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Quote:

ORIGINAL: 73shark

Never saw a "driveshaft catcher" strap on mine and got new from factory. Agree that it would be a good idea. Always wondered when I'd see a car on the shoulder with the rear end of the drive shaft on the ground, what would have happened if it had been the front one. Yikes! [:o]

The driveshaft "LOOP" is not only good for keeping the driveshaft from hitting the ground when a U-joint breaks, but also to keep the driveshaft from flying around (hitting the floor-board or other areas underneath) from letting go at a high RPM.
When they let go in the front, there's room for further damage, to the rearend and rear suspension when not having a loop. I've had a driveshaft cut a hole in my floorboard when it let go, and that was in a '62 model when floorboards were alittle thicker. Even "scatter shields" are a good idea when having a standard trans. in your car, if the engine has some guts.Clutches and pressure plates are like bombs when they fly apart at high RPM. Scatter shields were mandatory for standard transmissions under NHRA rules, and probably still are. (Back when four speeds were happening and ran faster than automatics. LOL Only afew years ago.)