This picture is a good example of what a west coast drive looks like.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/31597
This is my favorite picture of a west coast drive. It's a nice simple view of it, and there is no manipulator attached, so it's easy to see what's going on. It's pretty self explanatory how it works from the picture, but it's basically a custom 2-speed gearbox, 2x1 aluminum frame rails, live axles (I believe they're hex), and the middle wheel is driven direct from the output of the gearbox and is dropped (probably 1/8 inch). overall it's a really nice representation of a west coast drive.