Drive shaft stripes?

[James B.]

The '67 judging guide says that the drive shaft has a painted orange and green stripe. After 48 years I can see no trace of markings on my shaft (Chicago car, 50k miles). After I clean it up I want to get the markings correct. Noland Adams book has underside pictures of cars but I can see no markings on driveshafts. I went to the archives and found one picture but with no detail or dimensions. Can anyone help with details: are the two rings at the front or rear of the shaft (looks like front), how far from the end of the tube, how wide are the lines, how closely spaced are the green and the orange and which color is closest to the end? Also, were the lines hand or machine painted? Lastly, one post mentioned a splash of green paint at the back, where the balancing weight is welded on. However, I see no mention of that in the judging manual.
Out of interest does anyone know the purpose of the lines. Since all engine combinations in 67 had the same drive shafts they wouldn't have been for identification so they must have been for passed and/or failed inspections??
After posting this I was thumbing through the guide and in the chassis section on page 199 I see a picture of a drive shaft. It looks like the marks are about midpoint on the shaft. beyond that it isn't very helpful as it looks like there may have been three lines and in black and white I can't tell which color is to the front.

[John M.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

James,
My 67 spent most of it's life in PA and the driveshaft was pretty well rusted but... where the stripes were located was noticeably less corroded so I measured and put them there after the cleanup. They're near the front end, I think. Check that one more time, maybe you'll see what I saw.

[John H.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Out of interest does anyone know the purpose of the lines. Since all engine combinations in 67 had the same drive shafts they wouldn't have been for identification so they must have been for passed and/or failed inspections??

James -

The color-coding didn't matter much at St. Louis on Corvette (since they all used the same driveshaft), but the color-code stripes were important for identification at Chevrolet-Warren (the supplier plant), and on other shafts at other assembly plants that had more combinations - the St. Louis Truck Line, for instance, had over 100 different driveshafts.

[James B.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Interesting John, thanks for the response and information.

[Ralph E.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

John, My understanding was that 1967 BB cars used a different drive shaft and had makings. Drive shafts in SB cars did not have any marking.
Is this incorrect?

[Harry S.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

This is from a low HP 63. We just put the stripes back we we found them.

[Jim S.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Original markings on a '65 low HP.

[Jeff S.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

From a very late (mid - July) '66, 300 HP, p/glide.

prop shft marks.jpg

[Michael J.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Guys, as with all Corvettes, the TIM&JG is the bible, best to follow it and just move on.

[John H.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

John, My understanding was that 1967 BB cars used a different drive shaft and had makings. Drive shafts in SB cars did not have any marking.
Is this incorrect?

Ralph -

There was no difference in the driveshaft, but the big-block cars used unique rear suspension HALF-SHAFTS, which were shot-peened and had a swipe of green paint to identify them,

[Ralph E.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Thank for the clarification.
So why different markings?

[John H.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

Thank for the clarification.
So why different markings?

Ralph -

Because without the paint mark, you can't tell them apart by looking at them - the half-shafts are absolutely identical, and start out as the same part number. Once they're shot-peened, they're stronger, and carry a different part number (and the paint swipe).

[Ralph E.]

Re: Drive shaft stripes?

From a very late (mid - July) '66, 300 HP, p/glide.

OLD POST REVISITED
I realize this is an old post but I have a question about the stripes.
To the left where the picture indicates "Blue Arrow" I see the shadow of another stripe. Could that be or is it something else. I ask because my very early 67 has a shadow strip very similar but on the opposite end, about 8 inches in.