Whitbread Performance Innovations is now in operation!

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Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
After numerous delays and setbacks, things are finally under way. I have my EIN and vendors license, just waiting on the state to get back to me with the LLC registration. Full insurance will follow very shortly as well. The shop I work at has cut back to working every other week, so that has really pushed the "side job" to "legitimate" change.


For those who don't know me, a little background information:

I was bitten by the mechanized bug way back in middle school playing around with nitro rc cars and planes. While in high school, I took every advanced physics, math, and automotive class I could and also attended a vocational school for 2 years of collision repair. All through high school years I worked for a general automotive repair shop and towing center doing everything under the sun and leaving as one of the head technicians.

After high school I enrolled at the University of Northwestern Ohio for a bachelors in High Performance Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, and Alternative Fuel Technology. During my first year of college, I was fortunate enough to get a contract job working at the Milford Proving Grounds for General Motors as a prototype electronics technician. If you have a newer GM vehicle with the factory IPod interface or keyless entry system with a lcd screed on the key fob, those are pieces I was directly involved with the development of.

For the last 2 years, I have worked for Sreco Flexible, Inc as the head specialty tig welder/machinist. For the past 3 years, I have been doing large amounts of mechanical and fabrication work on everything from a 1947 Farmall tractor to late model semi's. Tdi's are of course included in the spread and have formed the majority of the work for the last year and a half. I currently have two ASE certifications but will be getting the rest for both auto and diesel in the very near future as I now have a reason to justify the cost. After finishing my current degree within the next year, I'll also be pursuing an associates in mechanical engineering.



Now, on to the stuff that people actually care about;

Main services include, but are not by any means limited to;
- Full Tdi maintenance and repair services. Major internal engine and transmission work are included. I have vag com, but please no major driveability problems just yet.
- Maintenance and repair on all other vehicles and anything else mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic.
- Custom fabrication of just about anything in any material for anything.
- Full welding services on Stainless, Aluminum, Magnesium, Steel, Cast Iron, or Titanium. Tig, stick, mig, and oxy fuel are the processes I have on hand.

If there's something that doesn't fall into the above, just call or pm me about it.


Planned future products will include fabricated tubular exhaust manifolds, intake manifolds, turbo inlet pipes, downpipes, intercooler pipes, cat back exhausts, and big turbo kits. I'll also be selling laser cut main girdles and intake, exhaust, and turbo flanges. Requests for items not on the list are always more than welcome.


Pricing for labor is $65/hr for mechanical work and $45/hr for fabrication work.


For those who have not seen my work before, tons of pictures can be found in my album on here. I removed the posted pictures to save space in this post.


The shop address is 3660 Schooler Road, Lima, Ohio 45806. It's the red house and big garage on the southeast corner of Bluelick and Slabtown. I'm out in the country and most gps' and mapquest like to take you the wrong way so be careful. The best way to contact me is either by phone at (248) 755 8118 or pm on here. I'm available immediately for work and updates will follow shortly as things unfold further.

Thank you everyone,
Matt Whitbread
 
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validius

Lacking in ZDDP
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
TDI
1997 GTI TDI
you do great work man, best of luck. If this AFN exhaust manfild doesnt prove to be what im looking for i may be looking to you to help pipe in an external wastegate to my AHU.
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
Bob_Fout said:
Tony, road trip!
Yeah, I am heading that way later this summer (St Louis, Wisconsin). I used to live in Michigan, but that was a long time ago. We could use another good welder/mechanic in Houston (along with Mike at Bartuning). I WAS in Ohio today (Cleveland).

Bob, you missed a really good GTG in Houston!
 

Harvieux

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Aug 15, 1998
Location
Whittier,CA-USA
TDI
06 A5 Pkg.2 w/navi & ASEP
Now that's what I'm fricken talking about! I love this poop. I wish you the very best and I can assure you that we will be in contact at some point in the near future. Later!
 

UFO

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Location
A mile high
TDI
2001 Beetle
Best of luck to you. I hope I have the opportunity to patronize your business.
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
Now that I've somewhat caught up with everything else, the first true production parts are going to start development this wednesday. A fellow club member has had some very bad turbo luck with little turbos and wishes to step up. So i'm picking the car up on wednesday evening and will be using it to pattern a kit for using the Jeep 2056. The production kit will consist of oil fittings, oil lines, 4-1 manifold, TIP, DP, turbo support bracket, and clocking instructions. Header will 1.5" x .065", dp will be 2.5" x .065", TIP will be either 2.5" or 3", whatever fits more pleasantly. Of course all 304SS and AL. If people would like, I could post up pics of the process in a seperate thread :).


Since everyone loves fun pictures, here's two strange projects of the last couple weeks:

Set of wheel spacer/adapters for a chevy dualie. Started at pieces of 3/4" flat plate.


My current project. It's a ramp for a monster front loader for loading semi's. 8.5' wide, 6' tall, 25' long. There's still at least another 40 hours of work in this monster.
 
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LiLredTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Location
maryland
TDI
2004 jetta tdi pd-1989 Jetta IDI-1994 F-250 IDI Turbo
Good luck to you sir! It seems you have way to much expirience to work for others anyways.

I was recently layed off and wish i had the space/skills to do what your doing.

Do good work and keep the customer informed and you will be golden.

CHEERS,
Frank
 

diesel-dave

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Location
earth
TDI
2003 wagon TDI, 2003 wagon Tdi, 2013 Q7 Tdi
you still doing those exhaust manifolds for the bigger turbos? maybe DP's with the V band clamp? that fits the V band exhaust side of these BIG turbos?
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
diesel-dave said:
you still doing those exhaust manifolds for the bigger turbos? maybe DP's with the V band clamp? that fits the V band exhaust side of these BIG turbos?
Yup, I'm starting a header/dp/tip for a jeep 2056 this weekend. I'm planning on using v bands on the outlet, just don't remember what it exactly looks like as I haven't looked at the turbo in a while.
 

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
I heard you are going to be fabbing a FMIC for a New Beetle in the near future. Do you plan on being able to duplicate this setup in the future so a guy like me could buy it from you without having to trek down your way?

How much are you anticipating price-wise? Do you forsee any interference with DG skidplates?
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
TDICADDGUY said:
I heard you are going to be fabbing a FMIC for a New Beetle in the near future. Do you plan on being able to duplicate this setup in the future so a guy like me could buy it from you without having to trek down your way?

How much are you anticipating price-wise? Do you forsee any interference with DG skidplates?
That's the plan :). At this point right now, I don't have the slightest idea of a price. I can promise though, it will be less than you might expect ;). Since this car doesn't have a DG skidplate, I'm not making any promises on clearing it.
 

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
Alrighty, I'll be in touch with you after awhile. When you get around to posting pics, my only concern would be any routing near the mounting posts. IIRC the rivnut locations are on either side of the forward side shield mounting studs.

Thanks!

EDIT: Mounting post locations...



 
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Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
milehighassassin said:
Have you finished the custom exhaust manifold yet?
No, not yet :mad:. I was on vacation all last week and had a mountain of work to catch up to before I left and an even bigger mountain when I came back on monday night. I still have 2 VR6 intakes, an AHU intake, and 2 jackhammers to fix first. I should be able to get back on the big turbo beetle project later this week :).

Thanks for the pics TDICADDYGUY, I'll try to keep pipes out of there but I won't know for sure until I start running them.
 

Shenandoah

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon; 2005 Beetle; 2004 Jetta; 2002 Golf (three of them); 2002 Jetta Wagon; 2000 Audi TT->TDI; 1999 Beetle
New Beetle FMIC

Whitbread,

I too would be interested in a FMIC for a New Beetle. THanks!

Eric
 

Whitbread

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Location
Johannesburg, MI
TDI
Several
Shenandoah said:
Whitbread,

I too would be interested in a FMIC for a New Beetle. THanks!

Eric
I'll be sure to start a new thread when I get to working on all the fab stuff for the beetle. As of right now, the battery is getting relocated to the trunk to make more room for the piping with the driver side inlet on the intake manifold. There's negative room under the hood of beetles :mad:.
 

diesel-dave

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Location
earth
TDI
2003 wagon TDI, 2003 wagon Tdi, 2013 Q7 Tdi
Whitbread said:
I'll be sure to start a new thread when I get to working on all the fab stuff for the beetle. As of right now, the battery is getting relocated to the trunk to make more room for the piping with the driver side inlet on the intake manifold. There's negative room under the hood of beetles :mad:.

ya I know!!! you have to remove everything to get to anything.:mad:
 

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
Hmm...I don't like the idea of relocating the battery. I'd like to see a front mount solution with pass. side inlet/outlet...or piping near the intercooler that would run back to the pass side. Look at the ABDracingwerks intercoolers for an example.

New Beetles do suck indeed in this regard.
 

diesel-dave

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Location
earth
TDI
2003 wagon TDI, 2003 wagon Tdi, 2013 Q7 Tdi
Matt, I think it will be challenge, but by the looks of your work, I think you can handle that.

A bolt in kit, that fits, would sell like hotcakes
 
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