• Welcome to the CaliforniaSpecial.com forums! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all our site features, please take a moment to join our community! It's fast, simple and absolutely free.

    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

    Please Note: If you are an existing member and your password no longer works, click here to reset it.

1968 Underside Scratch

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
While I was cleaning the underside of the C-code I noticed this scratch above the front U-joint. Unfortunately I don't know if I exposed the scratch or if it was there.

Any ideas what could cause that mark?
I can't think of any way the U-joint could rub there, unless it blew apart sometime in the past.
 

Attachments

  • Paint Mark.jpg
    Paint Mark.jpg
    174.8 KB · Views: 58

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
I think if the U-Joint blew apart, it would've beat up the metal. This is just a guess, but back in the late 70's/early 80's, there were aftermarket cruise control units that had magnets that mounted to the driveline with baling wire to create a field for a pickup coil. If it came loose, it would cause that kind of mark as it rotated around with the driveshaft. We won't talk about how I came to this theory just by looking at scratches on the bottom of your car. :grin:

Steve

PS. Are those two little screw holes, like you'd mount a bracket with, just to the right of the mark in the picture?
 

Ruppstang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
It looks like is is too far forward for a u joint failer. Out here in farm country one can find a piece of wire on the road that can get waped up on the drive shaft. It makes a lot of noise. Marty
 
OP
OP
Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
I think if the U-Joint blew apart, it would've beat up the metal. This is just a guess, but back in the late 70's/early 80's, there were aftermarket cruise control units that had magnets that mounted to the driveline with baling wire to create a field for a pickup coil. If it came loose, it would cause that kind of mark as it rotated around with the driveshaft. We won't talk about how I came to this theory just by looking at scratches on the bottom of your car. :grin:

Steve

PS. Are those two little screw holes, like you'd mount a bracket with, just to the right of the mark in the picture?

Steve,
I don't remember seeing any holes in that area. Probably just grease specs I missed. The camera flash shows everything!
 
OP
OP
Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
It looks like is is too far forward for a u joint failer. Out here in farm country one can find a piece of wire on the road that can get waped up on the drive shaft. It makes a lot of noise. Marty

I'll bet whatever caused this scrape sure made a lot of noise!!!
 

robert campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
I broke the front yoke in my brothers 1967 Camero. Made a similair dent/scratch in his tunnel. Angle of picture makes it hard to Tell the distance from the end of the tranny.

Made huge noise, and lucky for me the driveshaft was held up by the e-brake cable and did not drop down and jam into the pavement!! That would have really made a bad day!!

by the way, my cars needs some good underside cleaning! How much do you charge by the hour??

Rob
 
OP
OP
Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,011
As usual cleaning wasn't the primary goal.

It started off when I broke the brake idiot (pun intended) light sending unit on the distribution block so I removed the block to remove the broken plastic piece, but one of the lines wouldn't come off because someone in the past rounded off one of the line nuts, so I had to cut the hard line and of course it was the longest line on the car; the one to the rear brakes!

So the task then turned into replacing the brake line, which quickly turned into fighting with grease, oil, and road grime falling on my face. It was definitely time to get the putty knife, degreaser, and the paper towels, but I'm glad I did because I found out that the red oxide underside on this car is absolutely beautiful, except for that nasty scratch!!!

As seems to be my SOP a simple 10 minute switch replacement turned into a two week adventure.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets sidetracked like this.
 

robert campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
Arlie,
Trust me you are not!! Every ten minute fix I undertake seems to turn into a 4 hour ordeal!!!

by the way, both my cars have great red oxide on them...... Under the grease....

Rob
 

Ruppstang

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
3,032
I remember when I was a kid on a trip to the city we were waiting for a light and a car passing by lost the front u joint. The drive shaft caught on the pavement and knocked the whole rear axel out of the car. My brother and I thought it was realy cool!
 
Top