69 half shaft marking

[kelly theaker]

the correct half shaft markings for a b/b should be? a green band around the shaft or 2 green slash marks?

[Dick W.]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

I think that correct would depend on the plant worker, whether it was morning or evening, Monday or Friday. I have seen both and various other styles of marking on original cars. I think that as long as it had an inspection mark, it was satisfactory at the plant.

[kelly theaker]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

could you please expand your reply to -various other styles of markings for big block cars . thanks

[Chuck S.]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

Hey, Dick...Did you ever see a green "smiley face" on a big block half-shaft?

Oh, that's right...The "smiley face" didn't come along until later (and a good thing too!) I can see the text in the TIM&JG now..."Some original documented big block cars have been observed with green "smiley faces" (some winking) near the spindle side universal joint. No point deducts should be made for the presence of such markings."

[Dick W.]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

Various other styles meaning green paint dabbed, swiped, brushed, or in some other fashion just to get it on the shaft. All inspection marks were not as visible and neat as we would like to think. Remember, this was done on a mass production assembly line. Most of the workers probably cared, but I am sure more than one or two just looked at it as just another day, another dollar.

[Dick W.]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

Chuck, I would not be suprised, amused maybe, at anything that we find. My favorite story is the new '57 or '58 Olds that had a bad rattle in the rear. Many trips to the shop. Finally the dealership started disassembling the interior. Found a soft drink bottle, hanging from a string, in the rear quarter panel.. Had a note in it "found me didn't you"

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 half shaft marking

kelly------

As far as the chassis goes, there really wasn't that much difference between big blocks and small blocks. The front springs, stabilizer bars, half shafts, and differential assemblies were different. The trailing arm assemblies and frames may have been different, but only with respect to the mounting provisions for the rear stabilizer bar.

The springs were identified by a color-coded tag with a broadcast code. Actually, there were several different springs used for both big block and small block applications. For 1969, there were only 3 different front stabilizer bars in the plant and I expect that these were identified by some sort of tag, broadcast code, or inspection mark so that assembly line personnel could install the right part. For the rear bar, there was only one in the plant and that was used for big blocks only. So, I expect that no identification was necessary. Frames were identified by part number.

For the half shafts, there was only one difference between big block and small block half-shafts. The big block were shot-peened and the small block were not. The green paint mark identified the shot-peened half shafts. All the assembly line worker needed to see was "some green" on the shafts to differentiate the small block variety from the big block. Assembly line identification was the ONLY reason for the green and, consequently, I'm fairly sure that there was no precise instructions given to the workers at the plant that produced these half-shafts with respect to precise application of the "green mark". What were the ones on your car originally like? The only way to know that is to have the original half-shafts with the original green marks still showing. Otherwise, the configuration of the particular marks on your half-shafts "belongs to the ages" and will never be known, for sure. Either to you OR any judge.