scott flory

The MG is on the ground!

2014-02-07T00:55:00.002-05:00

Big milestone just passed last week with my friends Kevin Lewis and Chris Wade (thanks guys!). The MGB is now on the ground, rolling, braking and steering. No engine yet, but this is still a big milestone. Check out some of the pics from the day it made it to the ground.

After we got it on the ground we pushed it up and down the street fred flintstone style

My Redneck spring compressor:

Chris Wade (the Supervisor)

and Kevin Lewis (the detail man)

Hey look - it all fits together:

And now, the car is on the ground - yeah !!

The MG is close to getting on the ground

2014-01-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

It doesn't have an engine or an electrical system yet, and the interior is practically empty... but, I should have the MG off the rack and rolling on four tires soon. This means I'll have the rear axle and brakes installed and working, the front suspension installed and working (steering, rolling, braking). and thats it. So, I will be able to push it around the block with the help of some friends. Hopefully, that will happen in a couple of weeks. Here are some pictures of the current progress. After I get the MG on the ground, it will be time to start in on the engine! Scott

MG update - working on the front suspension

2013-11-23T20:00:00.001-05:00

Moving along on the MG. Now working on the front suspension. I'm waiting for some parts from Motorhead to start putting the suspension together and on the car.

I will be rebuilding the front hub after everything is on the car at a later date. For now I mostly cleaned everything up, painted it and am replacing a few broken bolts, bushings and so on.

Here are some pics of the front-end.

MG gets a rear axle

2013-10-31T21:13:00.000-04:00

The axle isn't completely on yet (awaiting a couple of bolts I had to hacksaw during the demolition phase). Here are some pictures of the rear axle mostly in place - with the brakes assembled and the fuel lines complete under the car.

Max Flory and Grayson Campbell competing at Junior Pan Ams this week in Tucson, AZ

2013-09-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

Some of you were asking for information on when Grayson and Max will compete this week.

Below is a listed schedule.

Live results can be followed at www.divemeets.com.

or here: https://secure.meetcontrol.com/divemeets/system/meetinfoext.php?meetnum=2545

EVENTS START @ NOON EST

Grayson Campbell: (history)

Thursday, September 26- Boys Group B - 1m

Friday, September 27- Boys Group B - Platform

Sunday, September 29- Boys Group B - 3m

Max Flory: (history)

Thursday, September 26- Boys Group C - Platform

Saturday, September 28- Boys Group C - 3m

Sunday, September 29- Boys Group C - 1m

The MG is entering the "build" phase

2013-09-09T22:09:00.001-04:00

My Orange 1973 MGB is coming back to life slowly.
After a long sleep, we stripped it down completely last year and I got a new body painted this past spring.
Now, I have started the building phase. That means I am beginning to put some pieces back on it.

Here are a few pictures of my progress. In these you will see we have the gas tank installed, the gas and vapor lines run, the brake lines and wiring loom under the car.
I am waiting on the fuel pump.

I should be getting to the rear axle and rear suspension in the next couple of weeks. I'll post more then.

The overall plan is to complete the restoration by June 2014. This will mark the 30th anniversary of my ownership of this fun little car and my 15th anniversary with my wife, Vanessa. On our wedding day, we drove in the MG with the top down from the church (Alexandria) to the reception (Clifton) - what a fun ride. I hope to repeat it next June!

Updates to DiveList

2013-04-04T21:32:00.001-04:00

I made this app for fun and its becoming popular in the diving circles... Its a reference app for diving.

DiveList app in the iTunes app store

Pics of the MG

2012-10-09T22:17:00.001-04:00

It will be headed home in about a week. They still have some undercoating to do, but the finish looks fantastic!

The MGB has been painted!

2012-10-03T09:34:00.001-04:00

Just got the call from the body shop - the MG has been painted and is ready for me to come visit. So, I'm planning a quick trip out there next Monday to see the car. I'm very excited about that! Then we schedule delivery.... and then... the reconstruction begins in earnest.
I'll post some pictures when I get them.

The Orange MG will ride again

2012-08-30T21:37:00.001-04:00

Just got some photos back from http://www.yourcollisionexperts.com/
They are doing a great job with the new body and I hope to have it home soon to begin the re-assembly of my old MG.

The End of an Era

2012-06-22T10:37:00.002-04:00

The old MGB Body is going to the great steel heap in the sky today. Just the body though! Over the last 2 years, I have carefully extracted every bolt, screw, component, spring, bushing and everything else from the car and stored it dutifully in my attic.

Now begins the next chapter in the project.... building the new one ground up. More to come...

Special properties of 9

2012-05-11T20:29:00.002-04:00

I often wondered about the special properties of 9 in our number system. I wondered if there were similar special numbers in other systems. We count in base-10, which means there a 10 unique digits and we then use another place of digits once we get to 10. In other base systems, like base 16, and base 8, I wondered if there were similar numbers like 9 - or if 9 itself had these special properties.

As it turns out, it is not 9 itself that is special, but it is the number 1 less than the base system. So, for base 16, the magic number would be 15. Further, any factor of that number has similar special properties... so in this case 3 and 5 and in our base-10 system, that is why 3 has special properties as well. In base-8, it would be 7 that has this special property.

So, I wrote a little proof that hopefully explains it. I wrote this years ago, and thought I blogged it, but I guess I didn't. So, here it is:

proof of base-1 properties
Let n be the base of the numbering system being used.

Theorem: Any number is divisible by (n-1) if its digits sum up to a number divisible by (n-1).

This property can be recursively applied to the sum of the digits of the result until that result is simple enough to determine whether it is divisible by (n-1).

Proof: Starting with 0, add (n-1). You get (n-1). The sum of the digit is also (n-1) which is certainly divisible by (n-1). From that point, every time you add another (n-1) the "tens" place will increment by 1 and you would subtract 1 from the "ones" place. This keeps the sum total of the digits equal and therefore still divisble by (n-1). When a zero is once again in the "ones" place (occurs every n times), the addition of another (n-1) will not increment the "tens" place, however, it has just added (n-1) to the sum total of the digits. Therefore the sum of the digits continues to be divisible by (n-1).

Therefore, if the sum of the digits of any number is divisible by (n-1), the number itself is divisible by (n-1).

In this proof we covered all possible multipliers of (n-1), so we can also say the converse is true. For any number that is divisible by (n-1), the sum of its digits is also divisible by (n-1).

Corollary: Any factor of (n-1) inherits this property. Proof: Let f be a factor of (n-1) and m by the multiplier of that factor (for example, if n=15 and f=3 then m would equal 5). Again, start with 0, every time f is added to a number one of two cases exist: If the "ones" place of the number is < (n-f) then we will not be incrementing the "tens" place and the sum of the digits will be increased by f.

Therefore, the sum of the digits remains divisible by f. If the "ones" place of the number is >= (n-f) then 1 will be added to the "tens" place and this place will be decremented by (n-f). The sum of the digits is -(n-f) + 1 which equals -( (n-1) - f). Since f is a factor of (n-1) with m as its multiplier, this is the same as -((m*f) - f) or - ((m-1)*f). We are subtracting multiples of f from the sum of the digits. Therefore, the sum of the digits remains divisible by f.

QED

Look ma, no dashboard!

2009-09-07T23:38:00.001-04:00

I made some more progress on the MG destruction project. I think
removing a dashboard requires more flexibility and awkward upside-down
positions than any other car work. I'm glad I don't have to put it
back together right away.

Also, I put in a photo of the engine before anything has been done to
it - a reference point of sorts.

Back to life now,
Scott

Destruction of the MG interior

2009-08-24T16:28:00.000-04:00

The destruction continues. I am making my way through the interior
now. The doors were a bit difficult, but I'm looking forward to
removing the dashboard! Anyone know a place that would pick up an old
rusty body for scrap ... For free?

2009-08-19T23:37:00.001-04:00

Wondering how comments appear when textung to a blog

Long time

2008-09-29T00:07:00.002-04:00

Its been a long time since I posted here. Mostly working on our new Children's Album - Safari in Soundzania.
If you didn't know, we made our first childrens album back in December 2006 and now, we are approaching the release date of our second one in December 2008.

Check out soundzania.com to stay up to date on this project.

Soundzania doing fine, Studio almost done :)

2007-10-07T02:19:00.000-04:00

I've been spending a lot of work lately over at soundzania , check it out. We've turned it into a whole new web site and now we have t-shirts and a shopping cart, and everything. Geez, its looking kinda nice.

Anyway, I'm getting excited to begin opening up the studio. We still have many things to finish though.
I've got to finish putting the final trim on the doors to make them soundproof. I also need to complete the shelving for amps and speakers in the main studio room. And then there's the couch... we'll be getting a nice little ikea couch for everyone to hang out on while they are listening to the good mixes in the studio.

Well, I'll post another soon on the status of the basement. See ya then!

a new yard !

2007-09-30T21:18:00.001-04:00

Yup, we got a new yard, courtesy of my back and a lot of time.
Here is a pic:

another door is up

2007-07-07T01:59:00.001-04:00

the last door has been hung. I still need to put on the trim and the special seals for these doors.

That's it for tonight!

door up, studio desk in place

2007-07-06T10:47:00.000-04:00

Here is the new studio central desk getting setup... nice double-monitors :)

We've hung the heavy --- 400 pound door ! Here's a picture:

Still got some work to do in the kitchen... not much more progress there.

Kitchen very close to finished

2007-06-12T00:45:00.000-04:00

I'm almost done with the kitchen. Handles are on, appliances are connected. Just need to finish up some trim and then fill the cabinets.

The basement is almost done too. Painting has started (I'll get more pics later). Painting will go on for several days now.

more cabinet fun

2007-06-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

No pictures this time. I've just about finished putting in the handles on the cabinets... Now its time for filling in the gaps. The cabinets have about 2 inches of gap between some of them, and I need to fill that with some of the "toe-kick" material. Any, I'll post a picture of it soon and you can see what I mean.

Gas cooktop installed

2007-06-01T14:02:00.000-04:00

No picture today, just a quick update.

Last night I had fun putting soap on the gas pipe connections I put together to see if any bubbles would form.... some did. I had to redo the piping a couple of times, but I think I got the gas pipes connected good and tight.
The cooktop works... one more appliance installed.
Next up is the exhaust fan. Its connected and operating, but it does not vent outside yet.

Soundzania contest

2007-05-31T10:02:00.001-04:00

A friend of a mine connected me with Stephanie who blogs about her adeventures in baby-wearing. Yup, I've done it too. Anyway, she is running a contest now to give away a copy of Soundzania.

Here is a quick link to her contest

finishing touches

2007-05-29T13:50:00.000-04:00

I haven't updated this in a couple weeks... I've been making slow progress on the cabinets in the kitchen. No change in the basement.

oh yeah... granite countertops are in!!!!

Hopefully, we'll get the contractor out here soon to finish the trim in the basement. Then Vanessa's folks are coming to visit and help with painting and final finishing touches.

Maybe a few weeks away... we have to call the POD company and get the POD removed from the driveway (which means we need to empty it !!)

Heres a pic of the kitchen as it is now: