c4 driveline question, could not find another thread

[joscap69Ranger]

I am putting a 351w with a c4 in my 69 ranger that had a 360 w/c6.

What is the best way to get a driveline that would fit?

Salvage yards?

The salvage yard I called wanted to know the length, From what and to what do I measure?

Anyone have a c4 and would not mind measuring the length for me?

Trying to save as much money as possible. ( I still have to fix my wife's van )

Any and all help is appreciated and if I can help anyone on anything I will.

[GT-Racer]

I am putting a 351w with a c4 in my 69 ranger that had a 360 w/c6.

What is the best way to get a driveline that would fit? From what and to what do I measure?.

Do you mean drive shaft?
You normally would slide the drive shaft into the tranny til it bottoms out then pull it back out 1 1/2 " os so. Then measure from the center of u joint holes on yoke to center of same on rear end.

You need to allow a little room for suspension travel, thats why you pull it back out a lil bit before measuring.

[spartman]

Wonder if he means tail shaft length?

[joscap69Ranger]

sorry,

growing up in Tulare, CA, I have always heard and called the shaft from the transmission to the differencial the "driveline".

I have a 2 piece. Do I just replace the forward piece? And if so from what, and to what, do I measure?

[lobuck76]

Look at used ones real close. They tend to booger them up when they load the old trucks up on the rollbacks. Don't accept one that has any dings or scrapes on it. Little ding = big vibration. Measure like GT Racer said. If you're installing a car transmission it will be a little tougher to find something ready made. Aso shift linkage may be backwords. If the trans is out of a truck it shouldn't be too hard to find. Look at trucks up to '79 with smallblock and C/4. And yes you just need to replace the forward piece, seems like the splines are usually the same behind the carrier bearing. Might not hurt to check though.

[joscap69Ranger]

oh, I reread gt racers post, (about 5 times) and starting to get the picture....

Newbee at this stuff.

I am pulling the engine and tranny out of a T-bird (78), hope it goes as ell as pulling the 360 and c6 out of the truck.

A guy I work with (john Bollman) did a simular swap and he went to a FMX on a 351M from a c6 and when he hooked it up he was 3 inches short. So he used a chop saw and cut his driveline end off. Then he cut the shaft from the car giving himself about 3-4 inces over the old shaft. The shaft from the car was an exact slip fit over the trucks. He then welded it. Says he ran it for years and no vibration or thrown u-joints. Still in his 68 f100 custom. Was he lucky or just good?

Anyone else ever tried this? If so did it work?

[GT-Racer]

I'd say he was just lucky but maybe he knew what he was doing. My buddy had a new shaft made for his truck and he went one piece. Still only ran him about $90-100 bucks. Thats how you'd measure what I told you. I forgot about the possibility of a two piece drive shaft. But thats the same problem you will have, yours will be about 3 inches or so short. I just pulled a 390/c-6 combo and replaced it with a 351w/aod and it was 2-3 inches two short. Unfortunately after many attempts we could not get it to stretch out the extra distance. J/K LOL

Hope that helps.

Oh does the thunderbird have a 9 inch rear? You may just get REALLY lucky and the driveshaft from it might work but I doubt it. But save it as you will need the front yoke from it to fit your transmission.

[joscap69Ranger]

Got the t-bird home lastnight. Got under the t-bird today, turns out it has 14 bolt pattern, doesn't that make it a FMX?

[FORDification]