1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

[Jim L.]

Help me understand new information from a senior judge at the National Convention this year.
"no seamed tubing is used on 63 Corvettes for drivelines or half shafts and the welds are too thick"
i recieved a healthy deduction for this errior on my part for not researching it properly, so can someone show me a picture of what original ones looked like with the exact thickness welds and what type of gauge is used to determine correct weld thickness? I can post a picture of what i presented on the judging field if intrested. Yes, i still got my Duntov Award in spite of many devations per the Judges evaluation on that day and that event.
FWIW- Jim

[Joseph T.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Jim,
I would love to see a picture of your Half shafts and the tubing problem that you're referencing. I have included a few pictures of my original 1967 Half shafts.Hope they help you out. By the way, Congratulations on receiving the Duntov Award.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Help me understand new information from a senior judge at the National Convention this year.
"no seamed tubing is used on 63 Corvettes for drivelines or half shafts and the welds are too thick"...

Verrrrry interesting...That sez the spec changed sometime before the C3s. Com'n you early C2 guys...lets hear confirmation or rebuttal.

In the petrochemical processing business, welded ASTM A53B pipe became the commonly accepted substitute for seamless pipe, with no loss in properties, when material prices skyrocketed in the 70s. Maybe a similar decision was made for Corvettes.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Joseph,
you might want to research the camber bolt and washer for finish and the cotter pin for going in from bottom to top on the shock mount on the rear facing nut. just a little help for a friend!!
FWIW- jim

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

..... Com'n you early C2 guys...lets hear confirmation or rebuttal.

In the petrochemical processing business, welded ASTM A53B pipe became the commonly accepted substitute for seamless pipe, with no loss in properties, when material prices skyrocketed in the 70s. Maybe a similar decision was made for Corvettes.

Jim, Carl --- from a retired refinery / X-country pipeline engineer, A106B would be the seamless ASTM spec. However ... I believe that '64 and '65 (at least) C2 half shafts were longitudinal seam welded.

Attached pic shows a '64 half shaft (left) from a very low [4-year] usage Jan/Feb '64 car. You can see the heat affected (colored) zones [HAZ], both longitudinally (to the left of the centerline) and below the circumferential yoke weld. The clear shiny areas are what was exposed after paint removal. The shaft on the right is from a late 396; the shot-peening destroys any HAZ coloring.

Can't say about 1963's, though.

The 1965 TIM&JG is vague on this; mentions extruded steel tube halfshafts (which implies seamess in industry parlance).

[Rob M.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

I'm smelling a new Restorer article developing here...

[Alan D.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

A little more pictures, but not much help for 63. Original shaft from a 64 after removal of blackout. If you can find someone with a 63 P&A Catalog, check to see if a part number changed happened which may correspond to the seamed tube. An off topic comment, since tons of 63 production line photo's exist of the rear end assembly being covered in blackout shouldn't the shaft be black so who can judge the seam or weld? Mine was all black - guess it could have been under coated, but did not look like it.
See Joe Lucia post of Feb 1, 1988. Seems the same half shaft was use from 63-74 on all SB cars.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

An off topic comment, since tons of 63 production line photo's exist of the rear end assembly being covered in blackout shouldn't the shaft be black so who can judge the seam or weld? Mine was all black - guess it could have been under coated, but did not look like it.

Alan, you are exactly right. The seam/seamless issue isn't really an issue for 63-64 because all 63 and 64 shafts were coated with chassis black when new. (as was the differential housing and other misc rear suspension/drive components)

Pretty sure the new 5th edition JG agrees that this coating is correct for 63-64. Probably a few people that don't agree though.

[John H.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

As closely as Chevrolet watched piece costs, I can't imagine them specifying DOM (drawn over mandrel) seamless tubing for half-shafts or driveshafts; seamless tubing is MUCH more expensive than conventional seamed tubing.

[Boyan B.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

My 63's half shafts are original and have SEAMED tubing. Car was built in May, 63. This is just another one of those quirks that shows up during judging and makes everyone change their original cars to what someone else thinks is original, only to change it back when it all gets figured out.

Boyan

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

John,
that's just what i said to the judge on the field.....it cost too much for seamless tubing...... i won't repet what he said to me but you could only guess!!! FWIW Jim

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

John,
that's just what i said to the judge on the field.....it cost too much for seamless tubing...... i won't repet what he said to me but you could only guess!!! FWIW Jim

I wonder what he would have said if you told him the shafts were actually supposed to be coated with black goo instead of natural.

[Harmon C.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

I don't know how much a healty deduction is but the place to question that was with the team leader on that day if you and the judge could not agree. The system is in place for you to use when needed.I hope this item did not cost you the award you was trying to receive.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Got the Duntov award inspite of pushing on that rope. i have a different perspective of the system at work now(you in or is you out)
FWIW-Jim

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

As closely as Chevrolet watched piece costs, I can't imagine them specifying DOM (drawn over mandrel) seamless tubing for half-shafts or driveshafts; seamless tubing is MUCH more expensive than conventional seamed tubing.

What I was thinking.