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/...ead.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.

Regardless, Welcome to the Brotherhood of The Beast.


TomC
"Crabs"

[DaveK]

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

[vandornjim]

Originally Posted by FNG90-195

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]

Originally Posted by vandornjim

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]

Originally Posted by tccrab

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]

Originally Posted by vandornjim

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.