Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

[Grant W.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Hi Jim
I saw your posting but didn't have time to respond. But you sent them to quanta.
When I have time I will post some pics of 1/2 shaft and the drive shaft that I restored for my 71. Looks just like the originals and finish. Not the shiney retored look. I have an NOS 1/2 shaft and a restored one and the restored one looks pretty darn close to the original NOS
First you have to start off with not horrible pitted haft shafts.
Anyways post a pic when you get them.
Thanks, Grant

[Alan D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

And that's exactly why I no longer show my car. No proof accepted either. Waiting until the smoke clears, so far 3 years and counting.

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

All,

In reading thru the above postings, there are two statements alluding to what original shafts looked like, namely:

"the replacements are of a brighter surface finish absent on the originals"

and

"Looks just like the originals and finish. Not the shiney retored look."

I have two questions. First, what is the best documentation on what originals looked like? I presume that prior to welding the longitudinal seam or end seams on drive shafts and half shafts, the steel stock was probably cleaned and perhaps shiny to some degree. Why would a current reproduction look any different to what GM originals looked like when brand spanking new? I know that natural steel that is unplated and unpainted will quickly develop surface rust, so I assume shiny repros will soon become unshiny, unless treated in some way (like clearcoat, Prelube-6, etc.). But if no such treatment is done, won't repros soon pass muster if left to age a bit and acquire a natural, aged, patina?

Gary

[Mark D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

A fellow member, Greg Gorniak, does a beautiful job in restoring them. He also replicates the heat affected zone, on the non-shot peened units. He is in Ohio and his number is 937-369-5519.

After they are restored, you can blacken 'em up:-))

[Alan D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Well Gary, as for the 1963 here is one from the production line.
If you look closely at the half shaft one can see some smearing of the blackout near the centers of the shafts where workers handled them. (bet that was the basis of a urban myth)

Rumor has it that area was hit multiple times with blackout, so usually one sees runs in the blackout. Seen on many un-restored cars the remains of blackout and even areas which are shinny while the rest is rusted - those being protected by a heavy run of blackout.
Also see in the Adams Book Pg 176 63
Pg 200 64E
Pg 241 64E before 4/21/64
Pg 259 65 June
Pg 261 65 pro type
Pg 316 66 all clear inc diff. Fall of 1965

These should give you an idea of how to finish I also had a print of the half shaft that called out for "shot peen" (not sure if that was a dated change, just can not find print, so it may have been BB only.)

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Alan,

My question is, what they looked like under the blackout. And what did they look like for other years when they were not blacked out, when they were brand spanking new. My suspicion is that when the shafts were manufactured the surface probably looked a lot like the surface on the repros that some say are too shiny. Granted that shiny finish wouldn't have lasted long.

Gary

[Patrick B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

I bought a set of the later large tube halfshafts in the 80's, and they were as shiney as a mirror. Their beauty was impressive and only chrome plating could have made them shine any more.

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Patrick,

Thanks for that info. I believe that this might be one of those situations where the original, as-manufactured finish degrades so quickly that people start to think that a slightly or rather aged finished is indicative of the original finish. Another example of this is the gloss black finish on cooling fans that the C2 JGs call for. I can't tell you how many people I've judged with who will take a deduct or make a note and place a partial deduct (dot) when they see a fan with an actual gloss black finish. But they are perfectly happy taking no deduct or making no note when they see what what in my opinion is clearly a semi-gloss finish. We all know that a gloss black fan will turn to semi-gloss in no time, essentially due to air and dust friction. But we shouldn't equate that semi-gloss finish with the gloss finish that probably existed when the fan was brand spanking new. Just a pet peeve of mine.

Gary

[Alan D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Gary,
My understanding is that the original tube section was natural, extruded steel tube. Just off the shelf product then got ends welded on so one would tend to see some bluing in that area, but a shinny polished look - don't think so. We must remember it was a production facility with the mantra of ship, ship, ship.
I have seen such tube sections at driveshaft shops - since like Harry, did look at how to make one (same conclusion way too much $) I would suggest to get a feel of how the finish should look visit a shop. (Now time is not 1963 however would not think things have changed much, if anything it's better)

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Alan,

Just an aside to the theme of this thread, but the original half-shafts and drive shaft on my '66 were not extruded tubing. Extruded (drawn-over-mandrel, or DOM) tubing was not used on Corvettes in the mid-60s. The tubing for half-shafts and main drive shaft was longitudinally seam welded. The repro half-shafts from LIC are still made that way. As Gene mentioned above, longitudinal seam welded drive shaft tubing is hard to find. The main drive shaft for my '66 was badly pitted, so I cut it in half and the longitudinal seam weld was clear as day on the inside. I had a new drive shaft made up for my '66 and the drive shaft shop was able to procure seamed tubing. Now that was 10 years ago, so I suspect it's harder still to find seamed tubing these days, or to find a drive shaft shop that's willing to go out of their way to look for seamed tubing. In any case, I know that one of the earlier editions of the '66 TIM&JG mentions "extruded" tubing, but I'm convinced that is incorrect.

Gary

[Alan D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Well Gary I'm in agreement with you so the "extruded steel tube" is NOT the proper description. (Sorry)
SB "for half-shafts and main drive shaft was longitudinally seam welded" as you stated.

Have a few examples of a 1964 half shaft, one can see the seam. These were cleaned with Ride-Rust so it showed the seam. Notice dark line running entire length and on the top of end view. I found the same on the drive shaft, but it's black now so photo would be ng.

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Alan,

The "extruded" descriptor appears in some editions of the '66 TIM&JG. I don't know if it's in the latest edition. But if it is, it's not correct since extruded would imply DOM tubing w/o a seam well.

Gary

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Alan,

The latest '66 TIM&JG (5th edition) says "Driveshafts (propeller shafts) and half shafts are natural finish extruded steel tubes..." Maybe the authors of the JG didn't consider what extruded means. The JG has no mention of a longitudinal weld seam on either driveshaft or half shafts, even though the existence of those welds are well known to most people. Oh well.

Gary

[Alan D.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Gary, just a side question on the 66 TIM&JG (5th edition); Does it allow for any blackout on either of the shafts?
Know on an original 65 396 car I found indications of blackout on the half shafts, so for at least early 65 blackout was still being used
however at what appears to be at a reduced rate.

[Gary B.]

Re: Drive and half shaft restoration , 1963

Alan,

The 5th edition of the '66 TIM&JG says "Evidence of blackout paint on undercar exhaust equipped cars is not unusual."

Gary