I am the owner of a 1965 corvette convertible that I am trying to get back to being road worthy. I am getting closer. One of the last obsticles is getting the transmission and drive shaft situation figured out. The car has a four speed manual transmission. everything is in and mounted and seems to work correctly. I have a yolk with u-bolts and of course the u-bolts in the rear end. The problem is with the yolk pushed all the way in I can not get the drive shaft in place. It looks to me there should maybe be 1/2 inch more space between the two. I checked some drive shafts at a local corvette shop and mine seems to be the correct length. I don't believe I have the correct bell housing but I am not sure. The car was raced on a circle track before I got it and I don't know what has been changed. I can simply have the drive shaft shortened but that doesn't seem to be the correct thing to do. Can I come up with what these measurements should be? Can I verify the correct bell housing? Any help would be appreciated Thanks,
Brian

All midyears, regardless of engine or transmission, used the same driveshaft (29-7/8" center-to-center of the trunnions). What's the casting number on your tailhousing? Should be a 584 like the photo below. Bellhousing should be 3858403 or 3840383 - that number is cast into the passenger side, just forward of where the transmission bolts up to it. :thumbsup:

Thanks for the reply. It has taken me some time because I got married last month. It appears that my drive shaft is correct but that is where it ends. The bell housing is 389962, the transmission is 3851325, and the tail housing is 3846429. Hopefully you can tell me what this is and I can trade or just get what is correct and put it in.

Thanks for your help

The 1325 main case is correct for '63-'65, but the 429 tailhousing was only used in '63-'64 (left side speedo). It'll work fine functionally as is, but if you want it "correct" for '65, it needs a 584 tailhousing with the speedo on the right side. The 389962 bellhousing must be from a passenger car or truck application - it was never used in a Corvette. 584 tailhousings and 403 bellhousings are plentiful - not rare or expensive. :thumbsup:

OK is the tail shaft something that is rare and someone would want to trade. I have a couple 427 parts including a radiator headers and apparently a tail shaft. The question still comes where my extra length comes in. Is it possible you have a measurement on how deep the bell housing should be or is the 427 tail shaft longer?

All Chevy passenger car and Corvette bellhousings are exactly the same depth, and all Muncie 4-speeds (regardless of tailhousing style, either 584 or 429) are the same overall length. If the driveshaft won't fit, I'd suspect either an oddball bellhousing or frame damage that has moved the engine mount horns on the frame rearward.

Thanks for all the information. Is there a measurement on where the engine mounts should be?

A commercial frame-straightening shop should have the frame drawing with the key dimensions.

:burnout: Check the shims on motor mount to frame .If they are facing bellhousing you may gain almost 1/2" if you move them to front of mount.

:burnout: Check the shims on motor mount to frame .If they are facing bellhousing you may gain almost 1/2" if you move them to front of mount.

There are no shims between the engine-side mount and the frame-side mount bracket on a midyear.

:cheers:

Try removing the loose U-joint cups from one or both ends of the shaft. This will give you more room. Work the shaft into place, then slip the cups in one at a time. then put the u-clamps on. Rich

I am the owner of a 1965 corvette convertible that I am trying to get back to being road worthy. I am getting closer. One of the last obsticles is getting the transmission and drive shaft situation figured out. The car has a four speed manual transmission. everything is in and mounted and seems to work correctly. I have a yolk with u-bolts and of course the u-bolts in the rear end. The problem is with the yolk pushed all the way in I can not get the drive shaft in place. It looks to me there should maybe be 1/2 inch more space between the two. I checked some drive shafts at a local corvette shop and mine seems to be the correct length. I don't believe I have the correct bell housing but I am not sure. The car was raced on a circle track before I got it and I don't know what has been changed. I can simply have the drive shaft shortened but that doesn't seem to be the correct thing to do. Can I come up with what these measurements should be? Can I verify the correct bell housing? Any help would be appreciated Thanks,
Brian

Brian:
I have just started using this forum, so I am not sure if you will get my answer. I have a "65" conv and three or four years ago Iinstalled an engine and transmission in it.

My memory is a bit hazy, but the drive shaft installation was no problem after installing the transmission. I don't believe your bell housing is the wrong size as then the transmission mounts would not line up correctly. Are you sure the universal joint is fully pushed into the drive shaft? Are you installing the drive shaft from the rear of the car towards the front?

Since my memory is hazy, I will take a look at my car and let you know if I remember anything else.

Wade

I first discovered this problem in 1970, with my '65. Sometimes it is tough to wiggle and jiggle everything until it falls into place. It eventually will. Try not to tear up the aluminum/fiberglass insulation doing it. My experience is that the shifter HAS TO be OFF before you do this. All the bellhousings, all the transmissions (sticks, anyway) are the same OAL. The put it in, someone got it out. You can too. Just not as easily as you might like. IT DOES NOT TAKE FORCE. From what I remember, you may have to get it real close (but not into) the companion flange on the differential.

I once saw a guy who spent a week sawing off the pilot bearing of his Muncie M21 4 speed from his El Camino because of this problem. Then he junked both the transmission (having destroyed the clutch gear) and the '68 El Camino. What a waste.

Take your time, it will go in, maybe a little tricky like a Chinese puzzle, but it WILL go in..