[V8COOPMAN]

The earlier driveshafts (without the bearing) were actually built-up utilizing a long piece of tubing of a rather substantial diameter, not un-like the basic idea behind current-day drive shafts. When you rotate a piece of tubing at the speeds that driveshafts normally turn, the very physical make-up of tubing resists any kind of bowing or "whipping" in the center of the span. On the other hand, Henry decided that it would be cool (probably 'cuz they're easier to manufacture) to start making the driveshafts out of one solid piece of machined steel shaft material. As long as those drive shafts (like the one in your '41) are, they can tend to whip in the middle at higher speeds if not supported in that bearing. Clear as mud, right? DD