server build

[ryanismyname]

So, I received 3 dell r620 rack mount servers each with 2 e5-2660 8 core cpu (16 cores) and 32 GB ram (4x8gb). I'm looking into have fun with these but they are loud so I'm going to be moding them with silence as a high priority. This is however not my strong area so I'm here to pick brains.   

 

My ideas so far:

1) I'm thinking of trashing the 1RU case (or at least the lid) and swapping the jet engine sounding fans with some quiet 120mm (I need something to not get to no fan warning)

2) replacing the passive cooler with an active cooler, don't think water cooling would be cost beneficial in this but might just because.

3) This board is ugly so will probably hide it in the arcade cabinet I'm planning.

4) Taking the ram out and mothballing 2 of the servers for now and having 1 96gb ram system to start

 

With space not being an issue, is heat going to be?

Besides the CPU, should I actively or passively cool any other part on the main board?

Can I swap the 1RU power supplies with a tower PSU (quieter)? Maybe with pin swap or adapters.

Can the 1RU PSU be ran caseless with a larger/quieter fan?

Anything I'm not thinking of yet? I just got these things and am still in the gitty stage and trying to figure out a direction. 

 

Possible purposes:

Render server

Host an entire Starcraft LAN party in VMs

Brag on reddit when people compare specs

Work stuff / network emulator for CCNA prep

 

I'm in the spitball stage of planning and would love to hear your guys ideas on what I should do with these things. Ram is cheap so I would love to get all 3 up and running so long as I don't turn my house into a 200 db noise machine.