67-72 driveshaft question newb looking for some help!

[jrperformance]

Who out there has put a short shaft turbo 350 in place of a straight six, 3 speed in a shortbed? It looks like the driveshaft is going to have to be lengthened bout 3 1/2 inches. Does this sound about right? Anyone use a driveshaft out of something else?

[jooooooe]

hey, I can't believe no one has jumped in and answered you yet, I'm not sure what you could substitute, but you can always have a new driveshaft made. I answered your post so it will go back to the top again and maybe someone can give you some better help on this.

[jrperformance]

Who would be a good driveline shop to get it lengthened?....We dont have any good machine shops around here....

[BarryB]

I could be wrong but I thought the trans were the same length. It wasn't in a truck but I put a 4 spd trans in place of a short tail shaft 350 in my Nova. I used the same driveshaft in my car.
On the other hand you can't and isn't recommended. to lengthen a drive shaft for strength issues. You would be better off to go to a drive line shop and have one made. If you can't find one in a bone yard. Get some measurements and go hunting for one. I have done this a couple of times. Usually get one for 30 to 50 bucks. In my Area.

[lilpup69chevy]

i have a 69 short stepside that was a factory 6cyl 3 spd truck but it was converted to v8 auto it has two driveshafts in the bed so i assume one will work for it but i'm thinking you can use the regular driveshaft for a shortshaft th350

[krue]

Shouldn't be too hard to find a ds. Once I get the TH400 in my truck I'll have one laying around. Try a classified ad.

[jooooooe]

Hey, I've used Moser several times in the past (for axles) always been happy, they make driveshafts also, moserengineering.com

[Palf70Step]

I was told the 3 speed and the short shaft T350 are the same length. If you can't best bet is to find a local hop to mod your's aor custom make and balance a new one. I have a long shaft T350 and a V-8 in the 6 position and the driveshaft that came from teh original 6 is longer than the one I am currently using. I have not measured them, so I can verify the distnace of the two. Supposedly the front tranny yoke on the shaft is the same for the two trannies.

[jooooooe]

the only thing I know for sure, is the 200R4 and the 3 speed manual are the same length but the splines are different, so I had to get new yoke, so keep that in mind also. I once ruined a tail shaft because I force a yoke on when it didn't want to go....DOOOOOH!#*

[chevydog66]

Try www.fortwayneclutch.com or Dennys driveshafts. I live in Fort Wayne, In. and I had them make a new driveshaft for my 66 Chevelle, and also rebuilt the shaft in my 72 GMC truck.

[jooooooe]

cdog, use to transport trailers for Jayco in Middlebury, would pass through Ft. Wayne every week on my way up...or down or whichever direction I was headed, I normally went up hwy 33.

[chevydog66]

Originally Posted by jooooooe

cdog, use to transport trailers for Jayco in Middlebury, would pass through Ft. Wayne every week on my way up...or down or whichever direction I was headed, I normally went up hwy 33.

Ya, 2 lane hwy33, it sucks until you get on I69.

[jrperformance]

I know that a turbo 350 and the 3 speed are the same length but I guess the problem happened when I put the v-8 frame stands in it move the engine forward about 3 inches...I think if i would of used a long tailshaft it would of been perfect since a longshaft is 9 inches and a shortshaft is only 6

[ghetto_superman]

ive got a TH350 with the short shaft connected to a 350 in the rearward engine mount position, one peice DS, and a 12 bolt rearend.. and the measurement from the centers of the two u-joints is 55.5 inches. and thats giving the yoke about an inch and a half until it bottoms out in the tailshaft of the tranny.<BR>
just look in the yellow pages for driveshafts or whatever and generally those shops will have a huge supply of old shafts laying around that are still perfectly good that can be shortened to your length, and maybe even one thats just the right length.. just make sure you get the same type of ujoints as you had before, as there are a few different types.

[ghetto_superman]

my truck is a short box by the way..

[shifty]

That sounds about right to me. The T56 is a couple inches longer than any automatic tranny IIRC, and when i swapped from my inline6/3spd to the LS1 (SBC) and T56 6spd, the driveshaft was a perfect fit between the two at a 3/5 stance, and will fit at stock height with about an inch and a half of yoke on the tail shaft.