Goat Shafted
The drive shaft on the modern GTO is a known weak link, and when any modifications are made to the power output, it is a good idea to upgrade it. The last time we checked in with this particular GTO, you'll remember we released some extra power from the 6 liter V8 by opening up the exhaust system. The suspension was already tweaked with some better bushings all around, so we tackled the driveline here.
The stock drive shaft is two peices, only 2 inches in diameter, and mounted via rubber mounts. All this adds up to a weak link between the transimssion and the ground. The two piece design and rubber couplings also cause tremendous wheel hop during aggressive launches. The customer chose an all aluminum, solid mount, drive shaft from BMR Fabrication. Here you can see the difference between the OEM unit (top) and the BMR piece (bottom):
This new driveshaft should be capable to handle up to 900 hp.
The install had issues with some of the parts not fitting properly and requiring re-machining. Also, when the rear bushings were installed (and may I add, not by us) the bolts were grossly over-torqued. Despite these issues, the end result is good, and the customer will now be able to use all of the car's power without fear or destroying the driveshaft or having to deal with excessive wheel hop.
