Topic: 69 R code Automactic Drive shaft insight

[Drive Fast]

Is there a definitive resource for drive shaft stripes? Or does anyone know what colors go where?

Regretfully, I lost all my photos and notes to guide me. It?s a 69 Mach 1 R code with an automatic transmission built in San Jose in March.

I sent the driveshaft in for new CV joints and it came back fully painted black! I soaked in in oven cleaner and the paint came right off. What was left was rusty shaft and stripe ?residual?. I can tell where they were, but not what color. It looks like a stripe at 8?, 16?, 20?, and 24?. And possibly another stripe at 35?. Please see below and share any resources.

[J_Speegle]

Is there a definitive resource for drive shaft stripes? Or does anyone know what colors go where?

Standard starting point would be build sheets from other cars built and equipped like your car from the same production period.

These would have been the identification markings used to identify the drive lines from other ones by the workers as they assembled the cars. Additional stripes would have identified other problems, issues or processes and those are not as easy since those were not documented for each individual car. For those you look for examples instead that match your car.

So for a start and the basic paint parks - Light Blue - Dark Blue - Red
These were found on 428CJ automatic equipped cars built before and after your car was built and in this case all San Jose cars which is a tough ask. Not many buildsheets used or left on cars from that plant. Guessing and hoping you don't have a SCJ - you didn't mention it

The light blue stripe is almost white so very light blue. Yoke ends were orange BEFORE they were welded to the ends of the tube.  Looking at pictures of originals  If you haven't read the article on Driveline Restoration that might come in handy about now

Not sure were you are measuring and i have pictures of a red stripe (in addition to the ones above) approx 6" from the weld band at one end. Like you they didn't share which end they were measuring from   Looking at the pictures it appears that that owner started measuring from the same end as you because the measurements seem to be close. Its a possibility. Their 6 is you 8 - their 16 is your 16? - their 18 1/2 is your 20 and their 22 is your 24. In that order (the 16 - 20 - 22) the colors would applied in the order listed above.

WOuld be helpful if you let me know which end you were measuring from

You would likely benefit from reading the article on Paint Mark Basics in the Library section of the site

Hope this helps

[K-HESS]

A friend of mine has a San Jose built 1969 Mach1 428CJ C6 automatic that was built on January 9th 1969. His car is original unrestored and has the original striping on the shaft with the colors from front to back as very light blue, red, brighter blue and green.

[J_Speegle]

A friend of mine has a San Jose built 1969 Mach1 428CJ C6 automatic that was built on January 9th 1969. His car is original unrestored and has the original striping on the shaft with the colors from front to back as very light blue, red, brighter blue and green.

Guy applying the stripes to the tube at that factory (not San Jose) must have been dyslexic or just screwed up that one. Not unusual to find the combination back wards or such Sure this sort of this caused some comments on the assembly line but the workers adjusted to it. What else was there to do

[Drive Fast]

Thanks for the feedback. I?ve seen a few restoration tutorials and will continue working in that direction.

My measurements were from the slip yolk end, starting at the yolk weld line.

Do you treat the metal with anything to prevent future rust such as clear coat?

[carlite65]

no clear coatings. use boeshield t-9.

[Bob Gaines]

I know that many C6 R code 69/70 Mustang driveshafts have a contoured shape . They neck down from a larger diameter center section at the U joints. Jack at Dead Nuts on is not able to make them at this time. I am not sure what constitutes the different driveshaft usage straight vs contoured for 69/70. I know it took me forever to find a correct contoured one for my car.

[RoyceP]

Back in the pre - internet days of the early 1990's this question was raised when we were looking at several Cougar GT-E's that were for sale. We determined then that the contoured drive shafts seemed to have been introduced around the same time as the 428CJ went into production - maybe late February 1968.


What was interesting to us at the time was that the painted stripes on the shafts were the same before the change was made as they were after the change. We only looked at 1968 W and R code Cougars, but since then we have been exposed to examples from 1969 model year with the 428 CJ that also have the drive shaft necked down to 3" diameter at each end while the majority of the tube is 4" diameter.


In the case of Lincoln / Mercury drive shafts the Master Parts Catalog lists the application and the color codes of the ID stripes. I would be surprised if the same were not true of the Ford MPC.

I know that many C6 R code 69/70 Mustang driveshafts have a contoured shape . They neck down from a larger diameter center section at the U joints. Jack at Dead Nuts on is not able to make them at this time. I am not sure what constitutes the different driveshaft usage straight vs contoured for 69/70. I know it took me forever to find a correct contoured one for my car.

[J_Speegle]

Do you treat the metal with anything to prevent future rust such as clear coat?

Yes a protective micro film oil or coating. Not clear as it often yellows with time and allows rust to creep under it at times and makes repair a pain where if rust starts again with a oil/wax coating the fix is much easier IMHO and experience