Topic: 1968 driveshaft stripes - J code 4 speed with 8" rearend

[ruppstang]

I am restoring a 1968 SJ Jcode driveshaft with a 8-inch rear axle and a 4spd trans built 04/19/68.

After removing it out of the Evaporust I found it to have a dark green stripe then a light color that I am not sure of then a white stripe. Near the rear of the shaft there were two yellow stripes close together.

The ends were painted with red oxide and also had hand painted pink on the ears on both ends. That is something I have not seen before.

Can someone help me with the color of the middle stripe?

[J_Speegle]

I am restoring a 1968 SJ J code driveshaft with a 8-inch rear axle and a 4spd trans built 04/49/68.

After removing it out of the Evaporust I found it to have a dark green stripe then a light color that I am not sure of then a white stripe. Near the rear of the shaft there were two yellow stripes close together.

So you only found two identification stripes? If so sounds like the guy assigned to mark them on that group of drivelines messed up on that batch. Just confirming so we can understand where we're starting from 

Will look through my pictures and build sheet collection to see what I can offer

[ruppstang]

So you only found two identification stripes? If so sounds like the guy assigned to mark them on that group of drivelines messed up on that batch. Just confirming so we can understand where we're starting from 

Will look through my pictures and build sheet collection to see what I can offer

No, it had a middle stripe, but the paint is mostly gone. It looked to be white or another very light color. I just want to be sure.

[J_Speegle]

Believe that the rear yellow stripes are not related to the identification stripes.

Looking at build sheets and what they listed to identify the drivelines installed on the line I found the following. Not sure if C and J codes with 8" rearends are were the same but for automatics they share the same driveline so makes sense that Ford did the same for 4 speeds. 9' applications we know are different 


C code 4 and 3 speed with 8" rearends  - LAV DGRN LGN - Lavender - Dark Green - Light Green

J Code automatic with 8" rearends - LBL DRN YEL - Light Blue - Dark Green - Yellow

Looking at the pictures I've collected and people have shared I don't see any that have been identified as for J or C code manual transmission with the 8" rearend. Sorry


Just to share

C & J code automatic with 8" rearends  - DGRN LAV WHT - Dark Green - Lavender - White

J code (GT) with 4 speed and 9" rearends - AZUR LAV RED - Blue - Lavender - Red

[67gtasanjose]

I cannot offer help on the I.D. stripes but I was under the belief that the automatic cars had a tube-in-tube style driveshaft and the manual 4-speed cars had the solid tube driveshafts. (maybe a 9" rear end observation?).

Does the MPC help out here, has anyone looked at the MPC yet?

[ruppstang]

The middle stripe could have been lavender, but was not an automatic?

[J_Speegle]

The middle stripe could have been lavender, but was not an automatic?

Thanks for the picture

Wonder if it could have the driveline could have been damaged and swapped out some where in its life and someone just installed driveline out of another 68


Looking back at your first post might want to correct the cars build date 

[ruppstang]

Thanks for the picture

Wonder if it could have the driveline could have been damaged and swapped out some where in its life and someone just installed driveline out of another 68


Looking back at your first post might want to correct the cars build date 

Fixed that.

The stripes look like the automatic for an 8 inch you listed above. As Richard pointed out a drive shaft for an 8-inch automatic would have been a tube in a tube. This is a solid shaft. These details really do not matter on this car as it will be a drive, but I just like things to be correct.

[J_Speegle]

May not matter this moment to you but its likely on this site that the subject will come up again. Odd/interesting so far. Wonder if, when your car was built if they changed the identifying stripes on the 4 speed small block for cars with the 8". They would not likely use the same colors as another application so it leaves us wondering and searching for more examples and information

[ruppstang]

A bit off topic but our two 68 GT350s have the same one-piece driveshaft with 1330 U joints. One car is an automatic and the other is a 4spd. I wonder if that would be the same on GT Mustangs with a 9inch axel.

[67gtasanjose]

Since the driveshafts interchange (tube-in-tube fits solid shaft and visa-versa), did Ford decide to use the solid shaft design for both manual and automatic cars, let's say after the inventory on hand ran out, Post Strike?

[ruppstang]

Richard you could be correct, Ford may have decided to not use the tube in tube design on all J codes with 8- and 9-inch axels. That may explain the color match to the automatic shaft Jeff posted. Hopefully someone with a manual transmission non-GT J code will come alone and confirm this. 

[dave6768]

I have a GT J code with 9" and 3 speed I can look at if anyone is interested.  July NJ car.

[J_Speegle]

I have a GT J code with 9" and 3 speed I can look at if anyone is interested.  July NJ car.

Thanks but might distract readers from the threads focus. If you find anything I welcome you to start a new thread on that specific subject