C1 Driveshaft refinishing

[Donald H.]

Can someone advise me on refinishing my driveshaft with possible NCRS judging in mind.

THis is for a 60 with lots of old paint on the drive shaft. I can see some pitting and rust in some areas.

Per the TIM & JG the driveshaft was unpainted when installed and got blackout.

Since this was bascially a steel pipe it should have a smooth finish. If I blast it, it will not have an original looking surface. It would probably look better after spraying a clear coating.

I can blast it then paint it black, or clear coat it. Can anyone advise?

[Ray C.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Hi! Donald

I have been researching this topic for a C-1 chassis chapter judging school that I will be conducting this spring. I believe that the JG is wrong and that the drive shafts were painted gloss black with the stenciled part number applied. The chassis was flipped to install the drive assembly and the chassis stencil is upside down. The black out of the chassis was done just prior to body drop and sprayed from the top down. The heaviest amount of black out paint should be on the top of the chassis components and any black out paint runs should be from the top down. You should only see minor amounts if any black out paint on the outside of the frame. You may or may not seen blackout on the drive shaft stencil.

Ray

[Robert K.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Ray,
I recall a tech session some years back and was told the frame was actually dipped in paint. In order to not have 500 gallons of paint in a tank large enough to dip a frame, the paint was floated on water and the frame was slowly lowered (very trick!).

[John H.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Quoting from the late Dale Pearman's extensive notes and the handout we did for our '58-'62 Chassis Assembly Bloomington Gold Restoration Workshop in 2002:

"This item was delivered to the assembly line in plain steel with a yellow part number stenciled lengthwise. This driveshaft was generally painted either partially or completely during Chassis blackout. Sometimes it was not painted at all. If painted, the yellow stencil would be partially or completely painted over. A good chassis blackout painter would have covered the stencil and ALL of the driveshaft with time permitting."

[Michael H.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Quoting from the late Dale Pearman's extensive notes and the handout we did for our '58-'62 Chassis Assembly Bloomington Gold Restoration Workshop in 2002:

"This item was delivered to the assembly line in plain steel with a yellow part number stenciled lengthwise. This driveshaft was generally painted either partially or completely during Chassis blackout. Sometimes it was not painted at all. If painted, the yellow stencil would be partially or completely painted over. A good chassis blackout painter would have covered the stencil and ALL of the driveshaft with time permitting."

Yup, betcha Dale has it right. I'll bet a LOT more prop shafts on 53-62's (and 63-64's) were completely covered in chassis black than those that were not completely covered.

[Troy P.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

While the experts are tuned in...would the process described also be pertinent to the 53-55 (part number stenciled on bare steel and shot over with blackout?).

[Jerry P.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

My '54 (2042) had the yelow #'s oversprayed black.... body or driveshaft has never been removed jer

[Troy P.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Good info Jerry. Thanks.

[Ray C.]

ray63@rochester.rr.com
The process I am using on my 1961 restoration is to paint the driveshaft prior to stencil, (I hate rust) stencil the driveshaft, and then cover some of but not the entire stencil with the black out process.

Ray

[Brad H.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

In other words then the shaft since no one really knows cant be deduct if there is no stencil showing since some had it and some did not. Brad.

[John F.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

I wish members would post pictures if they can take them.

[Donald H.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

ray63@rochester.rr.com
The process I am using on my 1961 restoration is to paint the driveshaft prior to stencil, (I hate rust) stencil the driveshaft, and then cover some of but not the entire stencil with the black out process.

Ray

Ray, that is kind of what I have decided to do on my 60. I have been clear coating parts that are supposed to be natural with Diamond Clear from Eastwood, but I'm not sure how it will stand up. I will probably paint my drive shaft also.

Thanks,

[Daniel K.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

My drive shaft is black and no evidence of a part number that I recall. U-Joints are bare metal to the weld. Whether or not this absolutely correct, I don't know but, it did pass for top flight. DJK.

[Brad H.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

Seems that there is a good picture in Paragon Mag. with a yellow no. on a driveshaft.? Thanks, Brad.

[Troy P.]

Re: C1 Driveshaft refinishing

ray63@rochester.rr.com
The process I am using on my 1961 restoration is to paint the driveshaft prior to stencil, (I hate rust) stencil the driveshaft, and then cover some of but not the entire stencil with the black out process.

Ray

I really feel for you. I write articles for various auto publications, including Restorer and Straight Talk, and am always quite worried about saying something that is not 100% correct. In addition to damaging your credibility it can really screw others up if they follow your wrong advice. I'm extra cautious about saying something was this way or that way because I'd usually be passing on the opinions of others that could be wrong. Even the Judging Guidlines get corrected. So the facts are often quite elusive while opinions are rampant.

Take the issue of which way the rebound strap rivets should point for example. A complicating situation is always the variability of what was done year-to-year, month-to-month and even day-to-day by various installers on the assembly lines. In my opinion the big picture is that very little should be certain in an informed Corvette restorer's mind.