Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Boyd · 07-29-2010, 04:39 PM

I'm in the middle of an engine swap...the new engine is in, it's all the little things that are killing me. Another issue came up last night.

The new engine came with a th350 short tail transmission, so the drive shaft is now about 5 inches short. I stopped by a drive shaft shop on the way home and they said it would be $300 to build a new shaft. Surely there is something out there that will work. Does anyone know which drive shafts will work in our trucks with a short tail th350 trans?

I may just head to the junk yard to find one, but where do I measure from to get the correct length?

The truck is a swb '72, btw. Thanks.

cdowns · 07-29-2010, 04:54 PM

you measure the space you need to fill then take tapemeasure with you to junkyard and get one that fits

Longhorn Man · 07-29-2010, 06:02 PM

looking at your location... I'm not sure if you have a lot of these trucks in your junk yards or not... not sure if "over yonder" is in the rust belt or not, but these trucks came with short shaft trannys, so it shouldn't be too hard to locate something. A SWB, with a smalll block in the correct location, with a coil rear, would take a one piece shaft 4 ft 10 inches long.

Boyd · 07-29-2010, 06:12 PM

I'm in Texas.

I didn't realize 67-72s came with short tail automatics. That means I must have placed the engine towers in the wrong frame holes (forward holes) because the drive shaft is not even close to meeting up with the trans. I wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference.

mrh33916 · 07-29-2010, 08:20 PM

If you don't have many to choose from or can't find the perfect length get one that's too long and have it cut down (much cheaper to have done)

red69ss · 07-29-2010, 09:04 PM

what trans was in it before? someone likely did what your doing now in the past. as in they put a long tail shaft trans in and found a diff. driveshaft or shortened the one they had.... jmo

Boyd · 07-29-2010, 09:12 PM

The truck had an inline 6 and a 3spd man on the column, I'm assuming it was original to the truck. Hmmm....

I'll take a few pics and post them up.

Boyd · 07-29-2010, 09:34 PM

Ok, engine towers are in forward holes. (The only way I could have installed them in the rear holes was if I drilled new holes in the crossmember, but I didn't want to do that.)

Plenty of space between HEI and firewall.

Drive shaft installed in rear saddle.

But still short by several inches?

ed2552 · 07-29-2010, 09:43 PM

That HEI shouldn't be that far from the firewall. It should be less than an inch, and a royal b***h to get the cap off, lol.

red69ss · 07-29-2010, 10:43 PM

possibly was the original engine then, the forward 2 holes are for v8 ,it will work in the rear 2 holes but those were originally for 6 cyl .and dist will be tight to firewall . It doesn't look like moving it back will gain you enough for the driveshaft to work anyway . the 6 cyl was positioned in the front holes?

07-29-2010, 04:39 PM	#1
Boyd Resident Lurker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Forney, TX Posts: 205	Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) I'm in the middle of an engine swap...the new engine is in, it's all the little things that are killing me. Another issue came up last night. The new engine came with a th350 short tail transmission, so the drive shaft is now about 5 inches short. I stopped by a drive shaft shop on the way home and they said it would be $300 to build a new shaft. Surely there is something out there that will work. Does anyone know which drive shafts will work in our trucks with a short tail th350 trans? I may just head to the junk yard to find one, but where do I measure from to get the correct length? The truck is a swb '72, btw. Thanks. __________________ The Rotten Mule: '72 Chevy Short Step Project- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=417252 "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats."- H.L. Mencken

07-29-2010, 04:54 PM	#2
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) you measure the space you need to fill then take tapemeasure with you to junkyard and get one that fits __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

07-29-2010, 06:02 PM	#3
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) looking at your location... I'm not sure if you have a lot of these trucks in your junk yards or not... not sure if "over yonder" is in the rust belt or not, but these trucks came with short shaft trannys, so it shouldn't be too hard to locate something. A SWB, with a smalll block in the correct location, with a coil rear, would take a one piece shaft 4 ft 10 inches long.

07-29-2010, 06:12 PM	#4
Boyd Resident Lurker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Forney, TX Posts: 205	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) I'm in Texas. I didn't realize 67-72s came with short tail automatics. That means I must have placed the engine towers in the wrong frame holes (forward holes) because the drive shaft is not even close to meeting up with the trans. I wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference. __________________ The Rotten Mule: '72 Chevy Short Step Project- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=417252 "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats."- H.L. Mencken

07-29-2010, 08:20 PM	#5
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) If you don't have many to choose from or can't find the perfect length get one that's too long and have it cut down (much cheaper to have done) __________________ 67 C-10 SWB Fleetside 454 (current project) 99 Crewcab SWB Dually 454 75 Datsun 280ZZ430 94 Formula 232LS 454

07-29-2010, 09:04 PM	#6
red69ss Burnouts are therapeutic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: lancaster, south carolina Posts: 852	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) what trans was in it before? someone likely did what your doing now in the past. as in they put a long tail shaft trans in and found a diff. driveshaft or shortened the one they had.... jmo __________________ 1969 CHEVELLE SS 1972 C10 ALMOST DAILY DRIVER 1968 C10 RUSTBUCKET (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE) 1972 PONTIAC LEMANS CONVERTIBLE (WIFE'S CAR) "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met." - Rodney Dangerfield "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Einstein

07-29-2010, 09:12 PM	#7
Boyd Resident Lurker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Forney, TX Posts: 205	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) The truck had an inline 6 and a 3spd man on the column, I'm assuming it was original to the truck. Hmmm.... I'll take a few pics and post them up. __________________ The Rotten Mule: '72 Chevy Short Step Project- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=417252 "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats."- H.L. Mencken

07-29-2010, 09:34 PM	#8
Boyd Resident Lurker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Forney, TX Posts: 205	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) Ok, engine towers are in forward holes. (The only way I could have installed them in the rear holes was if I drilled new holes in the crossmember, but I didn't want to do that.) Plenty of space between HEI and firewall. Drive shaft installed in rear saddle. But still short by several inches? __________________ The Rotten Mule: '72 Chevy Short Step Project- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=417252 "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats."- H.L. Mencken

07-29-2010, 09:43 PM	#9
ed2552 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Charles City IA Posts: 1,626	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) That HEI shouldn't be that far from the firewall. It should be less than an inch, and a royal b***h to get the cap off, lol. __________________ '67 C20, Under the Knife!, LWB, Eaton HO-52, Rear Coil Springs 72' GMC C2500, 350, TH400(?), Dana 60 '67 K10 4-spd., 305, SM465, Dana 44, 12 Bolt, RUST! '65 C60 292, 4 spd, 2 spd Rearend, 15' Grain Box, MINT! 09 Yukon Denali 82k Miles 6.2L/6A

07-29-2010, 10:43 PM	#10
red69ss Burnouts are therapeutic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: lancaster, south carolina Posts: 852	Re: Drive Shaft Length (Short tail trans) possibly was the original engine then, the forward 2 holes are for v8 ,it will work in the rear 2 holes but those were originally for 6 cyl .and dist will be tight to firewall . It doesn't look like moving it back will gain you enough for the driveshaft to work anyway . the 6 cyl was positioned in the front holes? __________________ 1969 CHEVELLE SS 1972 C10 ALMOST DAILY DRIVER 1968 C10 RUSTBUCKET (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE) 1972 PONTIAC LEMANS CONVERTIBLE (WIFE'S CAR) "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met." - Rodney Dangerfield "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Einstein



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