Long time no post!

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
09/29/2016 at 06:11 • Filed to: None

Lots of sh*t has happened in the past two months. Went to Borneo which was great. While we were there girlfriend of 2.5 years started a major freakout about our future which was not so great. Currently split up while she sorts her head and decides what she actually wants which is really not so great.

Does give a lot of time to get on with projects though...

I’ve got pretty much all the way to boxing in the roof on my spitfire til i ran out of welding gas :S our supplier is open from 8am til 5pm so short of getting leave from work it’s a bit tricky to get a refill.

I managed to source some timber from a chap rebuilding his house so i could crack on with building my parts shed :) that’s one length of 4x2 from being completed which is most frustrating.

One cool thing though is that the house was built in 1951, and its most likely british slow-grown pine so much stronger than the newer stuff you get. Plus, the trees it came from were likely alive during world war two which is damn cool :)

Also, my dad’s made phenomenal progress with his garage. The roof’s on, insulation and boarding is up, floor’s painted and electrics have been done. He’s even hooked up a couple of lights in my garage for me :) it’s a revelation to be able to see what i’m doing without a torch!

Two nights ago we moved his Maserati in there as well as my sister’s boyfriend’s 106 race car :)

Loads of progress :)

DISCUSSION (46)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 06:23

After 6 years I am also now single. So I’m coming down to help you build your Baja.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
09/29/2016 at 06:26

Aw bummer. Not a good time for Britlops.

Definitely welcome the help on the Baja :)

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 06:40

Borneo? Nice! What did you do there, if you don’t mind me asking?

I’ve never been there at any point in my life, despite living in a country with a significant part of it its territory. Well, they’re justified in thinking Peninsular types like me are weird...

vondon302 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 06:40

Sorry about the Gf but Borneo holy crap that sounds cool. And yes old wood is best wood.

random001 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 06:55

Chick’s, man....

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > vondon302
09/29/2016 at 06:59

Thanks man :)

Yeah Borneo is damn cool :) really nice people, great (very cheap) food and stunning natural environs. Would definitely recommend :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Krieger (@FSKrieger22)
09/29/2016 at 07:03

Yeah Borneo was really cool :) we went on a 2 week guided tour-type thing (not my choice, I’d have preferred a rather more ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ style thing).

Went on wildlife river tours, stayed in a rainforest lodge, went to Sepilok Orangutan rehabilitation place, that massive cave full of bats and cave swiftlets, tea plantation, cool local markets. Loads of things :)

I’d definitely recommend it :)

Where abouts are you? We only went to the Malaysian side, rather than the Indonesian side.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 07:05

Sorry to hear about the relationship bud, 2016 is hitting us oppos hard in a lot of different ways...

Good to keep busy though, only way to push through it, spitfire should be an excellent car when shes done.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 07:15

Peninsular Malaysia. So both Sarawak and Sabah then? I know a description of Niah Caves when I see one :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 07:20

Thanks man, and yes it is! 2016 is a bitch.

It’s definitely good to keep busy. I made that mistake before actually, giving up on your hobbies because you’ve got a very exciting new relationship. Then if/when it fails you’re left with nothing to do...

It will be fantastic :) I’ve also got a (sort of) deadline for getting it done as I’ve said my mate can use it as his wedding car. He’s one of those perennially engaged people though, so it’s not really a proper deadline...

What’s been happening with your situation recently? I saw the post about you having a crap time with your new job and your head, but I’ve been awol for a bit...

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 07:28

A custom spitfire would go down as one of the best wedding cars ever haha.

Basically my health is still day to day, the gf wants me to get more treatment but im not sure about it, and ive put notice in at the job. Struggling with my landlord in regards of actually leaving my flat here though.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Krieger (@FSKrieger22)
09/29/2016 at 07:29

That’s the one!

And yeah, Sarawak and Sabah :)

The main thing I was impressed with was just how friendly the people were, and not even in the ‘they look rich we might get tips’ way. Genuinely friendly :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 07:39

Hopefully it won’t go all BL and break down!

Glad to hear you’re sticking it out for the time being. It’s a big ask to keep everything together when you move away from the vast majority of your support structures (family, friends, work colleagues/student mates).

If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that affects you? No worries if not :)

Part of the reason I’m sticking around with my GF while she works through this is that she struggles a fair deal with what could well be bi-polar, and her stepdad (closer than her real dad) has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That kind of shit really fucks people up, and I’d feel terrible if I ran away if that’s what was going on.

Also, what’s the landlord saying? Aforementioned stepdad is also a landlord, so if all ends up ok then he might be able to help there :)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 07:43

Sorry to hear about your relationship troubles. Good to see you are back, though, I was starting to miss updates of your projects.

What’s the next step going to be for the Spitfire, after you’ve finished boxing in the roof?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
09/29/2016 at 07:56

Thanks man :) glad to be back

After the roof is done it should have enough strength to go back up on the rotisserie without sagging so I can box in the underneath and then I’ve got a fully unibodied Spitfire!

Then I was thinking that I should probably try and re-do my lower suspension mounts as I’m fairly certain they’re on wonky and it’ll be a ballache to re-do them once the car’s together...

Leon711 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 07:56

It’s late notice, but me, RWSMotorsport and TwingoTamer are going to goodwood breakfast club this weekend, did you wanna come down meet us? If I recall, you are in East Grinstead right?

Good chance to meet some oppos

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Leon711
09/29/2016 at 08:00

Oh cool :) I’ve always wanted to go to the breakfast club actually. What time are you guys meeting?

Looks like it’s Italian themed too so the Alfa would fit in nicely (although it’s a bit scruffy for a show...)

CalzoneGolem > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:04

one length of 4x2 from being completed

Aren’t we all.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > CalzoneGolem
09/29/2016 at 08:08

Very philosophical for 8am on a Thursday ;)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:13

Nice, do you have any idea when you want to have it finished?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:15

Well not particularly sticking it out just working my month notice.

I’ve had depression and anxiety for a long time, first diagnosed about 6 years ago. Its worsened over time in bursts and right now it affects my ability to think on any level and causes confusion. Sort of affects your perception of the world as a whole, memory, logic etc. I get suicidal urges too which is what ill be getting treatment for. I find that part hard to explain to people, because I have no wish to die, its more another inner voice that clouds your judgement. It really is more of a dysfunction than a decision you make logically. Thankfully im strong enough that nothing like that ever really grabs hold in a major way.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
09/29/2016 at 08:16

Oh probably ages :S after this it should all go together quite quickly (I’ve got all the suspension bits, most of the engine, most of the drivetrain, a lot of the interior) but then there’s all the fiddly bits to actually get the thing to work.

We’ll see though :) it’s coming along relatively quickly...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:25

Very cool - sorry to hear about the whole relationship situation, but everything seems to be going well otherwise!

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:38

Haha, but what about all the other Spitfires and the MGBaja, they need attention too.....

Nah, just kidding, I’m sure you’ll finish this one relatively soon, seeing all the progress you made on it in the past half year.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 08:44

Yeah that sounds sensible.

That sounds like a really good description of it actually. I particularly like ‘more another inner voice that clouds your judgement’ which I’m sure would ring true with a lot of people (my GF/ex included I’d expect).

Really tricky to get a hold of, but it sounds like you know what needs to be done to make it a bit better, and are strong enough to see it through.

MonkeePuzzle > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:50

i love you...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 08:51

Rather neat that the 106 has a nest now. Can’t imagine he’d have got a lot done through the winter outside. :D

And, of course, well done on the Spit roof. I’m a bit stalled in my own projects, so it’s nice to see that somebody’s moving.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
09/29/2016 at 08:52

Lord knows! You are right though, looking at the past 6 months the pace does seem to have picked up :)

The other Spitfires and the MGB were actually part of a cunning plan that might not go ahead now. Me and the GF (ex? not sure) were planning to start saving for a house starting in January next year, so I wouldn’t have the disposable income to keep a decent project rolling.

So, the idea was to start a couple of projects I had in the wings now so I can get all the welding/graft done on those while we’re saving cos steel and welding gas is cheap, and then when my finances are in a better shape in a couple of years I could start buying up the components to get them going.

Ah well. The best laid plans of mice and men...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/29/2016 at 08:59

It is neat :) he’s got a cool heavy-duty tent thing that it lived in, but it still got very damp in there and I can’t imagine it keeping any sort of heat in over winter.

Much better to be working on a solid floor too...

It’s odd how projects go. I’ve found they move forward in waves of progress and then nothing happens for a while.

Personally I think I’m genetically allergic to actually finishing something. My whole family is like it. We crack on and get something finished enough to be functional in a short period of time, and then move on to the next thing that needs to be done.

I suppose once everything’s functional we can start going around actually finishing things, but that seems to be a moving goalpost...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > MonkeePuzzle
09/29/2016 at 09:00

Kinja'd!!!

;)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 09:25

I think with me I just need to get back into a low stress job for now and calm things down. Success is nice but not when your mind cant survive it.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 09:27

Oh and I really hope things work out for you and your partner. Me and my gf had a rought patch with a couple months split, then we got back together stronger than ever. Sometimes time is all you need.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 09:32

Yeah I’m a big supporter of work/life balance. Not the ‘make sure you have some life tacked onto your work’ that most people think that means, but the proper ‘remember why it is that you are working and ensure that the work you do makes that better’ meaning.

You can still get ‘success’ in a low-stress job, or find a higher stress job that works because you get on roaringly with your colleagues. There’s no point in sticking with a crap job.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 09:35

Thanks a lot man, me too. Hearing that other people have been through similar things and come out ok is a big help (even though I do understand that this might not be one of those times).

Oh, Leon711 said a couple of you guys were heading down to Goodwood Breakfast Club and asked if I wanted to come. Will be good to put faces to names :)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 09:43

I’m sure you find a new purpose/project for the other cars. And you never know, maybe every thing turns out alright, and you can just continue the original plan.

Leon711 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 09:45

I think we’ll all be there early doors because RWS has to leave early for a drive oop north. So he’ll arrive at opening which is 7.30am as will I, twingo tamer I’m not sure about but I’ll be around for a while, I like to take my time.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Leon711
09/29/2016 at 10:01

Cool I’ll see you then :) I’ll be the chap in the ‘Garagisti’ shirt

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
09/29/2016 at 10:01

Yeah perhaps, and if it doesn’t work out so well then I’ll have more moula to make my offroad MGB ;)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 10:22

Yeah if you could come along thatd be great. Ill be there nice and early. Think the gf is coming along (shes not quite an oppo yet but soon...)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 10:25

Cool see you then :) I’ll be the chap in the ‘Garagisti’ shirt :)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 10:25

Same here. I wish id stayed at my old job tbh. It was lower level shop work but the people were great and it had a real team atmosphere. The manager took a liking to me too and was offering to push me through for promotion to a decent position. But by that time id already took this job. Im returning to that old job but with a new manager so if i want to get promoted its back to square one.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 10:35

Ill probably be wearing a metal band shirt of some kind haha. Ill make a post on saturday night and maybe we can find a place to all meet up. Ill be in my e36 too most likely.

Leon711 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 10:43

Should be good. See you then, I have no idea what I’ll be dressed in.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/29/2016 at 10:50

Yeah my job working in ambulance control was like that. Great bunch of people, and really fun because of it.

Met my GF there though so that’s either a good or a bad thing depending on perspective ;)

Fingers crossed you’ve still got some residual reputation there :)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/29/2016 at 11:47

Haha hopefully a good thing. Just give her a little space to think, but not too much or you become distant. Relationships can be a delicate balancing act haha.

I have a good rep with the assistant manager (she got me my job back and haggled to get me extra shifts) but she doesnt have enough pull to decide promotions and such.

Leon711 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
10/02/2016 at 01:54

Morning, if you keep us updated on here we can co-ordinate meeting up. Hopefully see you in a bit!