Lessons in Customization

LESSON 1: The object is to be different from the standard product according to one's taste. But the more radical the work, the more chances of being ridiculed. Customization is not for the faint at heart. If you are afraid what others might say, don't do it, just blend with the crowd and be another number.

LESSON 2: Don't ask for second opinions. Design according to your taste and specifications. Never let others sway you from your personal preference. The outcome of a customised job is very much a reflection and representation of one's inner self. It becomes personal and a part of you, one normally doesn't sell. But put some effort, do it well and be happy with the final result. What people say later comes second, as always, some may like it, others may not. The whole point of customization is not to make other people happy but to make yourself happy. If you do otherwise, you lost your sense of direction.

LESSON 3: Hobbies like customization are always expensive. This will make the custom version comparatively more expensive than the standard product. However, it cannot be compared one to one. Being different is what's it all about in customization, that makes customizing satisfying but only another customizer can understand and appreciate.

LESSON 4: As the intent of customization is always to align away from the norm, firstly, hear from the legal horses how radical your work is going to be. The authorities generally look from the angle of public safety on the road. A good example is how many said I ran foul with the law with my side license plate holder. One day, I came to a police road block. However, the senior officer complimented my side license plate holder not being partly hidden but visible to the eye, numbers horizontally oriented plus font and size of my registration alphabet/numbers conformed to their specifications. He was so impressed, he took photos to show others a good example of a custom license plate holder then we waved goodbye.

Iron Zebra 2015-2017

 

A must-see video clip if hardtail bobbers interest yo.

Because it was meant to be

Do we decide our live? In the quietness of my bedroom, I gaze the wall and look back at my life and how it has been guided in the better direction Allah wants it to be.

This always brings me back to the time when I was 5 and was told I accidentally dropped my glass milk bottle. It caused a deep gaze in my arm and I bled profusely. I was rushed to the hospital and was told, the doctor said had I come in an hour later, I would most probably not have made it but it was not meant to be.

When I was 19, I did a course assignment in the rural areas. On the way home, Some dogs were loitering on this narrow road so I  kept to the left but my misjudgement thinking I was driving on the grass  which was actually thick undergrowth saw the car tumbled down a 40ft ravine which stopped 2 inches short of rocky boulders beside a stream. It appeared the chassis got hooked to a thick branch which saved the fall. I was miraculously still in one piece without a scratch. The police who went to inspect the scene later said I should have died but it was not meant to be.

When I went for further studies in UK, my room mate decided to bring his wife out of all times, in the winter of December so I had to vacate the room. However, it was impossible to find a room for rent then as all had been taken. A few days later, a senior coursemate knew of a family who accepted me as tenant. We became close and I stayed with them throughout my course for almost 3 years. The children became very fond of me and took me like an older bother. I guess it was meant to be.  

During my second year summer holiday in UK, I wanted to work in a restaurant and make some spare money but my learned father wanted me to venture Europe to gain some knowledge. Coincidentally, in the next few days, my coursemate invited me to Europe because he wanted to meet his grandmother in Spain. I accepted and four of us shared the expenses where we toured 13 countries within a period of 2 months. This is an unusual feat by any standard and I guess it was meant to be.

When I was 27, I went on a holiday to Tioman island where we rented a fishing boat for the whole trip. I was an accomplished swimmer so I am one of those who would dive or jump off the boat every time it anchored. At one of the places the boat anchored, the sun had still not penetrated the clear waters and the sea deeper than 10 feet was still cool. So when I dived straight deep into the sea, I got leg cramp some 12-15 feet deep. Fortunately, I saw one of the swimmers close by so I paddled with one leg and managed to quickly hold on to his shoulder telling him I got leg cramp. He initially thought I was joking but after clarifying I was serious, we swam back to the boat nearby. Things could have been worse but it was not meant to be.

At 35, I was already seasoned bachelor with a stable job. There, I met someone of humble background and good character. We got along fine and I wanted to settle down with her. However, as our relationship developed stronger, ironically, there were so many obstacles in the way. No matter how I tried, things always got in the way and we eventually parted. I had a talk with the Mufti and he said it was tragic but guessed it was meant to be.

Someone else eventually came into the scene. This time, amazingly, there were no obstacles. Parents from both sides even insisted we settle down as soon as possible. We hardly dated and our weekends became assignments to confirm  proper preparations for the engagement and the  wedding. Just to test myself, any idea to divert away from the potential inevitable often left me miserable so I eventually decided otherwise. After more than 27 years down the road, Alhamduillah, my family of five is still firmly intact. I guess it was meant to be.

I could go one telling other experiences and yes, life has ts ups and down but again, if it was meant to be, it was meant to be.

Bobby & me

 

 

 

I found these old 2016 photos kept by my brother taken with his superduper DSLR camera but which he downgraded the resolution for FaceBook purposes

Solution to clogged pipe in less than a minute

 

I wish to share this knowledge told to me 27 years ago but I forgot all about it then my mind was recently jogged by a kind soul. It is normally quoted RM300 to unclog a blocked domestic pipe filled with kitchen waste but can be negotiated to RM150 (no less) if the plumber is in a kind mood. Over a long period of time, I paid RM150 thrice which is bloody expensive but because I did have the proper tool, I agreed. However, from now onwards, unclogging a block pipe will cost me nothing because I know I have the right tool all the time! The technique is simple and can take more or less 15 seconds: Simply get a standard mop as in the photo. Twist the strands so it can be inserted easily into the vertical drain. (Sorry, this technique won't work otherwise) If needed, firstly, wet the mop head thoroughly so it is easier to compress the strands. Next, insert it into the drain and plunge the mop up and down vigorously to stir the clogged section. The water in the drain will also help to push the clog when much pressure is made to plunge and shake the mop. Your clogged problem should be solved in less than a minute. To flush out the muck stuck to the mob, shake the mob head in a pail of thick soapy water (I use a generous dose of clothing suds). It can be reused again for another day though you will probably need to buy a new mob for the usual function.

KIV Project 2 for bobber

I have set my heart on the second project for my bobber (The first being the custom airbrush job) However, as she comes into her 4th year, my bobber is due for some major maintenance work. This means Project 2 will be put on shelf, next to that, come late September, I will be having my hernia operation and doctor's order are clear "No riding for 6 months after the operation". It will also be more frustrating to have the bobber ship-shape and not be able to ride it. Some of the regular maintenance job include:

1. Routine change of engine oil
2. Service blocked carburetors
3. Replace leaky coolant container
4. Replace cracked brake fluid check reserve at handlebar
5. Replace worn tyres
6. Replace faulty side mirrors
7. Replace internal aluminum throttle
8. Replace cracked sidelight indicator
9. Service air filter
10. Replace badly rusted exhaust pipes
11. Replace one broken footrest
12. Replace fading headlight bulb.
13. Replace all internal ball bearings
    (My friend showed photos of his bobber and said it is imperative to change these budget version which made a mess of his third gear)
14. Complete rewiring job
15. Change to 32T sprocket (smoother and more economical ride)

After all the above maintenance job, if all that goes well, I can begin to pursue Project 2 but what is "Project 2"?. For the time being, let's keep it a secret.

Nokia 8110 4G after a year's usage

It's been just over a year since I bought this handphone after my iPhone 5S started to give serious touchscreen problems been soaked by rain from an unexpected heavy downpour. I was on a shoestring budget so decided to buy the Nokia 8110 4G because it was cheap yet at the same time offered 4G capability. Is it tough? Butterfingers me accidentally dropped it more than a dozen times, thankfully, it has a tough polycarbonate case however its weakest part is the edge of the rear case. Mine now has 2 hairline fractures and a small chip. A strength is also its weakness i.e. the limited number of KAIOS compatible apps available. It took almost a year before WhatsApp became KAIOS compatible, even so, WhatsApp internet call is not possible. However, it contains the 7 most popular apps in the world i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google Search, Messenger, YouTube, GMail, GMaps not including Google Assistant, plus, Google Calendar and Google Contacts data can be imported. I don't play mobile games so this issue doesn't bother me but definitely will among such users who will be put off by it. I also checked and found KaiOS compatible games are such a bore. It has limited hardware power forcing it to work on a single app and not multi-tasking approach. Hardware limitation also imposes a few apps to be stripped down version and may disappoint the user if one's expectation is that it is on par with the normal version. Two of my major complaints are it cannot do print-screen and user cannot view PDF files because no compatible app exist for that. The key pad has a tendency to jump alphabets per key if not pressed firmly. So why do I keep using it?

1. Beggers cannot be choosers
2. It's strength is its super long battery life much attributed to its small screen.
3. It fits perfectly in the palm excellent while jogging.
4. I don't have to worry about losing it through theft or misplacing it.
5. Reliable though requires good mobile data plan to offset hardware limitation
6. Looks outstanding, futuristic and unique.
7. Best cheap 4G feature phone around

Conclusion:
Definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

My 15 years love affiar

MY FIRST LOVE:
FIAT Supermirafiori 1600cc, Year: 1980
(Last unit, second generation CKD model)

MODIFICATIONS:

1. Twin Weber 40 DCOE carburettors
2. Custom carburettor throttle
3. FIAT Abarth in-manifold which I hand-polished the insides with cigarette foils
4. Cromodora 4-1 out-manifold
5. Cromodora mid muffler
6. Cromodora rear muffler
7. Cromodora Magnesium alloy wheels (5 spoke ala Ferrari)
8. Engine balancing (blue-printing)
9. Custom made stainless steel air filter box
10. Chrome engine head covers
11. Bayless wire gauze air filter
12. Nissan electric fuel pump
13. Vitolani front power windows
14. Vitolani air scoop
15. Custom made vent on bonnet for air scoop
16. 10mm spark plug cables
17. HD4 headlight wiring conversion set
18. Koni adjustable shock absorbers
19. FIAT 131 Racing grille
20. FIAT 131 Racing front spoiler (2nd pix) replaced temporary version (1st pix)
21. FIAT 131 twin rear spoilers
22. Hella air horns 
23. ICI 2K Primer Red (The mother (brightest) of all red paint)
24. Upgraded cloth upholstery

Starting the engine is like waking up the king of the jungle. People told me the exhaust sound is not loud but the engine growls deep like a lion. This was mainly due to its saxophone-like air filter box/DCOE carburettor/in-manifold/combustion chamber/4-to-1 extractor arrangement. It has surpringly, a slicker gear entry than a Fiat 131 Racing which I've tried before, maybe because this tilted gear shift goes directly to the gear. As it is a rear wheel drive, it grips the road better accelerating into corners so front wheel drive cars had difficulty catching up. While, it did not have power steering, this made steering feel taut and safe. This car grips like a leech, sprints like a cheetah and weaves like a bat, I could overtake any vehicle 2000cc and below with ease and because of those upgrades, I tend take them on around the corners which I would never do in other cars.  Trailing a car then down shifting from 5 to 3 sees the FIAT sprint with ease. I do not know the fastest I've done because it passed the speedometer indicator. I admit it was a 15 year love affair.