Topic: 68 J-Code Automatic Drive Shaft Markings

[stillboardin]

I have a San Jose J-code January build C4 that is original.  I am starting to clean up the drive shaft and am loking for some help on the colors codes on the drive shaft.

From what I have read and seen the yoke casting is red oxide or orange.  Is there a specific color for this?

The stripes on the drive line appear to be (from back to front) 

1.  2 white strips approx 6 to 9 inches from the back end of the tube.

2.  3 colored stripes about 24 inches in look like green white yellow

3.  one thin stripe toward the front looks to be white

4.  looks to be a crayon x between the colored strips and the first 2 white stripes

Photos below




My plan is to clean up the drive shaft and restore it to like new.  So my question is what type of paint and colors do I use for the stripes?

Should I put a clear coat on the shaft to protect it from rust?  or a cast paint? or leave it? 

By the way this is not a concours resto but I do want it to look really good.

[J_Speegle]

I have a San Jose J-code January build C4 that is original.  I am starting to clean up the drive shaft and am looking for some help on the colors codes on the drive shaft.

From what I have read and seen the yoke casting is red oxide or orange.  Is there a specific color for this?

Yes some yokes were painted orange (to identify them for the driveline assembler) but not all of them. Question - did your car come with the 9" or 8" rearend?


The stripes on the drive line appear to be (from back to front) 

1.  2 white strips approx 6 to 9 inches from the back end of the tube.

2.  3 colored stripes about 24 inches in look like green white yellow

3.  one thin stripe toward the front looks to be white

4.  looks to be a crayon x between the colored strips and the first 2 white stripes

Photos below[/quote]

The X has been seen on some but not all drivelines in 68 at San Jose

Question - When was this car built?  Reason for the question is that the marks you found do not match any J code buildsheet written paint marks for a driveline. Any chance the driveline has been replaced?

My plan is to clean up the drive shaft and restore it to like new.  So my question is what type of paint and colors do I use for the stripes?

Should I put a clear coat on the shaft to protect it from rust?  or a cast paint? or leave it? 

For paint I typically use just about anything (hobby, Rustoleum, spray can paint) that matches the color and tint. I do a fair amount of marks on cars so I have a collection of 40 or so different samples I mix to get just the right color

As for protection I would use a good oil such as Bioshield,  Crossion X or similar thin film protective oil product

[stillboardin]

Question - did your car come with the 9" or 8" rearend?

The car has an 8 inch rear 3.00 gears

Question - When was this car built?  Reason for the question is that the marks you found do not match any J code buildsheet written paint marks for a driveline. Any chance the driveline has been replaced?

The build date was Jan 23rd, 1968.

We have had the car since 1981 and when my wife bought it is was pretty original.  I guess it could have been replaced before 1981.

Is there anything they do match?  What would a typical j-code drive be marked like? 

[DTruitt]

Jeff, good catch/ question about the rear end being a 8" vs 9"!  Is the drive shaft a one piece or two piece drive shaft?

My cousin recently cleaned and detailed his San Jose J-code, A/T, drive shaft.  It is a GT, has a 9" rear and a two piece driveshaft; the color codes were different on his compared to yours.

It looks like you have a great reference to use.  The engine and trans should have a partial VIN stamped into them to verify if they have been changed and the rear end tag should have a date code on the rear end tag.  These things along with casting dates will verify if the drive train was ever changed.

Danny

[stillboardin]

Engine and trans are both original and have correct VIN's.  I will check the rear end in two weeks as the car is 200 miles away at my Father in laws.

The drive shaft is a two piece.

Also, I am assuming the rear end is a 8" just because of the gears (3.00:1)  I would think a 9" would have been 3.25:1 or higher.

[J_Speegle]

Engine and trans are both original and have correct VIN's.  I will check the rear end in two weeks as the car is 200 miles away at my Father in laws.

The drive shaft is a two piece.

Also, I am assuming the rear end is a 8" just because of the gears (3.00:1)  I would think a 9" would have been 3.25:1 or higher.

Don't assume that  but we would expect a GT to have the 9" and the non GT to have an 8"

As a response to your earlier question  - buildhsheets indicate that the small block automatic with the 8" was marked Dark green, Lavender and White at San Jose about when your car was built. I would not expect the end yokes to have orange on them

[stillboardin]

Here is a picture of the yoke and the part number.  Does this tell you anything?

[T Lea]

Don't assume that  but we would expect a GT to have the 9" and the non GT to have an 8"

I would say both statements are true about GT and 3.25 and lower are 9". That driveshaft is from a 8", here is a C4 9" shaft,

I should have build sheets I can check for yours, I'm crazy busy right know so if I forget remind me in a day or two

[gtamustang]

Here is a picture of the yoke and the part number.  Does this tell you anything?

Your yoke is consistent in part number and color with a 68 289/auto coupe that I am restoring on the other side of the states...built in May 68 at Metuchen. Also, the drive shaft is a tube in a tube configuration with pink/green/white center stripes and 2 tail end white stripes. I will have to take pictures and post them when I pull it out of the evapo-rust.

Regards,
Pete Morgan

[J_Speegle]

I would say both statements are true about GT and 3.25 and lower are 9". That driveshaft is from a 8", here is a C4 9" shaft,

Tim - have seen cars and buildsheets with 3.25's that were 8" in 68 - just sharing

I should have build sheets I can check for yours, I'm crazy busy right know so if I forget remind me in a day or two

Have plenty of J code Shelby buildsheets if that is what you are referring to- just wanted to keep from mixing up the two until stillboardin the  checks his car to see which (for sure) rearend he has

[T Lea]

Tim - have seen cars and buildsheets with 3.25's that were 8" in 68 - just sharing

Never knew that. I thought 3.25 and lower were all 9

Have plenty of J code Shelby buildsheets if that is what you are referring to- just wanted to keep from mixing up the two until stillboardin the  checks his car to see which (for sure) rearend he has

Actually I was referring to others. I probably have 20-30 T and C code NJ build sheets

[stillboardin]

Looks like a 8 inch.

[stillboardin]

Here is the tag from the carrier.

The date code is consistent with the build date.

[J_Speegle]

Yes that is an 8" with 300 open gears

On the buildsheets those are coming up - (for the driveline)

Medium Blue, Lavender, White

[Sunlitgold68]

This is the driveshaft Pete Morgan was referring to. Restored by Pete... this is my original 1968 C code driveshaft.