My 55,000 origional miles 1963 Buick Skylark 2 door hardtop, 215 HI 11:1 comp 4 bbl aluminum V8 will end up getting parted out if I can't find a darn driveshaft for it!!!! I have been daily driving this car all summer, and the CV joint that connects the two driveshafts wore out to the point of serious vibration. The car runs and drives like brand new, but NOBODY, and I MEAN NOOOOBBOOOODDY in the united states has the rare one piece CV/slip yoke/carrier bearing to rebuild this shaft. Apparently, this is the only vehicle to use this poor design, it has been obsolete from Spicer for 30 years. If anyone has or know where I might be able to find a 60-63 Buick Special, Skylark, Olds F-85, etc... Driveshaft, or if someone has a lead on an NOS one of these assymblys I would be forever endebted to you. I have called 20 different driveshaft shops, and they all laugh when I tell them what I need. Making a new driveshaft without the CV is $600 and "might vibrate, or it might not" acording to the DS shops. I have a hard time spending $600 to possible be back to an undrivable vibrating car. Thanks so much Matt
Absolutely! I will go home and take some pics of it tonight, I will also get tube measurements. thanks! Matt
I think I have 5 of those driveshafts in the barn at my Dads farm if you still need one. Also have you tried Kanter auto parts They seem to have or be able to get lots of obscure parts. 1-800-526-1096.
For info on a Bronco II CV implant go to Yahoo - Autos - Skylark616263 then under Messages go back to message #1380. Details and part numbers are listed. DougB
Yes I still need one! I took pictures last night, I am in the process of hosting them right now. How much do you want for a complete driveshaft? Are the u-joints in the CV and the slip yoke and carrier bearing still in good shape and tight?
you can host your pictures for free at www.photobucket.com, and i don't think you have to make 10 posts in order to link to off site pictures. could be wrong about that though. if you get hit by the 10 post limit thing just make replies to this thread with text of "bump bump" and it will fulfill your posting reqs.
Can you hurry with the pics?:laugh: I am not familiar with the '63 Buick, but I am having a hard time imagining how this could be so tough. I mean, it's a tube with a joint on either end, right? At any rate, it can't be worse than the Rube Goldberg setup in this thing...:rant:
X -------- X -O->XxXxX ------------- X The X's by themselves are U-joints, The O represents a carrier bearing, the -> stands for a slip joint and the XxXxX is a symbol for a CV joint. The dashed lines are shaft tubes. So, starting at the the transmission we have: A u-joint in a a yoke welded to the first driveshaft, then it goes through a carrier bearing and the driveshaft ends with a slip yoke which is integral to the CV joint. The other end of the CV joint is welded to the seccond driveshaft tube, which then ends with another U-joint that bolts to the pinion yoke on the differential. It is a relatively common arangement, its just that the CV/slip yoke and carrier bearing are almost never in one piece like that. Like I said, I could have a whole new design made up ($600) but sometimes when you change lengths, sizes and angles you can develop "shaft tremmor" on takeoff. Driveshafts are a little more complex than some people like to let on.
I have a REALLY nice drive shaft with good u-joints, carrier bearing, etc. There is no dirt, rust, or grease on it. The u- joints and bearing all feel smooth and free. The overall length is 71" with the slip yoke compressed. If that is the right length and you want it I'll sell it to you. I am gone all this weekend but I should have access to the internet. Thanks, Eric
I was a driveline engineer at the GM Desert Proving Ground for about 10 years; that's why I was having a hard time understanding what was making this so tough....:Smarty: If I understand your chart, you have a u joint at the trans (no slip there), a center bearing where the slip takes place and a u joint at the rear (no slip there, either). That's the same setup as an early big block/turbo 400 powered Chevy C/K/R/V pickup truck. Any junkyards near you with pickup trucks in them? It sounds like cost is prohibitive from you designing and making a new setup (right?). I always prefer a one piece shaft when possible; any opportunity to put a slip yoke in the trans and eliminate the center support, or do I understand that there is some sort of "tunnel" that the shaft passes through, that is not straight, that would prevent this?
heh. i had already cross posted your problem over here before you signed up on this board. XDC Motorsports says he's got a complete assembly over in my thread. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=138258 if it doesn't pan out with Eric, or if you'd like a backup drivetrain you might want to check out that guy.
Alright!! I finally got my poop in a pile and hosted pics of my driveshaft, so at least everybody can see why it is such a pain. Everyone on here has been so helpfull!!!! I still don't have a driveshaft, but now I have exact dimensions and pics so I can be sure that I buy the right one. Overall length from center of u-joint to center of u-joint is 70" with slip yoke colapsed. Short tube length from weld seam to weld seam is 24". Long tube length is 32.5" seam to seam. Thanks so much again for everyones help, what a nice group of folks on this forum. I'm sure I will have the driveshaft I need in no-time! :beers2: Matt
I have a driveshaft here that center to center with the slip yoke collapsed is 69.5 inches overall. The short tube is 25 inches weld seem to weld seem. The long tube is 31.5 inches weld seem to weld seem. This shaft is in excellent condition. Let me know if I can help. Thanks Eric
That sounds like it could be the same, are the u-joint caps exactly 1" in diameter? How much do you want for it? Thanks Matt
