65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
General Discussion => GS Questions => Topic started by: Robk on May 05, 2010, 09:58:06 PM
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Question for the experts;
The two GS' I have bought in the past year (a hardtop parts car and the 4spd convert I am restoring) came with two different driveshafts. The 4spd came with a rusty driveshaft with what I call a "sleeve" design. The hardtop came with what I call a tapered design. I intend to use the drive shaft off the hardtop because it is in much better condition, seems to match Mark Ascher's drive shaft - which makes me think it is correct, and will restore nicely. I was wondering if others have seen the sleeve style on a GS before. The third drive shaft in the picture below (to the right in the photos) came from a skylark and is different from the other two.
Thanks
Rob Keena
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Rob, your drive shaft should be solid for a 4spd and with a rubber sleeve for the auto. Jon
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Rob,
Compare the total length of the two driveshafts. If I'm not mistaken, the 4-speed transmission is a different length than the automatic transmission. Therefore the driveshafts are also different lengths by about one inch or so.
John Egel
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Neither of those is correct for a 4-speed car. If you look closely, you will see that the yoke on the end is attached to a smaller tube that fits inside the larger tube, and they have vulcanized rubber to fill the gap between them. The 4-speed cars did not have that rubber moulded in them--the yoke is welded solid to the main tube, therefore making what is called a solid driveshaft. The 4-speed driveshaft is also 1" shorter than an automatic driveshaft.
If you can find one out of a regular skylark or Pontiac that had a 3 or 4 speed manual transmission, then you can have it shortened by 1" at a driveshaft shop and it will be correct.
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I was afraid there was a difference between the auto and the 4spd. Finding a correct part will no doubt be a long search. Any ideas on the next best thing (new product) to hold me over during the search?
Thanks
Rob K
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I have an automatic one in my storage building in VA at my parents that I had shortened to the correct length for my 4-speed car until I found the correct one. I will let you have it for $40 plus whatever it takes to ship it. I can get it next time I go up there. It will work perfect until you can find a correct one.
Ask Mark Ascher how long it took him to find the correct driveshaft for his car....
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If you can find a driveshaft from a 71-75 LeSabre with TH400, it can be made to fit. It's a one-piece (no sleeve), and is the right length. Pontiac-Olds may be the same.
It is meant for a CV joint, so the support between the ears needs to be cut off....may not sound like the best idea, but it still looks strong enough without the support.
I may have pics at home.
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Thanks guys.
Brian, your shortened/auto driveshaft might be a good bet for me until I find something correct unless I can get my hardtop driveshaft shortened. Is the one that you had shortend the same as my hardtop driveshaft (in the photo)? Maybe you could send me a PM with information on the next time you will be up to your storage building. Also, when you say a Pontiac driveshaft off of a 3 or 4 speed would be correct when cut, is that only from a 1965 Pontiac or would other years be correct if cut?
Thanks
Rob
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Any 64-67 Pontiac A-body driveshaft from a manual trans car should work. The reason the pontiac is a candidate is because it has internal locks and uses the same U-joints as the Buicks. The Chevy driveshafts have external lock like a Ford driveshaft.
It looks like I will be going to VA this weekend. Do you want me to bring the shaft back with me?