Replace Vostro LCD cover with Inspiron LCD cover from Dell Parts?

I know the Vostro and Inspiron line are supposed to be very similar with a few minor differences between them. I'm wondering if it'd be possible to replace the Vostro LCD back cover with an Inspiron LCD back cover. The Dell Parts Store has the different color LCD back covers for $35. I think it'd look really cool to have an all black Vostro with a red cover. It seems like it'd work if the two PCs use the same lid layout and screw locations. Any thoughts?

Edit: I successfully replaced the lid on my Vostro 1400 with a red lid from an Inspiron 1420. Go to this post for the photos.

 

do they have these for the 1520 also??? awesome find man

edit nope doesnt look like they have them yet for the 1520 that sucks

 

hmm i wonder how that would look on the vostro. would it look out of place on an all black computer? i like the black on mine, but i would love to see what one of these would look like...

 

I just went through the parts store for the 1520 and didn't see any of the lids. I'd give it a try and see what it looked like if I could get a definite yes or no from someone who has both if the screw locations are in the same place. I don't know what it'd look like, it may look wrong, but I'd be willing to try it. Are there any tamper seals or warranty stickers on the lid anywhere? If I removed my lid and replaced it with the red would Dell be able to tell, and void my warranty?

 

i'm 99.99% sure they would work. and no there are no tamper seals. dell lets you do maintenance on your computer if you want to.

 

I'm going to seriously consider getting one to try it out. Worst case I guess is selling on ebay if it doesn't work or look right. I can't imagine the red and black looking any more out of place than a red lid on an all silver PC.

 

yeah i think it might look sweet. if you do get it you know your gonna have to post pics here for us to see it im seriously interested.

 

I'm thinking pink, but then I'm a real man and can get away with that.

 

be careful, the pink laptop might clash with your red purse.

 

Are there directions anywhere on how to remove the lid? Or is it as simple as taking the little rubber nubs off and unscrewing the screws, then lifting the lid off? I'm placing my order for a lid now.

 

yeah after you remove the screws under the nubs, you will have to pry the laptop lid apart. they are 2 plastic pieces that are clicked together. i find prying them apart with a screwdriver effective.

 

I have a cell phone pry tool for repairing phones that should do the trick without scratching anything. It does snap together though, good to know. There aren't any wires that need removing or magnets or anything like that connected to the back cover?

 

there arent. however i dont know if you will have to remove the whole lcd from the hinges to remove the top cover or not.

 

Order placed, hope it comes quick. I'll take as many photos as I can once I have it on. I have a replacement Vostro coming as well, so maybe I'll try it on the one I am sending back first just in case there are any problems.

 

Lid arrived today. Wow, that was fast! I ordered it with a few other things to get free ground shipping. It shipped yesterday, and arrived today. I'm a little worried about trying to replace the lid without detailed directions after looking at the lid though. There are some wires and stuff, and I'm not sure what they'll go to. It looks like you do have to replace the whole hinge, which complicates things. One other thing I don't really like, but am sure won't make a huge difference; the very back of the lid has a little silver stripe. I wish it was all red, but maybe it'll add a little flare to the few silver parts of the Vostro. So, anyone have detailed instructions on how to replace this thing? Here are some photos of the lid.

 

Dell's DCSE put up technical manuals.
You can sign up here and read them online
https://dcse.dell.com/Member/Member.asp
You need your customer number to register.
Then you can access all the Dell notebook manuals with illustrated instructions on how to replace parts here
https://dcse.dell.com/ifr/Portables/

If all you want is the 1520 manual, there is a zip of it uploaded here
http://www.sendspace.com/file/edhbwf

 

Thank you for the links, they're very helpful. That guide for the 1520 is very helpful. I registered for the DCSE site, but couldn't find the info for the 1420/Vostro 1400 anywhere on the site. While the 1520 guide is very similar, there are some differences. Any idea where I might find that? It looks to be a pretty complicated procedure for something I'm not even sure I'll like or keep, but I'll probably end up doing it tomorrow when I have a free hour or two.

 

man i wish dell would have got me a good screen i still love the way these things look.. ah well ...

 

Got the lid replaced today with help from the guide chelet posted. Thanks again for that. The 1400 is slightly different from the 1520, but they're close enough I was able to use it. I personally think it looks really good. The only thing that looks slightly off is the silver piping along the bottom, but even that doesn't look bad really since there's a little silver elsewhere on the notebook. My webcam isn't working right now, but I think that's just because I didn't hook the cable up correctly after moving it over. Kind of a pain, now I have to take the whole thing apart again as te webcam is the absolute last step in the whole procedure. I really should have checked before I put it all back together. Here are the photos.

 

To find the 1420 manual, you have to be logged in and then go to
https://dcse.dell.com/ifr/Portables/
That gets you a really good list of the laptop manuals they have available.
I've never been able to navigate to that link from the login page, but someone posted it in this forum.

I don't know if this direct link to the 1420 manual will work if you're not logged in.
https://dcse.dell.com/ifr/Portables/Inspiron_1420.zip

By the way, your laptop looks great.

 

Thanks again chelet. Downloading the 1420 manual now. Any comments on the red lid? I wonder how different colors would look with the black. Green, white, etc.

 

that rocks man that is awesome looking imo so much better than the silver inside.. the red is so sweet with the black otherwise id say blue

 

I agree, the black/red combo is better then anything I have seen dell offer. Dell needs to come out with a special edition with something like this. The silver really stinks. This really takes the styling up a level or two.

 

Got the webcam working again. It was much easier to disassemble the second time around when I knew exactly what I was doing. First time took me 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Second took 10-15. I just didn't seat the webcam cable back in the connector securely. I'm absolutely in love with this color combination. Well worth the $35 for the lid.

 

Hello,

This is Richard from Dell's Online Community Outreach group. Your project looks really nice. It is alot better job than what I did on my personal Dell, which was spray painting it (it's an old computer).

Anyway, if anyone needs to find available User or Service manuals for their Dell systems, just go here. Just another place to go for information if anyone was wondering.

Again, nice work on the top plastics.

Regards,
Richard B
Dell Online Community Outreach

 

I looked at that site before I replaced my lid. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but I didn't find enough info to make me feel comfortable replacing the lid myself. Thanks for the kind words, everytime I look at it I am thrilled with the result.

 

This has to be one of the coolest projects ever. Time to hit up the Dell outlet.

 

OK, someone do this with the Vostro 1500, please?

 

im thinking about it!

 

The only thing that concerns me is that the Vostro's black magnesium cover is probably more durable for the road warrior. And judging by how my titanium powerBook got banged up and dented this summer, I may need that hardening.

But, I think that a midnight blue top cover would be cool. Of course, I have yet to even receive my Vostro 1500, yet.

 

they have them for 1720 but only white & green. i wonder how white would look.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...n&s=dfh&mfgpid=190454&chassisid=8453&~ck=anav

 

Got to revive this post -- SSOOOO interesting! Anyone tried it with the 1500 yet?

 

this is exellent
is part # GM402 for red?
anybody know which for yellow?
wondering if it's this: NP905
it doesnt say

any pictures to help doing this?
TIA

 

For the Vostro 1400/Inspiron 1420:

Dell Part# DR377 = Green
Dell Part# JX286 = Black
Dell Part# GM401 = Brown
Dell Part# GM402 = Red
Dell Part# NP907 = Blue
Dell Part# : NP905 = White

For directions with photos on how to disassemble the LCD to change the lid, you can use the 1420 manual posted on the second page by chelet. You need to go to Disassembly and Reassembly in the left hand menu. Start with the keyboard. Once you have finished that, go on to the LCD Assembly instructions. After that do the LCD Panel. If you have a webcam do the camera section. To reassemble do the reverse, obviously using the colored lid.

 

Anyone know the pink lid part number??

(I'm a girl LOL)

ETA: Smeg, that color combo looks HOT!! Great job!

 

I knew there was one I was missing. I didn't see it when I went through the parts store, but I'll take another look and see if I can find the pink.

Edit: Just checked again, no pink.

 

Wow, talk about the setup for a joke.

Wasn't that a line in "The 40 Year Old Virgin?"

 

Have you try to paint the silver parts into black? I think it will make the whole laptop more sleek looking.

 

I've thought about it, but just see too many possibilities to make it worse. I doubt I would be able to find a perfectly matching black color. And if I did, my painting skills aren't very good. It'd be uneven or streaky or something. If someone else had already done it, found a perfect matching brand/color, and had good directions on how to paint it so it looks exactly like the rest of the Vostro I'd give it a shot. Otherwise I think I'd only make it look worse.

 

Anyway of someone shooting a video to post on you tube with a step by step DYI on this subject? It'd great for the thousands of us who own one of these.

 

It's pretty much step by step on the manuals if you haven't looked at them.

 

This is completely awesome. I'm thinking of going green with my Vostro 1400 that hasn't arrived yet.

If anyone steals this color combo from me, please post pics on here so I can see. K?

 

Very sharp looking, Smeg. I'm tempted to try this like everyone else. I'd really like to see how yellow or blue would look.

 

Also, anyone know if the replacement lid is constructed w/ same materials? Is it still partially magnesium-allow like the Vostro or is it all plastic? I do have to maintain a pretty durable chassis because my machine gets tossed into my backpack and lugged around campus all day.

 

dido here i would love to have a red lid but need the durability like winterymix.

someone do this with vostro 1500 please!

this is such a great mod simple clean and cheap.

 

Yes, luckily all the materials from both models are exactly the same. The lids are magnesium alloy.

 

From what I've been told on this thread I posted...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2730350#post2730350

The advertised differences are apparently just marketing gimmicks, and the notebooks are identical through and through.

 

Anyone done this with the 1500 yet? I would like to see some pics before i do it!

 

I would like to change the cover on my new Vostro 1500 (with a cover from the Inspiron 1520), but how do you find the part on Dell's site?

 

You find it under Dell Replacement Parts on the Dell Parts website.