whats the best way to install a driveshaft loop on my 69mach1 without drilling up the floors anybody, is there one that bolts on or do i have to drill holes.
Some of the Mustang parts suppliers sell one that bolt onto the bottom of the car using the seat belt bolts. It is a reproductin of a Shelby piece. It is not the kind that will pass tech at the dragstrip but it will keep your driveshaft in the car for the most part. The best part is it requires no drilling. You can simply put nuts and washers on the existing seatbelt bolts to secure it and you are done.
I got one of the Summit brand 'generic' driveshaft loops. It installed very easily, I didn't have to drill all the way through the floors. I got one of those weird angled wrenches for adjusting the timing on those crazy chevy engines with the distributor in the back. Anyways, it's an odd shaped wrench that just happened to fit in the big holes underneath the car that are for the ratchet to get the nuts off the seat frame bolts, they might have rubber over them. Anyways, I installed the driveshaft loop within 6" of the front driveshaft joint, according to NHRA specs by drilling mounting holes for the. I only had to drill holes into the lower section of the floor pans, not all the way up and into the carpet.
I have a Shelby type that uses the seat belt bolts and it actually survived a driveshaft failure at the track. Real simple installation. Did a good job when the shaft let loose!
I have always wondered just how strong those were. I considered at full speed that it could very well destroy the tunnel and loop at the same time. I have one I ordered and then set aside after I looked at the design. Guess I will be reconsidering.
HistoricMustang said:
I have a Shelby type that uses the seat belt bolts and it actually survived a driveshaft failure at the track. Real simple installation. Did a good job when the shaft let loose!
I have a Shelby type that uses the seat belt bolts and it actually survived a driveshaft failure at the track. Real simple installation. Did a good job when the shaft let loose!
If you are planning to drag race you cannot use the Shelby drive shaft loop. It does not meet the NHRA size and location requirements. I ended up using a generic drive shaft loop from Summit that was NHRA approved. I bolted it to the floor pan but with a twist. I used the same "blind" tube nuts that are used to hold outside mirrors on, but these are made out of steel. It was easy to install with only one wrench and if I ever get rid of the driveshaft loop I can plug the holes with a bolt.
In my failure the shaft actually twisted in half (have seen this happen a couple of times). The front half came out of the tranny and went flying. The rear portion stayed in and went round and round and did infact do some tunnel damage.
I made some brackets up that bolted to the seat bolts, then the loop bolted to that.
its hard to explain but i got some round stock cut 4peaces about 2-3", weled 1/4 steel over one end of them, drilled a hole in that piece. I bolted them to the seat bolts, then cut a piece of 1/4 flat stock that fit between each of thoes, welded them in place and then bolted the loop to that. Did that make sense at all?
hey thanks guys for the infro thinking if i do race my car i'll have to put on a legal one so im going to get one from summit and see what i can do, thanks again.