Reply to "U-Joint Recommendations"

FWIW, aftermarket Spicer halfshafts take F-500 Ford heay duty truck u-joints. Stock halfshafts take even larger u-joints! Spicer halfshafts are usually alodined gold while unmolested stock halfshafts were aluminum- painted.
Two sure signs of a failing u-joint; a red 'Ring of Death' around the base of a u-joint cross when one runs a finger around the bottom of each leg. This is fine rust from disintegrating needle bearings inside the u-joint assembly. Second sign: a polished ring on one or more u-joint caps, visible from the outside through the openings in the yokes. When needle bearings first start to fail, periodic seizuresto the cap occur, spinning the cap in the u-joint yoke and producing a shiny ring. This is a very good reason NOT to run those pretty Logo- u-joint caps that cover this area!
You did get lucky. When a u-joint fails at speed, a broken inner will allow the halfshaft to separate and extend, then flail around like a 20-lb warclub. The end is 'magnetically' attracted to the ZF case and usually cracks it like a walnut. If it's the outer u-joint that snaps, the halfshaft separates, then reams out the hole through the inner fender panel and horse-shoe stamping.... which is also the mount for your rear suspension a-arm tabs. It pays to do a periodic 'walk-around' inspection of your high-performance Pantera now 'n then for brakes, suspension, drive axles and fuel lines.