driveshaft length
 

hello,

i am new here and will post a couple pictures of my 71 truck tonight.

anywas the truck is a '71 long wheelbase fleetside with a straight 6 and 3 speed manual on the floor. it has a two-piece driveshaft and all stock suspension.

i am collecting parts for a motor and tranny swap. i am putting in a 69' marine block 350 with steel crank, flat top pistons, chevy bow tie phase II heads, performer rpm cam, and an edelbrock tunnel ram with 2 450 holleys. all msd ignition. the transmission is an ATI manual reverse TH-350 freshened up with TCI parts. also running an ATI 3500 stall converter.

anyways my question is concerning the 2 piece stock driveshaft. will it be too long or short for the 350/Th350 combo, using stock motor/tranny mount locations? i am going to be shortening the bed and will buy a new driveshaft then. just dont want to spend the money twice.

the truck is my driver and cant have it down for more than a few of days.

appreciate any help,
carl

Re: driveshaft length
 

welcome to the site!

ill tell you what we have to tell everybody else. (sorry kinda blunt)
if you want it to be right the first time you have to measure from the tailshaft to center of carrier bearing on a 2 piece driveshaft.

a good driveshaft shop could have your shaft modified, freshened up, and ballanced in a few hours. take them both pieces and have them ballanced as an assembly.

take them your shaft, get engine and trans bolted in, call with measurement, they do the work while you button up the swap, no extra downtime at all.

Re: driveshaft length
 

measuring tools r great things to use

Re: driveshaft length
 

thanks,

that will work for me.


a couple more questions. is the trans crossmember the same? and are there any brackets that change when putting the 350 in? or do i just need motor mounts?


appreciate the help.
carl

Re: driveshaft length
 

you will need a auto trans cross member and mount...the worivetedrst pat is getting the old crossmember out...

Re: driveshaft length
 

Will an auto tranny crossmember for a 4x4 truck work in a 2wd?

Re: driveshaft length
 

if you're going to all the work of changing crossmembers and all, why are you going to leave it in the stock location? You might as well get the small block towers and move it forward, otherwise you will have to find a 4wd shroud or go with an e-fan. you will also have to modify where the crossmember mounts to the frame. I used the I-6 stands/location on my truck but the engine is all I changed so it was easier that way. If you move it forward you could also prolly find a used driveline in a junkyard to use until you chop the bed. Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck on the build and where are the pictures of it!

Re: driveshaft length
 

if you leave the v8 in the i6 motor mount stand lovations youll most likely be going thru hei distributer caps like crazy, (it will be snug inside the fire wall) you really should get v8 motor mount towers and scoot the engine foward and get the proper 2wd tranny crossmember (if your truck is 2wd that is) Also you didnt mention is the tranny is a short shaft or long shaft t350.

Re: driveshaft length
 

I found out selling my 2wd crossmember that they are 2 different crossmembers