Will BTJ ride again??

[ls7gto]

Had an old timer friend of mine stop by the house to look at the metal pretzel today. He looked it over for about 30 seconds and said that it failed because a cap came off. I was chatting with Travis and he mentioned seeing a cap strike the wall like a bullet on the driver's side of the car about a millisecond before the shit hit the fan.

In speaking with some GM engineer dudes who were around these cars back in the day, the shaft (unless fatally flawed somehow that we can't/didn't see) should not have failed at that speed. These cars were capable and tested to about 140mph by both GM and the Michigan State Police back in the day.

I am certainly not saying that a better drive shaft is a bad idea (car will be getting a nice one with the BBC slips in) but for the purposes of a 200hp engine making about 300 ft/lbs at the crank, a stocker should be OK.

As for U-joints, I dont recall replacing them, but looking at the pictures it looks like the injected plastic retainer is missing. Im pretty sure all I ever replaced is brake pads and oil !

[SuperBuickGuy]

If I can help save one drive shaft, this was all worth it.

no, not really but it's so cute how you're working to come up with a public service announcement

[TheSilverBuick]

If I can help save one drive shaft, this was all worth it.

More like moving it to the guillotine line

[Beagle]

Maybe you're right, but a giant old wrecker with an antique plate towing another shit heap behind it is bound to raise some law enforcement officer's attention high enough to cause me bad expensive problems. HA!

Less than you would think. They check the plates and the inspection sticker, and move on down the road. I had a POS Taurus *falling through* my trailer, dragging it back home with an "antique" for this area F150. Trooper checked the trailer tag, moved up next to me, checked the inspection and tag on the truck (all freshly current) and he moved on. I think everything involved was as old or older than him. If he had noticed the Taurus wheel sticking through the boards or the crossmember laying on the trailer cross member.... maybe another story.

350/350, I have one at my sisters house. Doesn't everyone? Stick it in there and go.

[Beagle]

Brian, I just read your Blog post on this. If you change the fluid in it, don't be real surprised if it won't work. Seriously. Every 100k trans I've ever done that with failed immediately. Jeff, Indyshiftman, said I had drained out all of the friction material. Seriously, instant crazy slippage.

If I remember correctly, Jeff did a 350 rebuild tech article on here. You may have to send the geeks off to find it in the backups. It'd be worth reposting if you can't find it. Good luck with the install, but I'd be ready with a plan B. Not to jinx it or anything, just sayin. You live a charmed life, you might get away with it!