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True Slap floor shifter detent plates


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I've recently gotten patent pending status (a first for me) for a new automatic slap shifter detent plate design for our original horseshoe shifters. I'd like to find out if anyone is interested in them before I talk to a local company that will lazer cut them for me. I have a few to sell now, that I've made by hand. I was making one that allows the user to just slap the shifter for a positive 1-2 shift, and then squeeze the handle and shove forward for a positive 2-3 shift. It's different than other aftermarket plates. 

Most recently, I was able to design another detent plate that lets you simply  slap the handle for both positive upshifts, without having to squeeze the handle at all. I'm calling this one the True Slap Detent Plate, unless someone can suggest a better name, since no squeezing is needed for either shift, and you have no worries about going into neutral or reverse with the original style valve body and shift patterns. I have a design for the original 3 speed automatics (TH350s and 400s), the overdrives, and also the 3 speeds and overdrives with reverse manual valve bodies. 

I've shifted about 250 times now with my TH400 in my car and it hasn't missed 1 shift. Due to the bad weather, my car hasn't been out since last October, so up until Sunday all testing was with the car in the garage. I was finally able to get it out and drive it Sunday a little. I shifted it about 10 times and loved the way it works. 

Please let me know if you may be interested. I'm not asking for commitments. I just need an idea how this will go.  I'll also soon be asking on other forums and on Facebook. 

There are detent plates available from Shiftworks that are designed by the owner of Thomson Performance, but all of them require squeezing the handle for one of the upshifts. They sell for roughly $85 to $100, plus shipping.

My True Slap detent plates will be priced competitively, but I won't know for sure how much until I find out manufacturing costs.

I'll see about posting a video soon.

Thanks!

Dan 

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Hey Dan! 

Congratulations on your patent pending!!! That's phenomenal! I will be testing your new design heavily! I think your name is spot on!

As you know, start mentioning the plate on the Chevelle and Camaro sites. I know they will be interested in the plate! 

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Tom

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Congratulations nice to see innovation still happening. I probably at some point will try one out. Do you think that it can be stamped out. have 2 dies made and use one and keep the other on yourshelf.

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Dan,

That is great!!!  Good luck on this and I hope it will be a successful venture and make you enough to buy many Monte's

rob

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Thanks guys.

Tom, your plate will ship out tomorrow. Thank you!

imr, I'm considering a die to press them out, but I haven't had time to get prices from anyone. 

Rob, I'm not getting my hopes up much on becoming a millionaire. As you know, these plates only fit a very small percentage of collector cars, and many that had these shifters have switched to aftermarket shifters, or 4 speed manual transmissions.

dblsprt68, thanks for the reply. 

I bought a reproduction shifter and it's slightly different from the original, even though it's suppose to be the same. The pivot point of the shifter handle on the reproduction shifter is slightly forward of the original pivot point. Thanks to Joe Holman for loaning me an original shifter for my testing. I've been able to make the plates work with both shifters.

For those replying to this, please tell me which transmission you have and if you have an original horseshoe shifter, or one of the reproduction ones.

Dan

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  • 2 weeks later...

I made a True Slap TS4 plate for an overdrive transmission and a friend with a Chevelle let me use his car and stock looking (but not stock) detent plate to get the measurements for the location of the detents. A man in Miami called me today with a great question. He said he's been on the freeway a few times when he had someone pull up beside him and want to race. He asked if my TS4 plate will let him make a positive downshift from OD to 3rd. That wasn't the intent of my original design, but it just so happens that with the design of the the stop I already have, it'll work great that way. He said he wants to be able to jerk the shifter out of OD and into 3rd, without slipping into 2nd, or even 1st, when he gets a challenge on the freeway. It'll work great in that way, with only a slight change to the plate and I made that change today. 

I've made some YouTube videos. If interested, search for DPJ Fabricating.

Dan

 

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Thanks!  I've ordered the first one to be laser cut. I should have it in a couple weeks or less, I think. I'll test it and go from there. I don't know how close it'll be to a working part, until I get one. If needed, I'll have them change the computer file to loosen or tighten the clearances until it is right.

Dan

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  • 5 weeks later...

Update:  My first mass run of the TS3 plates are scheduled for production in 4 days. I only had to make a small change after getting the first proof sample cut. The laser cutting process is very accurate and the first part that was made matched my drawing very well. I'll be getting a proof sample of each of the other part numbers at the same time, and I'll test them before ordering more of those. 

My new company name is DPJ Fabricating, LLC and the part number and company name will be laser etched on the parts.  The email address is dpjfabts3@gmail.com. I still need to check into getting a website for the company.

I'll post a new thread when the plates are available. Thanks for the interest and support.

Dan

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Hey Dan I bought one of your original ones. Is there much difference between the two of them? I haven't installed it because my Monte is still in project mode.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Bump again. I've recently sent one of these to Switzerland, and another to Sweden. That's great that guys that far away appreciate our cars. 

Dan

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These would make great Christmas presents. You may want to tell family and friends about them. 

I have plenty available. 

$90, plus $5 shipping to the 48 states. All others pay actual shipping costs via USPS. 

Dan 

dpjfabts3@gmail.com

Cell # 573-248-1389

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