Topic: 66 K code 4 speed drive shaft findings

[sgl66]

Doing a clean up on my Oct 65 Metuchen K and considering I have not been able to find any detail for this plant and car combo regarding drive shafts, figured I would put this out there.

- Length = 50 1/8"
- Slip yoke part number C3AA-4868-G with inner locks
- Red oxide-ish color paint on slip yoke matches drive shaft end paint
- Black and blue stripes found with evaporust at rear of drive shaft
- small traces of light blue found where 3rd stripe was
- very small traces (spots) of yellow paint were found where stencil was. I went over the area with a scotch bright pad and smoother areas revealed remnants of the numbers that probably held paint a few years longer
- original balance weights were removed when I installed a 5 speed in '89 and re-balanced

Details in this area seem thin but would appear that in 66, Hipo drive shafts received some combination of blue, light blue and black stripes.

The last post in this thread http://saacforum.com/index.php?topic=8171.30 has the same colors as mine but in opposite order (you need to download the tiff file to open) There are a few other color combo's in the thread as well

Same colors in this Virginia Mustang thread in a different order http://blog.virginiaclassicmustang.com/2011/03/1966-gt350-mustang-restoration-project.html

Starting at 6:45, this video shows the making and balancing of a drive shaft

This video plus the picture in the Virginia Mustang blog with the balance weight on top of the stripe and what I have found on mine makes me think

1. Tubing was cut to length and color coded
2. Color coded end yokes welded
3. Color coded slip yoke attached
4. Balanced
5. Select appropriate shaft according to build sheet and install as car moves down the line

And to make it complete, a picture of pinion yoke with yellow paint.

Pumpkin has similar marks to other 66 9" pics I've seen and Aug 65 date code in a 65 style housing.

[J_Speegle]

I take it that this is a 4 speed driveline - sorry didn't find the application in the post

[sgl66]

I take it that this is a 4 speed driveline - sorry didn't find the application in the post

Yes, 4 speed...in my signature 

Should also note drive shaft type E according to build sheet

[JKWilson]

Steve,
Just to add to the discussions you and I have had, my build sheet shows driveshaft "M".

So as not to be rude to everyone, Steve and I have had offline discussions about our respective cars due to them being assembled at the same plant with the build dates only being several weeks apart. Both are 4 speed GT fastbacks with Steve's being a "K" code and mine being an "A".

[Texas Swede]

How did you measure the length? A 65/66 HiPo drive shaft should be 49 23/32"
from forward center of hole to rear center of hole.
Texas Swede

[sgl66]

How did you measure the length? A 65/66 HiPo drive shaft should be 49 23/32"
from forward center of hole to rear center of hole.
Texas Swede

That's how I measured it.

Also referenced here that most appear to be 50 1/8 yet some are 49 23/32" http://saacforum.com/index.php?topic=28086.0

I'm helping someone diagnose a drive line issue on a 66 Dearborn Hipo and his measures 50 1/8 also.

[Texas Swede]

This means that a change must have happened during the 66 production year.
If so it may have been when Ford changed the the motor mounts on HiPo's in
November of 1965. Maybe that change moved the engine forward a little bit.
Have seen on 65/66 Shelbys that the distance to the Monte Carlo Bar from the
HiPo air cleaner varies. Any expert comments?
Texas Swede

[WT8095]

Yes, 4 speed...in my signature 

Signatures are dynamic - a person's current signature will be displayed whenever someone reads any post, past or present, made by that person. If someone modifies their sig, say removing a vehicle that was sold or adding another vehicle, people viewing the thread in the future will see different information than was originally posted.

It's tempting to rely on one's sig to avoid constantly repeating information (and I've done it too), but it could lead to missing or misleading information for future readers. It's exactly the same as someone recently posted about linking to ebay listings - they are an ephemeral source of information.

[J_Speegle]

Yes, 4 speed...in my signature 

Thanks - got to ask to make sure.

One issue we've found it that its not uncommon for drivelines to change during the year for one reason or another and in turn the paint identification markings with them

Texas Swede makes a logical point - just unconfirmed at this point though, if so, the distance between the fan and the radiator would change also if the engine was moved. And guess the holes in the transmission mount would allow for some movement not to cause an issue there.

Guess we'll continue to investigate.

[Pete Bush]

Steve and I have been talking too, but my interest is mostly from the build sheet code viewpoint. It's been difficult to cross-reference a particular code with a particular driveshaft without such information as specific lengths and color-code markings. When information surfaces such as Steve is providing here, then I can place a particular build sheet code with a particular driveshaft. That information then may be pertinent to others with that particular code.

Besides the differences in the locations of these particular stripes, there also appears to be a difference in the spacing of them.

[J_Speegle]

Besides the differences in the locations of these particular stripes, there also appears to be a difference in the spacing of them.

May just be the worker that day - since the buildsheets (later for example) don't refer to the spacing or location just colors. Letters or numbers on your build sheets would indicate racks or bins where they were located.

Not unusual to find some with the colors reversed  or a PO installing a driveline backwards after servicing the U joints - though in 65-66's Ford found this top be a problem that produced increased vibrations and started marking drivelines so that they would (at least at Ford servicing garages) could be reinstalled correctly

[Pete Bush]

Almost all of the K-code build sheets I have on file use code E for the driveshaft.

However, the axle codes of these vehicles are either 2  5 or 3  E. It's rather unusual that Steve's build sheet has a 0  8 axle code. This may warrant a comparative analysis with other K-codes of this period to see if there's a quantitative difference in Steve's axle. Or why else the differing code.

[sgl66]

Signatures are dynamic - a person's current signature will be displayed whenever someone reads any post, past or present, made by that person.

Good point

This means that a change must have happened during the 66 production year.
If so it may have been when Ford changed the the motor mounts on HiPo's in
November of 1965. Maybe that change moved the engine forward a little bit.

Mine was built in October before the mounts changed

And guess the holes in the transmission mount would allow for some movement not to cause an issue there.

Just checked my cross member and trans mount. All mounting holes are round with little to no room to adjust approx 3/8". If this is true, one or the other would require different dimensions and part #

May just be the worker that day - since the buildsheets (later for example) don't refer to the spacing or location just colors. Letters or numbers on your build sheets would indicate racks or bins where they were located.

Not unusual to find some with the colors reversed  or a PO installing a driveline backwards after servicing the U joints - though in 65-66's Ford found this top be a problem that produced increased vibrations and started marking drivelines so that they would (at least at Ford servicing garages) could be reinstalled correctly

In the video, you see the balancing done with the slip yoke attached. Seeing what it takes to get the balance weights just right makes me wonder how many were completed "close enough" to keep up with production. If the u-joints were replaced at a dealer, it would make sense to not put the slip yoke on the wrong end and disrupt front to rear balance. I don't see how Ford could have balanced the drive shaft and rear as 1 rotating unit so front to back is all that could be expected.

One other thing I noticed today is that spots in the paint on slip yoke appear to be from slag, lots still visible. Guessing this was attached while welding yoke to the tube which would mean tube yokes were painted prior to welding.

[sgl66]

Almost all of the K-code build sheets I have on file use code E for the driveshaft.

However, the axle codes of these vehicles are either 2  5 or 3  E. It's rather unusual that Steve's build sheet has a 0  8 axle code. This may warrant a comparative analysis with other K-codes of this period to see if there's a quantitative difference in Steve's axle. Or why else the differing code.

Pete,

The original owner used to race this and I recall him telling me he ordered it with 3:89 gears and had the dealer install a locker. The original hand written sales order and dealer invoice show no reference to any gear ratio. I think those details were found on another piece of paperwork that I don't have.

I've been meaning to contact him about something else, I'll reconfirm what prompted him to order it with 3:89's and let you know.

[evantugby]

Because the OP found a black and blue stripe on his HiPo Metuchen Oct 65 kar, does that mean Tony Gregory's 289 HiPo 4th edition book is wrong on page 164 when is says the drive shaft has 2 purple stripes and 1 pink stripe?

Note:  Tony Gregory does mention to use this section of his book as a guide. 

Note:  I found the number 307 in pink on my rear yoke which shares the same part number C3AA-4868-G and my kar is also a Metuchen Oct 23 1965 K-code fastback.