Slap stick in a-body console

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65wgn440

65wgn440

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Putting a slap stick out of a '70 Challenger in a '71 Valiant with a-body console. Wondering if anybody ever grafted the slap stick top plate onto an a-body console before. Looks like it would take quite a bit of work to do. Possibly having to weld slap stick plate into top console plate after major surgery.
 
This sounds interesting... I am curious to see if it can be done properly...
 
65wgn440 said:
Now you're gonna make me prove it can happen ! Gee, thanks !!!
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I'm sure it can be done, but getting it right may take some careful measuring and planning...

Positioning for one.... You have to get it in the proper position so you don't have to modify as much...
 
65wgn440 said:
Putting a slap stick out of a '70 Challenger in a '71 Valiant with a-body console. Wondering if anybody ever grafted the slap stick top plate onto an a-body console before. Looks like it would take quite a bit of work to do. Possibly having to weld slap stick plate into top console plate after major surgery.
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I know a steel warehouse that can cut custom designs into any metal... They may be able to make up a custom plate that you can bolt in and not have to weld to another plate to make it fit... They laser cut sheet metal... I'm sure it would cost some $$$$, but they can do various different metals in various thicknesses as needed....

Just copy the mounting for the e-body onto the a-body layout...

As I said, make sure that you can then use the linkages to get it to work in the trans...
 
I put an e-body slapstick and console in my 74 duster over 35 years ago. I hated that big, heavy, out-dated looking a-body console. It looked so much better, and worked so much better.
 
This is a column to floor conversion also, so I have some leeway as I haven't welded shifter/console brackets to floor yet. I will make linkages when time comes. I have an excellent welding shop right down the street from mine, but thinking even some small tacks might harm woodgrain surface. There is a small lip on one side of shifter plate (unfortunately not on both) that would locate the plate to console top nicely, just have to deal with other side, then. Epoxy may have to do.
 
65wgn440 said:
This is a column to floor conversion also, so I have some leeway as I haven't welded shifter/console brackets to floor yet. I will make linkages when time comes. I have an excellent welding shop right down the street from mine, but thinking even some small tacks might harm woodgrain surface. There is a small lip on one side of shifter plate (unfortunately not on both) that would locate the plate to console top nicely, just have to deal with other side, then. Epoxy may have to do.
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That makes it tougher but worth doing. I had 2 73 Challengers with Slap Sticks. They are absolutely the best automatic shifters made.
 
This is a LOW budget build on a 4dr Valiant for my 16 yr old son. Using the a-body console because I couldn't find the Challenger console I thought I had, but did find the a-body one.
 
Sell the A body console and just buy a B/E body console. Easy to find, usually more so than the A body console.
 
There was dozens of each at the Mopar Nats. Bare E body consoles go for around $100. The early A coffin consoles a little more.
 
If you need any measurements I have a 70 challenger that still has the brackets.
Getting ready over the winter to convert to 4-speed.
 
Has anyone done this yet. I am thinking of trying it but I need a slap stick shifter. Ball style. I believe it can be done if you know a good machinist. I just need a Ball style slap stick and I will do it.

I need to weld the brackets in the Duster for floor shift before I edge the car for assembly. This way I can paint the floor at the same time. So if I am ever going to do it its gonna be now. I believe the top plate has to be milled and the shifter rod shortened and modified for the front assembly.

I put one on the floor of a bench seat big block Dart in the past It worked Great. Would I do that again? No . It was what I had and no money for a aftermarket one.

But putting one in a A-body console would be different. I am sure it was done by someone with the right equipment and nothing to do but screw off all day. Once it is done and documented the rest get easier.
I can have my friend laser cut the plate and my son do the milling and tig weld the a-body handle on.

Now let me see who would have a old shifter no car to use it in and may need something from me someday. Oh yeah. I might know someone. His name starts with a "J" and ends with a "M" One thing for sure "I" will never give up the the other letter.
 
I ended up wussing out ( the car ended up taking longer than I planned and kid was anxious to have a ride), and just put slap stick in with standard shifter top plate. Works good though.
 
I want to see if you can convert the a body shifter to slap stick. Using the a body handle. The only thing that would take some engineering would be linkage geometry. Any one have a ball style/70 shifter that is not that nice they want to sell cheap. I only need the shifter mechanism. not anything else. Or I have parts to trade.
 
I've seen it done to a 70 Super Bee, which would have had the old style console.

Isn't the top plate pot metal?

Can you weld to that?

Agree on price.

Repro B/E consoles have made used ones cheap.

$100 is about right.

A body consoles are in the $250-$350 range.
 
1994redram said:
What does the slap stick shifter do?
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if you have never used one, they work really slick, kind of like a ratchet shifter. Very positive, not vague and nebulous- feeling like the regular a-body floor shifter for automatic. When ratcheting up thru shifts from manually-selected 1st or 2nd, you can't run past "D" and hit neutral by accident.
 
Whoever did the resto on mine years back put a B&M racchet shifter in when they added console. Since it is a cable shifter, it looks like any easy swap.

752D936C-1FEB-4C72-B7D4-E270C34EF6A1.jpeg
 
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