L78 396 half shaft coating?

[Tony S.]

I talked with four owners of survivor-type 396 cars over the last few days at the Florida regional regarding L78 396 half shafts. I knew that the '65 BB half shafts were shot-peened (unlike the small block half shafts) and then a green inspection daub was added. What I did not know until this week was that these survivor cars had various amounts of black coating on the BB half shafts. The owners described the coating as a black asphalt paint. The coatings were more or less limited to the tube section of the half shaft.

I'm interested to see if other 396 owners have the same black coatings on their car's BB half shafts.


Thanks....Tony

[Joe L.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

I talked with four owners of survivor-type 396 cars over the last few days at the Florida regional regarding L78 396 half shafts. I knew that the '65 BB half shafts were shot-peened (unlike the small block half shafts) and then a green inspection daub was added. What I did not know until this week was that these survivor cars had various amounts of black coating on the BB half shafts. The owners described the coating as a black asphalt paint. The coatings were more or less limited to the tube section of the half shaft.

I'm interested to see if other 396 owners have the same black coatings on their car's BB half shafts.


Thanks....Tony

Tony------


I would surmise that any black coating on the half shafts occurred on the car during some black-out operation OR occurred post-factory. If it occurred on the car during a black-out operation, I would also surmise that it was just as common to small blocks as big blocks. Also, if it occurred on the car I would expect that any coverage was not completely circumferential but limited to that portion of the shaft exposed to the black-out.

I have no information that any half-shafts were delivered to St. Louis with any sort of black coating and I highly doubt that such ever occurred.

[Wayne M.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

....I'm interested to see if other 396 owners have the same black coatings on their car's BB half shafts.
....

Hi Tony -- Here's what I found on my late L78; started to clean up the black [found only on part of the shaft] to expose the light green stripe, but the black and the green paint chips were coming off together, so I quit and left well enough alone. At the time, I assumed that the black was a spray bomb inspiration by a previous owner, but after what you've posted, I'm not sure.

In Nolands Vol 2, page 259, there's that L78 tanker on a lift; you can see a couple of inches of each half shaft, and no black is visible. Claimed to be a June '65 GM pic.

[Michael H.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

On most 63's and 64's, the entire half shaft would have been coated with chassis black. On some, most of the shaft would have been coated. It seemed to depend on who was doing the final blackout.

For 65-67, parts of the half shafts were coated with chassis black. Much less than 63-64. Usually one side but some had it all the way around.
For 65 and later, much less "final blackout was done before body drop.

Below is a picture of a 1500 mile 65 small block and the remains of blackout can easily be seen on the shaft and some partial coverage on the differential. Some of this may have come from the blackout spray for the mufflers. The blackout operation wasn't limited to big block cars.

[George W.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

Tony,

My '65 BB 396 half shafts are shot-peened with green duab with little to no black coating visible.

[Bill W.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

I dont think there was any on my side exhaust BB car. I agree with the under car muffler idea.

[Tony S.]

Re: L78 396 half shaft coating?

Thanks guys. I really appreciate your input. Gene Leonard and I have been judging '65 chassis, and we want to get it right.


Best,
Tony


ps. Bill W., I'd really love to come by and see your cars the next time I'm in Edwardsville...