My Unexpected '66 SWB-Fleet-Restomod Project!

[Modges'66]

I have been working on a number of things lately, but haven't seemed to finish any of them....Except one!
My dad was sifting through all of the items that I received when I purchased my truck and found that I had a drive-shaft mixed in with various other parts...I had no idea that it was even mine, until he said "where did this come from?"
We then started inspecting it and noticed that it had all kinds of information written on it with a sharpy marker pertaining to how long it needed to be and where to cut it to make it the correct length.
None of which was written by he or I...
We started taking measurements of the U-joints and yokes, and found that everything looked like it would work, except the front slip-yoke was for a manual transmission.
We then started digging through my dad's stuff and found a front yoke for a 700R4 that would work with this driveshaft.
The following pics are my version of shortening a driveshaft.
I am not sure if this is the correct way to do this, but this is how I decided to attempt this feat.
First, I collected all of my own data as far as overall length from center of front U-joint to center of rear U-joint (I am glad that I did this, because the measurements that the PO came up with were about 3" too short!)
I then cut the driveshaft off leaving me enough to hold on to in the lathe to turn the front flange weld free....I wouldn't advise doing this in just ANY cut-off saw, but I know that the saw in my shop is adjusted to cut extremely square.



Next I chucked up the cut portion into the lathe to turn the existing weld off to reclaim the front flange.
I measured the wall thickness of the tubing prior, so that I knew just how deep to cut to remove the weld, but not reduce the flange diameter.



A pic of the flange with the tubing removed.



Next, I cut the remainder of the shaft to the correct length, squared-up the assembly end-to-end, and drove the flange on to the tube.
Note: My calculated length was derived from measuring the overall length at full-up postion, and full-down position of the suspension travel, then taking the shortest length and subtracting 3/8" for any axle wrap-up that may occur during a hard launch to avoid it ever going to solid into the tail-shaft of the transmission.



Then, I simply tig-welded it back together...I will be more worried about the factory end of this driveshaft failing than this end...



And finally, sand-blasted, painted, and installed!
Check this item off from the list of things to do!



Thanks for looking, and
Happy New-Year!!!