Beretta Z28

[woody90gtz]

Do not...ever...use Driveshaft Shop. I got my Beretta axles from them and they have been nothing but trouble. Just a friendly word of advice. haha

[3X00-Modified]

I was thinking of using RCV to make my axle shafts but Shawn used them and they got the length wrong... Not sure if that was measuring issues or their f-up...

I may have to use them for just a custom axle shaft... Everything else in my setup is fine but I need a different diameter and spline count on the passenger side inside CV.

[jjanke]

hahaha good to know .........i will have to start doing some research......im sure a custom driveshaft is gonna cost $$$

[Rettax3]

I was thinking of using RCV to make my axle shafts but Shawn used them and they got the length wrong... Not sure if that was measuring issues or their f-up...

I may have to use them for just a custom axle shaft... Everything else in my setup is fine but I need a different diameter and spline count on the passenger side inside CV.

Not sure if I missed a post here or not, but what do you need a custom driveshaft for?

It seems like a local driveline shop would be your best bet -no shipping costs, no issues opening up the box to find that they sent you a shortened Beretta axle by mistake, etc. The ability to talk to a live person and inspect the work when you pick it up and pay for it is priceless. And even the reputable shops mentioned here can make mistakes, or hire a bad tech, you just don't know. But overall, what you are looking for is pretty straight forward and shouldn't be too pricey or too hard for any decent driveline shop to do.

Be sure to watch your pinion-angle though -you want just a few degrees to keep the U-joints moving and lubricated, but too much angle and you start losing power and risk driveline failure. I would go so far as to research the F-Bodies and find what pinion angle is specified...

[jjanke]

just need a "custom" lengthened drive shaft...... i stretched the wheel base of the Camaro chassis to align the wheels in the wheel wells of the beretta.......longer drive shaft but the angles and suspension geometry is un changed because it all moved back as a unit......

[ifixalot]

When I went with a BBC from a SBC in my 68 Camaro, I needed just an inch or so longer. I though a shop could make a bushing to lengthen the shaft but they said no, better to make new. The price they quoted wasn't so great. I would up finding a shop online that made a new shaft and with shipping was better than local. But being in the Chicago area, labor rates are high.

[Rettax3]

just need a "custom" lengthened drive shaft...... i stretched the wheel base of the Camaro chassis to align the wheels in the wheel wells of the beretta.......longer drive shaft but the angles and suspension geometry is un changed because it all moved back as a unit......

Sorry, I wasn't clear, I said 'driveshaft' not 'axle shaft' -I knew why you needed yours modded, I have been following your thread very closely (like, stepped-on-the-back-of-your-shoe close ). I meant that I didn't know what Jon's custom shaft was needed for.

I must say that I am surprised that the Beretta has a longer wheelbase than the F-body though...

[jjanke]

yeah .....off hand the beretta is like 103.5" and camaro is 101.5".....approx...........

[Rettax3]

A friend of mine just paid ~$350 for a new performance driveshaft for his '69 GTO, custom made for the car and built off of exact measurements for the adjustable control-arms, "hop-stop bars" (I haven't seen these yet but from his description of them they sound like actual ladder-bars to me) and station-wagon overload coil springs he has on his 12-bolt axle -his 400 big block Pontiac is cranking somewhere around 450-480 foot-pounds of torque, and this shaft is about 45% thicker than the stock one he has had in the car for decades with no real trouble. The company had him measure between U-joint centers, and they accommodate for the slip-yoke movement, suspension-travel, etc. I think that price included a new slip-yoke for his four-speed Muncie too... Just a basis for comparison for you...

[jjanke]

Sand blasted and painted POR15 on the rear sub frame. Next step is mating the rear sub to the body rails and finally having a rolling chassis !!!!!!!

[jjanke]

feel like i should have went satin on the frame like i did on the axle ........but my buds seemed to like the gloss........so its done......gloss black frame it is.......

[woody90gtz]

Rolling chassis FTW! I'm getting close too now.

[jjanke]

prob should have done this a while ago ....... but made an adjustable trammel bar gauge for measuring and mirroring points so I can make sure my rear subframe is as square as possible when welded to the body rails......I made it so it can adjust up to 11 feet in length if need be for checking those Long diagonals.....i gotta square this frame up and weld it already.........

[jjanke]

and thanks Woddy.......lets not celebrate just yet though!!!!!!

[jjanke]

Centered fromt wheels in front Welding table by extending some antennas ......and cut out some access holes to get ready to weld body rails to rear sub....... both parts are centered and sitting level...... I have been using the trammel gauge and the wheel base is set to 103.5" and have been checking diagonal points and found that frame is within 1/4" of square......so good enough to move forward and weld soon......