Half Shaft Mystery

[FNG90-195]

I finally got the car home the other day, and have been busy cleaning it up. It's not licensed yet, but it should be in the next couple of weeks. The car is a 1990, #195. It is a Canadian car, 78,000km (about 46,000 miles), and appears to be all original with the exception of JWL A-Molds from 1994/95. Based on what I've read on the forum, 2 indicators of an early car were the glass headlights, and steel half shafts. I have glass headlights, but the half shaft are definately aluminum (checked them with a magnet to make sure).

I have no idea of the history of the car. It has been through half a dozen owners over the years, and I bought it through a shop that had it in for repairs. The shop owner dealt with the previous owner, and he was not too happy about the price he let it go for, so I have been hesitant to contact him.

So, after this rambling intro, my question is : is there a chance these alum. half shafts were intalled at the factory on such an early car, or have they been replaced? It seems very strange that they would be replaced with such low mileage. I found the following part numbers on stickers on the shafts: right side 14041925 - AR8??3, left side 14041925 - AR5033.

Any theories or comments from the all knowing would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

[Kevin]

Mark,
For some reason the number 165 is stuck in my head as the change over for half shafts. enjoy the car

[tccrab]

A mystery indeed.
According to this thread, somewhere in the the 600's is supposed to be where they switched over.
http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1293
Perhaps because it was an export car they held up production on it until after the 600's? Maybe there was some kind of delay getting the ZR1's certified for international deliveries and those cars were held back until after the switch over.
I'm just guessing.:dontknow:

Regardless, Welcome to the Brotherhood of The Beast.
:mrgreen::mrgreen:

TomC
"Crabs"

[DaveK]

Nice to see another Canadian owner on here! Welcome to the madhouse :)

[vandornjim]

Any theories or comments from the all knowing would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

Mark
The rumors at the time were the first 200 cars built were going to be heavily srutinized by the press so the steel shafts were installed to be more stout just in case. If this car was an export model, that may not have applied.
Hope this helps.

[tccrab]

Mark
The rumors at the time were the first 200 cars built were going to be heavily srutinized by the press so the steel shafts were installed to be more stout just in case. If this car was an export model, that may not have applied.
Hope this helps.

This would make sense, but why then would #566 & #605 have them too?

TomC
"Crabs"

[vandornjim]

This would make sense, but why then would #566 & #605 have them too?

TomC
"Crabs"

They were available for a time from parts. I think I have a set upstairs. Maybe they were replaced on later cars too?

[FU]

I think I have a set upstairs.

You have enough stuff upstairs to build more cars than the Corvette Factory.

[FNG90-195]

Thanks guys! I'll keep poking around and see what else I can dig up. I do know that the car was delivered to Courtesy Chev/Olds in Toronto and registered to them on Nov. 16, 1989. Anyone know when the first 1990s for sale actually came off the line?

The car remained in their name for two and a half years, so I'm not sure if that means it was leased out, or if someone at the dealership used it during that time. I didn't get any records with the car, so I've been in touch with the NCM to get a build sheet. If I find out anything else, I'll let you know.

Mark

[phrogs]

Im going to guess that someone along the line took out the steel halfshafts and installed aluminum.

My 90 #354 had steel half shafts.

it was around #600 they dropped the half shafts from what I recall.

[ZR1Vette]

1990 #622 was the switch over from steel to aluminum. Maybe prior owner switched from steel to aluminum (some have done that for "weight savings" and looks (no rust)

[Scrrem]

I have 1990 #608 and mine are steel.

Rich

Mark,
For some reason the number 165 is stuck in my head as the change over for half shafts. enjoy the car

[WVZR-1]

my question is : is there a chance these alum. half shafts were intalled at the factory on such an early car, or have they been replaced? It seems very strange that they would be replaced with such low mileage. I found the following part numbers on stickers on the shafts: right side 14041925 - AR8??3, left side 14041925 - AR5033.

The part # is/was a "production" shaft used for very early C4's. It has "service/replacement" applications in early parts catalogs for '84 MY only. I would have guessed the AR5033 to be a date code and my thought would have been '85 33'd day of year. The AR8??3 though would seem to disprove that. It's I believe though very safe to assume they're "replacements" and not '90 MY production parts.

Here's a thought for you! The car left on a "test drive" with the "steel" and returned with the "aluminum"!! More difficult "swaps" have been accomplished!!

[WB9MCW]

FNG90-195 Congrats and welcome to the Zoo.

[FNG90-195]

I appreciate everyone's input. The test drive/swap theory has got me thinking. So now my question is, are the aluminun half shafts I have now, that are from an early C-4, strong enough to stand a beating from a ZR-1? And if someone had an earlier C-4 with these aluminum shafts in it, would there be any reason for them to prefer the steel half shafts?

Also, anyone out there have a set of used steel half shafts for sale? If there are some around, what kind of $ do they usually sell for?

Won't sleep well tonight thinking about this one. All opinions welcome and appreciated.

Mark

[tccrab]

Jim VanDorn said in post #7 that he might have a set upstairs at his Pirate Lair.
Drop him an email, see if he's interested in parting with them.

TomC
"Crabs"

[FNG90-195]

Thanks Tom. I'll give Jim a shout.

Mark