moving drivetrain foward about 3" in 78 c-10 pickup

[randy78]

im looking at picking up a 78 bonanza c-10 pickup with a good running 76-older 350 4bbl engine in it but dead th350 trans
i have a 3L80HD from an 87 c-10 pickup but they are 34.5" long overall in which is 3" longer than a truck 9" tail TH350

i have no drive shaft that is the required 71" from the end of the tranny tail back to the axle yoke u joint in which is 3" less than the 74" that the sbc and 9" tail trannies had

we have no driveline shop in central IL that touches driveshafts and even if we did it would be way more $ to have one shortened than id be willing top spend on an old rusted out beater trailer hauling rig

does anyone know if there is at least 3" of space in front of the clutch type fan blades on these and the backside of the radiator ?

if i can modify my trans linkage with the welder then i should be able to do this easily since the engine mount frame brackets will slide forward on the frame rails without any trouble

the fan to radiator clearance is the only trouble i can see

im pretty sure that i still have a 94 ford taurus electric fan laying around though, if i really had to use it i could rig it in there i guess hmm


thanks

[rockwood84]

it would be easier to cut the drive shaft the three inches. cut the driveshaft close to either end front or rear. tack one side then roll driveshaft over tack the otherside and so forth till you have four tacks.roll the driveshaft on good level flat surface and make sure it is even all the way around then get someone who can weld and weld it . most people cut the driveshaft in the middle and that don't work.i've seen some use a square on the shaft to get it even.