Half Shaft dab?

[Tony S.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Thanks John. That makes perfect sense and conforms with my reseach with original '65 BB cars. There are a number of '65 BB half shafts that were fully coated with black asphalt type paint. The black paint on the BB half shafts appear to have been applied differently than the small black half shafts that were blackout from the top (after the chassis was turned right side up). John, do you know when the blackout coating was added to the '65 BB half shafts?

Tony

[Mike Z.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Don't over-think this. The green dab on the big-block half-shaft tubing was applied at Chevrolet-Warren (where the half-shafts were made), immediately following the shot-peening operation (which was done after the end yokes were welded to both ends of the tube). It was the only way the operators at Warren could differentiate between the SB and BB half-shafts (to get them in the correct shipping gondola), and it was the only way the assembly operators and inspectors at St. Louis could indentify them, as the two types of half-shafts were otherwise identical, including the Warren-installed U-joints and spindle flanges.

John, you have finally made some sense as to why the dab in the first place and it sounds as if you were actually there, back in the day-that's great if you were. One tiny little question: if all these half shafts were line up or coming down a conveyor belt, etc.-would they not all be poinedt the same direction after they were shoot-peened? So, the dab gets applied (assume all on the same relative side of the shaft)-would this have been done prior to or after u-joint install? Then one step further, weather before or after u-joint install-since, all shafts fit either side of the car: what is your opinion, if you were judging a car and was positioned at the rear of the car, looking for the dab; would the drip travel down or up?, or one up and one down? I realize I may still be over-thinking this deal, but I am at a fork in the road and want to do the best replication I can for this project and those to come-your opinion is valued.
On another note: what is your opinion of the finish of the tube itself. I have restored/polished these tubes to a chrome like, smooth finish-the only way I know to get the smooth finish (with no machine or cut marks-but a hint of lengthwise marks put in with fine steel wool to replicate the extrusion marks), I believe extruded tubes to be. Now, I need to soften the brilliance of the chrome like unprotected steel. Can you recommend a chemical or process that would replicate the original satin smooth finish (other than spray with satin clear)? I believe the finish should be satin, but also light gray or light black like a preservative application of some sort. What do ya think? I know way over-thinking.
Mike

[Tony S.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Only BB half shafts were shot peened--SB half shafts were not. That's why the BB half shafts have the green paint daub-not the SB half shafts.

[Michael J.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

John, you have finally made some sense as to why the dab in the first place and it sounds as if you were actually there, back in the day-that's great if you were. One tiny little question: if all these half shafts were line up or coming down a conveyor belt, etc.-would they not all be poinedt the same direction after they were shoot-peened? So, the dab gets applied (assume all on the same relative side of the shaft)-would this have been done prior to or after u-joint install? Then one step further, weather before or after u-joint install-since, all shafts fit either side of the car: what is your opinion, if you were judging a car and was positioned at the rear of the car, looking for the dab; would the drip travel down or up?, or one up and one down? I realize I may still be over-thinking this deal, but I am at a fork in the road and want to do the best replication I can for this project and those to come-your opinion is valued.
On another note: what is your opinion of the finish of the tube itself. I have restored/polished these tubes to a chrome like, smooth finish-the only way I know to get the smooth finish (with no machine or cut marks-but a hint of lengthwise marks put in with fine steel wool to replicate the extrusion marks), I believe extruded tubes to be. Now, I need to soften the brilliance of the chrome like unprotected steel. Can you recommend a chemical or process that would replicate the original satin smooth finish (other than spray with satin clear)? I believe the finish should be satin, but also light gray or light black like a preservative application of some sort. What do ya think? I know way over-thinking.
Mike

Sounds like you will get it right, I would love to see it all when finished, maybe you could bring it to a chapter meeting Mike? We could have a technical session around it, even get some judging points maybe?

[Page C.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Mike,
Are you sure the half shafts were extruded? I thought they were seamed tubing. Will try and attach a photo of an NOS Corvair half shaft that clearly show a seamed weld tube. Most tubes are way over -restored.Corvair Half Shaft 003.jpg

[Wayne M.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Mike,
Are you sure the half shafts were extruded? I thought they were seamed tubing. Will try and attach a photo of an NOS Corvair half shaft that clearly show a seamed weld tube. Most tubes are way over -restored.[ATTACH=CONFIG]45796[/ATTACH]

Agree with you, Page. Pic is of a small block (Jan '64) on the right; you can see the "blue"ing of the heat affected zone of the seam weld. On the left is the half-shaft off my 396; the shot-peening obliterates any evidence of the weld seam. There's a white dab of paint that's now mostly chipped off.



c

[Mike Z.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Page, I agree with you about the seam (I have seen it, especially on lower perf models) and they probably are welded seamed tubes, but I tell you; when they are given a little TLC and put on the buffing wheel-there is no seam-they look like they were chrome plated, so now I need to dull them down and get the color right. So, I'm working with a BB shaft-no seams eveident, I thought maybe they were extruded. Either way, I believe a shaft right from the manufacturer would appear satin shine with lengthwise marks-at least that is what I remember when I had to replace some twisted ones back in about 69 or 70-memory is not as good as it once was. I have the finish, markings and detail I remember and am trying to replicate in my mind-it is harder to do than one would think.
Mike

[John H.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

John, you have finally made some sense as to why the dab in the first place and it sounds as if you were actually there, back in the day-that's great if you were. One tiny little question: if all these half shafts were line up or coming down a conveyor belt, etc.-would they not all be poinedt the same direction after they were shoot-peened? So, the dab gets applied (assume all on the same relative side of the shaft)-would this have been done prior to or after u-joint install? Then one step further, weather before or after u-joint install-since, all shafts fit either side of the car: what is your opinion, if you were judging a car and was positioned at the rear of the car, looking for the dab; would the drip travel down or up?, or one up and one down? I realize I may still be over-thinking this deal, but I am at a fork in the road and want to do the best replication I can for this project and those to come-your opinion is valued.
On another note: what is your opinion of the finish of the tube itself. I have restored/polished these tubes to a chrome like, smooth finish-the only way I know to get the smooth finish (with no machine or cut marks-but a hint of lengthwise marks put in with fine steel wool to replicate the extrusion marks), I believe extruded tubes to be. Now, I need to soften the brilliance of the chrome like unprotected steel. Can you recommend a chemical or process that would replicate the original satin smooth finish (other than spray with satin clear)? I believe the finish should be satin, but also light gray or light black like a preservative application of some sort. What do ya think? I know way over-thinking.
Mike

Mike -

The U-joints and drive spindle flange were assembled after the shot-peening operation and application of the paint dab; the paint dab was the only way to identify a BB shaft from that point on in the process.

This was a low-volume operation (about 45 sets a day), and I doubt if any conveyors were involved (more likely benches and pipe slides); with all the other variables involved (left-handed vs. right-handed operator, etc.) I wouldn't expect any consistent pattern for the shape/direction of the paint dab - I just look for present or not.

The tubes were "natural", with no "finish" at all - we all know how difficult that is to duplicate visually; almost anything you do to the tube will get a "finish" deduction, whether it's an attempt to use abrasives and satin clear or a mist coat of Cast-Blast. I drive my car and can't stand rust, so I use Cast-Blast and take the minor "finish" deduction.

[Mark D.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

I drive my car and can't stand rust, so I use Cast-Blast and take the minor "finish" deduction.

Easy there, John. As the great purveyor of JunK from the swamp would say..."in rust we trust" or "may the rust be with you."

[Graeme B.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Hi Mike , you might find a wash with Dioxidene (a rust remover) will dull the shafts down to what you want. Cheers, Graeme.

[John H.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

"may the rust be with you."

Mark -

My version of that is "may the rust be with someone else"

[Ron G.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Yea, all big blocks and high performance mid years, and LT-1 's were shot peened with number 31 shot. Most of the 70-72's I have viewed have a light green dab. Base motor cars were supposdley not shot peened. As we all know the purpose of the shot peen was to relieve stress on the welds. My own 71 besides the dab of light green also has on one end of the half shaft a yellow grease pencil mark.

[Bob J.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Piper,
I know that guy and he is pretty sharp.
He told me while working at a Chevy dealer in the late 60s through early 70s NEW cars arrived off transport trucks with rust.
This wasn't only underneath but also rust INSIDE the trunk on inner quarter panels.
A little rust is the look of real.
Bob

[Mike Z.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

Graeme, is there a consumer brand or product that has Dioxidene or a supplier or industry that might use it. In other words, where do I get it?
Mike

[Alan D.]

Re: Half Shaft dab?

And notice the remains of blackout on both shafts! Just saw a Bowtie Car, 396, and it too shows remains of blackout on the half shaft. So my guess is that even early 1965 cars were still getting some blackout in the rear.