Drive shaft lengths vary both because Kiekhaefer did some strange things and because Wizards generally had a distinctive tower that was
taller than Mercury models. I bough a really nice drive shaft at
Suter Meet figuring I could use it on a Mercury I had under repair,
About an inch too long, It eventually was reunited with a Wizard.
I have several drive shafts that vary in length by less than an inch
and I know not why…Mr Kiekhaefer did things his way,
I took a couple night school classes in machining so I gave some thought to renewing the bushings in gear case that drive shaft and prop shaft ride in. It appeared to me that for the gears to mesh
properly their respective shafts would have to be in close alignment
which meant the bushings wold have to be in correct alignment
to each other. The only way I could see all that happening required
a device to hold the gear case while it was bored preferably on
a Bridgeport mill. You seem to have found a work around.
My solution to this sort of issue has been to use parts off parts motors
I have measured drive shafts, the ground end is something like
0.495″ while the unground end is about 0.500″ If both ends will
fit thru gear case bushing I look for another gear case. Not many
outboards got enough use to wear out so parts motors usually
have good usable parts. In Michigan not much boating activity
from Labor day to Memorial day,
Louis
