PseudoSport Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Looking for a driveshaft from a 1970 - early 1971 240z so I can swap a 240sx transmission into my car. It should be about 21" from the centers of the u-joints. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsonian Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 If you can't find one used, they can be ordered from MSA, not cheap, but new and fresh. I got one from there a few months back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zip Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I have some 240Z driveshafts. One came from a 1970 240Z. Will it be shorter than the other ones (all are 240Z) or does it have different flanges. They are currently for sale in the parts section. I can get you a picture if you'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PseudoSport Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 (edited) -Nelsonian I’m putting together a Grassroots challenge car so I’m trying to do this a cheap as possible. Normally I’d just spend the money on a new shaft but there is no room in my budget. At least I know MSA is an option if I can't find someone local to custom build one. -240zip From what I’ve been reading the 1970 driveshaft should be shorter. If you could take a picture and a quick measurement from the center of the u-joints that would be very helpful. This is all I have to go by for now. Edited September 7, 2012 by PseudoSport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 (edited) There's something not quite right with that picture, or there's three different drive shaft options. I have what I think is an early 240Z drive shaft, from an early 71 with the diff mounted 35 mm forward and a 4 speed, and it measures 21 1/8" from cap center to cap center. But total length of mine, as shown in your picture, is 744 mm not 700. [Edit - I screwed up on a conversion here. Mine is really 720 mm (28 3/8"). Still not 700. I also have a spare 1976 280Z shaft that measures 22 1/4" cap center to cap center and 755 mm total length. At the time I got the 240Z shaft I was sure I knew what I was doing, but maybe there's an even shorter shaft out there on the early 240Zs. My two shafts look just like those in the picture, (notice the neck down on the dust shield on the later shaft), but my short shaft is not 700 mm long. I did the math on the 240Z shaft that I have and it should work with the 240SX bell housing swap, although you lose a little safety margin from bottoming out the output shaft. Just adding to the confusion... Just found this post from another site. At least one other person thinks that ~28 1/4" (from his picture) is the short 240Z shaft. 700 mm is ~27 1/2". http://community.ratsun.net/topic/40872-71-240z-drivelinedriveshaft-original/ Maybe 700 mm is a really rough rounding down. Edited September 11, 2012 by NewZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PseudoSport Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 Hmm, if the short shaft is 21 1/8" from the u-joint centers with an other all length of 744mm (29.29 inches) and the longer shaft is 22 1/4" from the centers with an over all length of 755mm (29.7244 inches) the different in length is only 11mm (.4331) Shouldn’t the over all length be shorter by abot 35mm (1.378 inches) which the diff moved forward? Also if there is 1 1/8 inch difference from the u-joint centers how is the shaft only less then ½†longer? Is there also a difference in the flange or pinion length? I’m more just thinking out loud. The 28 1/4 shaft sounds like what I’m looking for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinpieces Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Got one here in New Jersey, come get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zip Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 give me a day to find and measure and photograph what I have ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 (edited) I think that I also found that the 240Z shaft had a deeper hole for the output shaft. Assuming that the output shaft end is the critical point on the transmission, then that gives an effectively shorter drive shaft than the external dimension, for the transmission swap purpose. Still wondering about the 700 mm shaft. Edit - Went out and measured what matters in the swap, how much extra room the 240Z shaft gives you. I stuck both shafts on to a spare 4 speed ( I can't use them on the 71C trans. because they still have the dust shields attached) let them bottom out and measured from the diff flange surface to the same point on the transmission for both. The 240Z shaft, ~28 1/4" long, gives an extra 1.5" of room for the longer 71C transmission, assuming that it bottoms out in the same place as the 4 speed. So you lose 1/2" of safety margin, over having the original shaft shortened by 2". Edited September 8, 2012 by NewZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsonian Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I need a day or so to dig out of storage, measure and photograph, but will get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PseudoSport Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 I think that I also found that the 240Z shaft had a deeper hole for the output shaft. Assuming that the output shaft end is the critical point on the transmission, then that gives an effectively shorter drive shaft than the external dimension, for the transmission swap purpose. Still wondering about the 700 mm shaft. Edit - Went out and measured what matters in the swap, how much extra room the 240Z shaft gives you. I stuck both shafts on to a spare 4 speed ( I can't use them on the 71C trans. because they still have the dust shields attached) let them bottom out and measured from the diff flange surface to the same point on the transmission for both. The 240Z shaft, ~28 1/4" long, gives an extra 1.5" of room for the longer 71C transmission, assuming that it bottoms out in the same place as the 4 speed. So you lose 1/2" of safety margin, over having the original shaft shortened by 2". So does that 240z shaft (744mm/29.29 inches) you have with the deeper yoke give me the same 1.5†of extra room I need like the 28 ¼†or are you saying I need the shorter shaft? Also thank you for taking the time to measure everything. This has been extremely helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280Z-75 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) Just FYI,I did the swap, and if you have an R200 instead of an R180 the 70-71 shaft will have to be modified anyway. The hole spacing is different from what I experienced. I ended up just shortening my own 280zx turbo shaft. $135 in the bay area. I heard other areas might be cheaper. Edited September 11, 2012 by 280Z-75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 That would be another mystery drive shaft then. I just went out and bolted my ~28 1/4" (actually 28 3/8") 1971 240Z drive shaft that gives 1.5" more room for the transmission on to a 1983 R200 and it fit perfectly, including the raised center portion in to the recess on the diff flange. Weird. I also found that mine is not 744 mm, it's 720. Edited my other post. As I said, adding to the confusion. Looks to me like the desirable short ones are 720 mm (28 3/8") tip-to-tip and give an extra 1.5" of room. Fit perfectly on an R200. The 700 mm is probably just a rough tape measure eyeball or ball-park conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 That's my picture of the two driveshafts, taken from my SX swap guide. It could be 720mm (wish you guys would stick with metric, since that what the car was designed in. All these fractions are giving me a headache ). The angle of the u-joints can affect the length measurement and I don't recall how precise I was trying to be when I took that measurement. The spare shaft that I have is at my parent's place, and I'm heading there in a week and a half. I'll measure it again if I remember. BTW, some R200's (from Z31's?) have a round input shaft flange with a wider hole pattern. But the flange can be swapped for one that will mate to a Z driveshaft. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Just FYI,I did the swap, and if you have an R200 instead of an R180 the 70-71 shaft will have to be modified anyway. The hole spacing is different from what I experienced. I ended up just shortening my own 280zx turbo shaft. $135 in the bay area. I heard other areas might be cheaper. Just realized that you have a 1975 280Z, which has the odd flange on the R200. I think that it's the bolt size that is different and/or the pattern. Maybe that's why the 240Z drive shaft wouldn't fit your R200. Although the 280Zx shaft shouldn't fit either, unless you put the 75 tail end on it. Still weird. Nigel, thanks for the reply on the 240Z shaft issue. I hate to cause confusion but the measurements are the only way to verify what's what after they've been pulled off of the cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Just realized that you have a 1975 280Z, which has the odd flange on the R200. I think that it's the bolt size that is different and/or the pattern. Maybe that's why the 240Z drive shaft wouldn't fit your R200. Although the 280Zx shaft shouldn't fit either, unless you put the 75 tail end on it. Still weird. He used a 280ZX TURBO drive shaft, which mates with the larger flanged R200. Apparently '75 280Z's, 280ZX Turbos and Z31's have the larger R200 flange. I learned something new... Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 A similar thought was in the back of my mind, I thought that I had read that the 75 flange matched the Z31 flange. But I didn't think that the 280ZX (S130) turbo cars had a different flange on the R200 than the NA 280ZX's. The FSM shows a different drive shaft part number for the turbo cars, but I thought that it was for length for the FS5R90A transmission, not the flange. Another twist. Still, his post is specific to 1975 and 280ZX turbo R200s, watch out for those. Thanks for clarifying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PseudoSport Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 So I guess I’m looking for a driveshaft that’s 28 1/4" - 28 3/8†long. Let me know if you have one and are willing to ship it to zip code 02339. Thanks -Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman0690 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I've got exactly what you're looking for. I can' drop it in the mail tomorrow. Shoot me a PM. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsonian Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Sorry for the delayed response. I measured mine and it looks very much like the aforementioned 28 3/8". I can see how it would be easy to misread the over all dimension with both ends being flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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