Any seen one of these before, or know if it was factory?

[mopar56]

so I was at my favorite anual swap meet today, and I found this pistol grip shifter, it is fairly straight and tall, EXACTLY what I was looking for to put in my hot rodded 56 Dodge truck. It has a shift pattern for a 4x4 so obviously it was a transfer case shifter, but I gotta say, I've been working with Mopars for 45 years now and I've never seen one of these style pistol grip shifters do you think it was a factory option or something aftermarket? Either way I'm thrilled, it will match the wood grain in my interior nicely!

 

[1WildRT]

Someone created that... Not stock.... But damn cool...

 

[YY1]

They did a good job with the printing.

A hunch says "JC Whitney".

 

[mopar56]

There is actually part number 4340189 which could be a Chrysler part number?

 

[4spdragtop]

Google it, that's a # for a shifter but it's been modified.

 

[mopar56]

Your correct Steve, when you google the number the bottom part of the stick looks the same but the top part on the googled number looks like another stick for a threaded knob but the one I have is totally different at the top to except the grips, I don't know, but it is pretty cool.

 

[4spdragtop]

It is cool for sure! Nice snag!

 

[Darter6]

There once was a company called "Gunslinger". They made handle grips,caps and complete pistol grip sticks for manual and automatics. I believe they are no longer around.

 

[Demonracer]

Definitely after market grips, a friend put a pistol grip shifter in his 5 speed Dakota and got the grips on line.

 

[4spdragtop]

Brewers bought them I believe. Cool name and nice pieces, I had "plans" for one in the 69, but thankfully that's gone lol.

There once was a company called "Gunslinger". They made handle grips,caps and complete pistol grip sticks for manual and automatics. I believe they are no longer around.

 

[mopar56]

Yeah either way it's cool, kinda wish I seen the rest of the truck it came from, ha!

 

[67Dart273]

There's always been a "preference argument" between shift balls and ball sizes vs T handle, and of course pistol grips. I had a 70 440-6RR, second owner, and LOVED that grip. For some reason I liked it way better than T handles. On an aside, the original owner, who I met in Navy schools in 68, who at the time I was an E-2 and he was going to a more advanced school, been to sea, and was an E-5, ---I just talked with him on the phone the other day.

 

[mopar56]

I agree, definitely about preference, I never really cared for the "t" handle , I do like the ball, if you look closer in this photo you will see the "6" ball shifter, I selected it because the exterior of the truck is green but as you can see from the woodgrain on the dash and steering wheel, and it's in other areas of the interior the pistol grip,( even though it's plastic ) will look good, plus I had a truck before with the pistol grip shifter and it just feels right.

 

[Darter6]

I had one of these at one time.

 

[33IMP]

I agree with everybody else: it may be a factory stick, but the pistol grip is aftermarket.
I made a pistol grip (quickly, and badly, lol) from scrap aluminum for my ratchet shifter that needed just a little more height, and liked it so well I made another for a different car, with a line lock button built in.
I probably should have made em from wood (oak) but I just used what was laying around, and the aluminum would take my abuse better than a wood handle with a threaded insert.
(And in the old days, I used a knob and a t-handle on the Hurst in my 57 chevy, depending on my mood. If I'd had the skills and tool access back then, I might have done a pistol grip for that one too.)

 

[Swinger 340]

I agree with everybody else: it may be a factory stick, but the pistol grip is aftermarket.
I made a pistol grip (quickly, and badly, lol) from scrap aluminum for my ratchet shifter that needed just a little more height, and liked it so well I made another for a different car, with a line lock button built in.
I probably should have made em from wood (oak) but I just used what was laying around, and the aluminum would take my abuse better than a wood handle with a threaded insert.
(And in the old days, I used a knob and a t-handle on the Hurst in my 57 chevy, depending on my mood. If I'd had the skills and tool access back then, I might have done a pistol grip for that one too.)

My 69 Dart was bought, in 87' with a Hurst Tee handle. That was the first thing to go, I went with the stock ball. I have small handle, so the ball works better than the pistol grip for me.

 

[33IMP]

My 69 Dart was bought, in 87' with a Hurst Tee handle. That was the first thing to go, I went with the stock ball. I have small handle, so the ball works better than the pistol grip for me.

I still have a couple t-handles, I'm told one is quite rare (not sure I can believe that) and had an opportunity to use one on a couple,of stick cars I had a few years ago. I stuck with the knob on those too.

 

[mopar56]

A few of you thought it might be a factory stick with a aftermarket grip but if you look closley at the photos you will see the pistol grip and shifter are made specifically for each other, in other words there is no threads on the top of the stick to thread a handle o like a ball the top of the stick is flat with holes in it for the grips so while I agree it may not be mopar factory it may be a DC or Mopar performance part, maybe gunslinger as someone mentioned except it does have a Chrysler part number? Anyway it will probably remain a mystery?

 

[GTXperience]

There once was a company called "Gunslinger". They made handle grips,caps and complete pistol grip sticks for manual and automatics. I believe they are no longer around.

You read my mind (as I was going through this thread). I remember when he was first starting out and selling his shifters. I can’t remember if he was modifying OEM pieces part numbers on them or if he was completely fabing them up.

 

[67Dart273]

None of the short (E body) or long (B body) pistol grips I've seen were that "straight." If you search something like 70 Cuda pistol grip you'll see what I mean.

 

[mopar56]

I agree, it's definitely not from any car, because it's so straight, that's what attracted me to it, this was definitely built for the transfer case of a Dodge truck but will work perfectly for the 4spd on mine I see Brewers sells replacement top number plaques for about 15 bucks USD, unfortunately the freight and brokers will be more than the part however it's so small it would fit in a envelope, dose anyone know if they ship US post?

 

[Rug_Trucker]

There was a guy in Brazil(?) Domingo? He was paired with Scott Smith from Harms automotive for a while. He did polished stainless.