Beachcomber - time to quit

beachcomber

TJ - Beachcomber
DTT SUPPORTER
Due to potentially life changing circumstances I am having to abandon various car and motorcyle projects.

I am offering them first to forum / club members as the builds have been well documented with pictures.

[ UK based of course ]

ALL are to be termed “projects” to be completed. Most parts have been bought new where required or refurbished. ALL will require some smaller parts to complete.
It would be great to see at least some of them completed before it's too late. All are unique in their own way and once completed would not be seen as someone else's makeover.

This is a deeply regrettable situation as these projects have been my ongoing passion for the past 4-5 years. Bikes in general for almost 60 !

BMW K100 Streetfighter – unique bodywork 98% complete

Yamaha TR1 1960’s style Café Racer. Most parts prepped, renewed ready for assembly. Includes very expensive Grimeca 4LS front brake / hub, alloy rims and stainless spokes [ 2 x wheels - all new ]

1955 Standard Vanguard Estate – restore or Hot Rod.

I also have my Kawasaki KZ750 [twin ] Flat Tracker, but as that is amost complete, I'll endeavour to finish it off and have some riding pleasure while I can.

I will list the bikes / cars separately, but of specific interest here is the following – see the related build thread and pix for details.

All will be open to sensible offers – failing that they’ll go on E-Bay [ UK ]. There's a 9 months + time frame for this - so I won't be giving the stuff away.

I'll still be around the forum for the foreseeable and will make a big effort now on the final Tale and getting the "Book" into shape.
 
Damn Beach, sorry to hear you're having to let things go. Life isn't always the adventure we chose, but it's an adventure nonetheless. May your travels bring you to a happy destination.
 
If there's anything I or the community can do to help, just say the word.
 
+1with Tim, miles mean nothing beach if theres owt ya need give us a shout not so many UK DTTers but we're still a band of brothers (it aint over till it's over mate )
 
Wow,

Gents [ and ladies ] I am truly humbled by all your kind words of support both public and private - and your prayers.

It just proves to me what a wonderful Worldwide Brotherhood the DTT is. Most of us have never met [ and sadly won't ], but that hasn't stopped me from feeling part of a huge, caring family.

I've enjoyed my time here and my life has been enrichened by the experience and being allowed to share my far off memories of "the day" with you all.

I'll still be an active part of the DTT forum - projects or not.

Yes, the projects must go ........ a combination of a very finite [ 'ish ] health deadline [ poor choice of words eh ? ] and the fact that what minimal funds I have, must be used for our second "situation".

I live in hope that the new meds will halt / reverse the kidney issue. They have done that twice now in the last 6 years or so. Who knows - you may still be reading new "Tales" in a couple of years from now ! ;D

I'm not touting for sympathy by sharing this information - and currently I do not "feel ill" and that's helping me to stay positive.

Again, I thank you all for the support and kind words.

Whatever, you can be sure I won't go down without one hell of a fight. ;)
 
Damn BC. I'm very sorry to read the above.I know there's nothing I can do but I can pray that the docs or the meds can do something. I've enjoyed reading you stories. Apart from the entertainment I can relate to some of them!! I know today's bikes can do everything we dreamed of and more but there was something special about that period. Not looking back with rose tinted glasses but looking back at the fun we had even though we may not have had two pennies to rub together.

Here's to the meds keeping the kidneys functioning and a prayer that you'll be on here for a long time to come. Take care.
 
Hoofhearted said:
Damn BC. I'm very sorry to read the above.I know there's nothing I can do but I can pray that the docs or the meds can do something. I've enjoyed reading you stories. Apart from the entertainment I can relate to some of them!! I know today's bikes can do everything we dreamed of and more but there was something special about that period. Not looking back with rose tinted glasses but looking back at the fun we had even though we may not have had two pennies to rub together.

Here's to the meds keeping the kidneys functioning and a prayer that you'll be on here for a long time to come. Take care.

Thanx for your kind thoughts Hoof. You and I both know that those WERE the days and I feel lucky to have lived through them [ and survived them ! ]

And then today ................................................. my best 4 legged pal lost her battle [ short ] with the return of a very aggressive Cancer.

RIP Arwen, you will be sorely missed


 
Losing a four legged friend is about the worst thing that can happen. Words can't soften the blow. Time eases it but never eliminates it completely. We lost this guy to an aggressive bone cancer a few years ago. I never replaced him as the loss hurt too much. A friend told me an old saying. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Poor consolation but it's the best I have.

 
Hoofhearted said:
Losing a four legged friend is about the worst thing that can happen. Words can't soften the blow. Time eases it but never eliminates it completely. We lost this guy to an aggressive bone cancer a few years ago. I never replaced him as the loss hurt too much. A friend told me an old saying. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Poor consolation but it's the best I have.


With you on that one Hoof - 10 years with a true family friend, many happy memories and pix ....................................
 
It's official - I've just had the results of the interim assessment in - I'm at stage 3 [ of 5 ] in the kidney function decline [ CKD ].

Previously at stage 2 for the past 2 years - the meds and diet holding their own. BTW - stage 5 is not the end - it's the beginning of the end [ didn't someone with a big fat cigar once say that ? ].

New set of meds prescribed now and the biggie assessment in July to see if we're stuck at # 3 or continuing to decline.

So, that means that ALL the projects will have to be sold on - even the Flat Tracker which I had hoped to finish and enjoy.

There has already been some interest [ haven't forgotten you Semmins ].

I'm aiming to get everything sold off before June / July.
 
That is sad to hear mate. I hope that the decline halts indefinitely, as you are a well loved member of the DTT family.

Thank you for the inspiration you have provided me and the information you have shared.

I am looking forward to hearing positive news in the near future.
 
datadavid said:
What about transplantation? Surely a few guys on here who has a somewhat fresh spare kidney?

That's thankfully some way off yet. I have to get to stage 5 [ currently 3 ] before that becomes an issue - hey, there's always E-Bay !!!!!!
 
beachcomber said:
That's thankfully some way off yet.

That's a bit of good news. How long does a "stage" last or is it variable? With a bit of luck it will be a long way off. A terrible thing to say and I'll probably rot in hell for it but when I read about your kidney problem I thought of a Rolf Harris skit from 30+ years ago. Where he was in the operating theatre singing "Who's got Sidney's kidney? He said we could have it didn't he?" Can't remember the rest but we'll pray you are around here for a long, long time.
 
"Defeat is a state of mind; No one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." ~ Bruce Lee
 
Beach,

Hang in there mate. I lost a kidney to cancer a few years ago, so that puts me at 50% right off the bat and that won't get better than that, so try to remember that I am blessed to still be here and try to push back the inevitable. Non of knows how long we have on this earth. A friend shared a story last night of how he lost his twenty something friend and it was a reminder to live life the best way we can for as long as we have.

For each of us that might be different, so eat well, drink wisely, and live the heck out of life.
 
Yep Beach, I read this and know there's hope. No giving up. I know many an active man that visits the dialysis clinic a few times a week and that means their kidneys aren't working at all, so what that tells me my friend, is that you've got a lot of life left in those bones.

I have a hunch that everything is as it should be and life will most certainly go on, just perhaps not with the regularly scheduled programming you are used to. In the meantime, no better reason to keep on doing what you love!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hoofhearted said:
That's a bit of good news. How long does a "stage" last or is it variable? With a bit of luck it will be a long way off. A terrible thing to say and I'll probably rot in hell for it but when I read about your kidney problem I thought of a Rolf Harris skit from 30+ years ago. Where he was in the operating theatre singing "Who's got Sidney's kidney? He said we could have it didn't he?" Can't remember the rest but we'll pray you are around here for a long, long time.

Do you know guys, I've had MORE support and good wishes from this forum than many a so called "friend" in the real World !

Hoof ........... I could remain at stage 3 for a very long time - or I could whizz atraight to 5, it IS just that uncertain. The interim tests suggest that I have temporarily remained at stage 3 for the past 3 months - ie no further decline in function.

Teazer, your own experience shared is a big help. I've also received many PM's in the same vein - Triumph over adversity ...................damn, I always preferred BSAs !

The major issue here - I said exactly that to the specialist - "Oh well, I can live a perfectly good life with one kidney". The answer was that two 1/2 kidneys do not equal the function of one good one ! That's the purpose of the major assessment in June / July to ascertain if the degeneration is in both or not.

Red - thanx for the timely Bruce Lee quote - that's exactly my state of mind.

KC - yes dialysis is the last resort [ after stage 5 ] ......... the thought of 3 or 4 [ more ? ] hours lying there doing nothing is the horror scenario ........... maybe I could be working on porting a cylinder head or something useful ?

I hope you guys don't object to me airing my progress [ or otherwise ], all my close friends are now spread all over the World and as stated - your support and words of wisdom are comforting and welcome.
 
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