Hi All: I'm restoring my driveshaft for a 71' Stg 1 car. Auto. Paint stripes are long gone and can't tell or remember what they were. How do I know what the colors are ? Thanks for your help. Ken
One green and one yellow. Stripes are 1/2" wide. Assmebly manual never says how wide gap in middle is but looks same width in diagram. I guess they were hand painted so they were whatever they were.
Click on link to my page, shows factory driveshaft stripes (barely visible on shot of original)....not 1/2" wide and certainly not spaced like assembly manual so as you say lots of room for interpetation. This was a 72 but drawings are the same. http://members.shaw.ca/orangecrush/driveline.html
Tim, That is crazy. A foot apart? I bet the guy putting them on did whatever he wanted even though assembly says at halfway point. Mine was too rusty to see remnants.
Actually if you read what it says "paint color bands approx .50 wide for identification approx midway between welds" that is pretty vague (the welds are are what, 50" apart???LOL) The only stripes I've ever seen real close together are on restored cars, a 71 GS 455 I had years ago also had the stripes a foot apart at least, no pics of that one though so can't prove it. I've got my original 350 driveshaft and another 455 driveshaft here as well, maybe I'll clean them up and see if I can find the stripes on them. They are usually gone though...ad I'm on shift so will be a couple days...
When I pulled my drive shaft this is what I found on the stripes. I also found that Testers enamel matched my stripe colors. Hope this helps.
I've seen them dozens of different ways through the years. Different widths, different spacing, different locations. These stripes were likely applied by the operator who balanced the shaft at the factory. Do you think they cared what the assembly manual said? It all depends on the person putting the stripes on that particular day, and possibly their mood at the time. Most of us want to put the cars back exactly the way the came from the factory but in some cases it may not be acceptable in the concours class if it deviates too far from what the assembly manual shows. I suggest you contact Duane before putting the stripes back on and ask what would be acceptable.
did the coloured code stripes indicate motor (size & hp) and transmission? where would one find the colour codes definitions?
The color codes are transmission specific for different years. They are in the assembly manual. I think 72 was the same as 71 if you look at what Tim showed. If you had Turbo 400 then you would have 1 green and 1 yellow. But do not take that as gospel. Check yoy 72 assembly manual.......................The guy who made my drive shaft in 71 made my stripes 1/2" apart. That's my story and I am stickiing to it.:TU: :TU: :TU:
Also the colors indicated length. Turbo 350 would have different colors as it is probably a longer shaft.
Gerry, do you have a manual? I could tell you the 71 colors but that does not mean they are correct for 72.
1 yellow, 1 black. Email sent. The colors just made it easy for the assembly guys to pick the right driveshaft, thats all.
how about a barber pole stripe on the drivesjhaft red white an blue. that would be bad azz and a cam that displays in the car so you can see it when you are starting out from the stop sign.. after that it jus turns into a purple blur.. haha im in a wierd mood tonight. im sick, bad sore throat from hell, dizzy, chills.. just trying to entertain myself dont mind me..
Found some time this morning so cleaned up my GS 350 driveshaft. As you can see I found the stripes and once again they are spread out quite a bit. 1 yellow, 1 black as per 72 assembly manual for GS 350 auto cars. Flint built 72 GS, Sept 1971. Tape measure starts at center of the u-joint cup towards the front (tranny). If you look close you can see in the middle of the yellow stripe there was a drip, its still quite thick...LOL I'll see if I can get the other 72 GS 455 to show its stripes as well.
This is the other 1972 GS 455 auto driveshaft. Fremont built, Oct 71. These ones are about 6" apart, measurement from center of front u-joint cup. I had to spray it with alcohol for the picture as it brings the stripes out, they are very faint on this one. It appears the front stripes are all about 20-21" from the front u-joint cup on all the driveshafts I have, the rest depends on the guy doing it. Notice also on this one how narrow the yellow stripe is. I'm done
Just as an update to all this, I found something odd in the 71 assy manual...if you compare the two years, 1971 uses a 350 auto driveshaft with 1 purple stripe...the 1 yellow and 1 black stripe driveshaft (with matching p/n's to the 72 version) was used on 3 speed manual cars. In 72 the 1 yellow and 1 black driveshaft was used on the 3speed manual AND the 350 auto cars. What changed? The specs for all 3 of the driveshafts are the same (dimensions, angles, etc).
