1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Jim,

Here is a pic of one of my original unrestored 63 halfshafts. I honestly can't tell if it is seamless tubing or not. The welds on the ends however do appear to be fairly prominent. I'd be happy to measure with my dial calipers if you need me to.

tc

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Tracy,
thanks none the less for the offer to measure the welds but they look about the same as what mine are. Have another dig with respect to the shifter ball.... to shinny or not shinny enough.....if you want to hear about it ,,,,that's all for now,got to pull a 58 vette motor & trans for overhaul today. FWIW-Jim

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Jim,

Here is a pic of one of my original unrestored 63 halfshafts. I honestly can't tell if it is seamless tubing or not. The welds on the ends however do appear to be fairly prominent. I'd be happy to measure with my dial calipers if you need me to.

tc

Tracy,

Difficult to tell in the pic but is that the remains of a black coating that I see on the shaft?

[Robert C.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Jim, are you afraid to confront the 63 team leader? That's exactly what they are there for. Any issues that are questionable is worth an E-Mail to Him. This is how the manuals get corrected.

[Michael H.]

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"
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

Not sure if this is of interest to anyone for your research but the part number on the shaft did remain the same from mid 63 through at least 64. (and likely well beyond) It changed in service in early 1966 but that shouldn't have had any effect on the production part.
There was a part number change in early 63 that probably occured on the assy line some time around Oct/Nov 1962 but I doubt it had anything to do with the seam/seamless tube material.

[Tracy C.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Tracy,

Difficult to tell in the pic but is that the remains of a black coating that I see on the shaft?

Yes, the shaft and U-joints have a definite black coating of some type. Thicker in some areas and kinda clumpy. I wouldn't call it undercoat but it's not just paint either. Thicker areas have a semi gloss finish. Areas with thin coverage have some surface rust appearing and a flat finish.

I can try to get some better pics with more detail tonight if there is any interest.

tc

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Yes, the shaft and U-joints have a definite black coating of some type. Thicker in some areas and kinda clumpy. I wouldn't call it undercoat but it's not just paint either. Thicker areas have a semi gloss finish. Areas with thin coverage have some surface rust appearing and a flat finish.

I can try to get some better pics with more detail tonight if there is any interest.

tc

Thanks Tracy. Hope all the 63-64 guys are following this. Maybe, just maybe, the thinking will finally change on the 63-64 rear drive/suspension coating.
Maybe that judge that deducted points because of the weld seam will look at this too.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

...Here is a pic of one of my original unrestored 63 halfshafts. I honestly can't tell if it is seamless tubing or not. The welds on the ends however do appear to be fairly prominent...

If the early C2 half shaft was fabricated from welded tubing, as I expect it probably was, the longitudinal seam would have been virtually invisible. The longitudinal weld would have no similarity with the yoke welds which done at the supplier's fab plant. The yoke welds appear they could be manual welds, but if by machine, it's clear that strength was more important than appearance.

Welded tube or pipe is welded on automatic welding machines that leave little to no evidence of a weld seam except a discolored heat affected zone. Once the welded C3 half shafts are bead blasted, you have to look very carefully to find the joining line.

[Gary B.]

'66 halfshafts & driveshaft definitely were seamed tubing

Both the half shafts and the driveshaft for '66 definitely had a longitudinal weld. My original driveshaft was so rusty on the outside it was unrestoreable. So, I cut it in half and the longitudinal weld was a plane as day. '66 half shafts also should have a longitudinal weld seam; if they were bead blasted it wouldn't show, but for standard suspension cars it should be there.

Gary

[Mike M.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Hi Jim,
Congratulations on your Duntov award.
Dejavu all over again, I know it has been a long road for you.
As many of these U-joints as I have changed, I can recognize that not only were they seam welded tubing, but the weld residue had a bluish edge to them, like the original side pipes.
However, the circumferential weld at the wheel bearing end does appear to be NTP in size (larger) and smoothness, ie: lack of "waves".
Did this judge also take deductions for your S/R U-joints and absense of french Locks?
The plot thickens
HaND

[Jim L.]

Re: 1963 half shafts are not seamed tubing!

Hi Jim,
Congratulations on your Duntov award.
Dejavu all over again, I know it has been a long road for you.
As many of these U-joints as I have changed, I can recognize that not only were they seam welded tubing, but the weld residue had a bluish edge to them, like the original side pipes.
However, the circumferential weld at the wheel bearing end does appear to be NTP in size (larger) and smoothness, ie: lack of "waves".
Did this judge also take deductions for your S/R U-joints and absense of french Locks?
The plot thickens
HaND

Mike,
Thank you for your postand input for this thread. With reguard to weld thickness, that could be a subjective call either way. The picture may also be a little misleading too.
No on the first question and not required on the second question because it is of the first generation w/ the larger style flange plates used before 4/16/63 per AIM. Feb. built Corvette. They also used longer bolts and grade 8 lockwashers.
FWIW-Jim