking, too, but forum members have done the swap.

Yes this swap works just fine. I did it (and posted) last month on it.

The finished laptop (T61 base w/a T60 lid) feels a little bit lighter and a little bit thinner, but I have not collected data to confirm. The lid from the T60 definitely is easier to twist and distort than the T61 lid w/the roll cage.

To finish the story, the T60 screen that I swapped in has a pinkish glow on start-up. Uh-oh. I decided to keep it rather than return it to the eBay seller as this machine is my daily driver, but I suspect I'll be installing a new screen in my old T61 lid at some point in the future and reinstalling this on the original T61 base. I admit that while I like the thinner and lighter frankenpad, I like even more the protection that the roll cage provides.