Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train Adapting a 1955 open drivetrain

Ok, it's always good protocol to answer your own question on the Internet I'm told...NOT!

Bolts were not that tight, easy to get the input shaft off...first a little quote from Lynyrd Synyrd...just to go along with the rancid organic oil smell...

Ooooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell
Ooooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

The answer is NO, you can't swap out the input shafts and I suspect why Dave Farwell told me to use the 26.

Here's the pic of each, side-by-side. You can see the bearing/race is completely different, the old 10 spline being a roller bearing and the newer GMC being a tapered roller bearing. I will be ordering a new 26 spline 21 tooth input shaft to replace the original.