TSP 9.5" Street/Strip converters- Lifetime warrantee!

Discussion in 'Tri Shield Performance' started by Jim Weise, Feb 5, 2008.

  1. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Due to positive feedback from my converter customers on the board here, I have had a number of calls lately, and folks talking here about our 9.5" converters.. so here's the story..

    I have been working on this program with these converters for about 5 years now, and have come up with some great combos for our Buicks.




    These 9.5" converters were developed in customer and shop cars.. fit TH350 and TH 400 transmissions, and I get some very good prices on them, below wholesale, for these very high quality units.. they are built as well, or in some cases better than the "big name" companies. For a whole lot less money.. Of course everything is furnace brazed, full roller bearings, those of you who have worked with me in the past or seen my work, know that I have nothing to do with sub par quality parts.

    A whole bunch of users here run our STG 1 9.5". This is the converter that helped Alan Wander get his 4000 lbs 69 convert into the 11's. Do a search on the board, you will find his feedback on it. Our most popular fixed pitch converter.Wholesale on this converter is $527.14, our price is $465.00. Stall speed is 2500 to 4000 rpm, depending on your desires and combo.

    Several fellow board members have our STG 2 9.5" unit (stronger stator for 600+HP and or a heavy car.. Wholesale cost on that unit is $698.50, our cost is $606.00 Stall 3000 to 5500, to fit your needs.

    George Sweesy runs our Bulletproof STG 3 converter, in his 850+ HP tube chassis car, which has run numerous 1.20 60' times, which is really quick for a 3200 lbs car..This converter has all the strongest parts available, including a forged cover (back half of the converter that bolts to the flywheel).
    This unit wholesales for $985, our price is $889.00 Stall 4000 to 5500 to fit your combo. Trans Brake OK with this unit.

    The secret to a good Buick converter is understanding the torque of the engine.. and since we build and dyno dozens of SB and BB Buick's of all types, I can estimate your power accurately, and direct the build accordingly to fit your needs. From Stock, to Procharged, to dual tunnel ram strokers, we have built and dynoed them, and have the numbers on hand.


    All my converters can be sent back, and changed to any stall speed you wish, or changed from a STG 1 to STG 2 or 3, or simply re-stalled to fit your combo as it evolves. Cost is $125 labor, plus any parts you may wish to upgrade.

    As far as durability..

    Including the VP stuff, we have sold hundreds of converters over the last 9 years, and I have yet to ever have one fail.

    Not one

    So if you use one of my converters in the application that you originally bought it for, and it fails, I will repair/replace it.. for life at no charge.

    Thx

    JW

    2020 Update- IN the 12 years since this was originally written our program has evolved thru a couple vendors, and is now stronger than ever... All our converters now feature billet covers, with HD hardware, HD staors, and flanged hubs for a fraction of the price that other companies charge.. $629 plus $30 shipping gets you into a converter that retails north of 1K everywhere else. We have two upgrades available for the more serious high HP drag racers out there, but the top level converter is still under 1K..

    Why you ask?... 2 reasons..

    I am engine builder that also sells converters, so I don't have to make a living selling converters. Because I understand the unique attributes of the Buick engine, as well as being a lifelong buick enthusiast and drag racer, I am in a better position to sell you the right combo, than any other company who "also" provides converters for your Buick.

    The other reason is volume.. we have sold alot of these, and get a better than normal price on them from the vendor. I promised a certain level of sales during negotiations with the current vendor, an ambitious number at the time, that we have actually surpassed, due to how well these have been recieved.

    JW
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2020
  2. sailbrd

    sailbrd Well-Known Member

    Wish you did this for 200r4's.
     
  3. killrbuick66455

    killrbuick66455 Well-Known Member

    Hey Jim, I was wondering if you can change the amount of slippage of the convertor for better MPH,I feel that my convertor is to loose up on the top end but i get great 60 foot times. Im interested in a stage 2 3500 converter. it Also needs to handle a trans brake .
     
  4. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482


    Let me check, I bet I can..

    JW
     
  5. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Sure, no problem.. shoot me a PM with your specs, and your specific issues with your current converter..

    JW
     
  6. RG67BEAST

    RG67BEAST Platinum Level Contributor

    I've been in 2 cars with a 9.5 conv. of an other well respected brand. One with a 455 Pontiac (whoes tried all kinds of 10") and the other a 340 Mopar. The Pontiac stalls at 3600 and the mopar 3300. In both these cars you can't even tell there is a stall in them untill you nail it. Do these convertors work like that if used on the street if the convertor is set up for 3000-3500 stall?
    Ray
     
  7. pro tour gsx

    pro tour gsx pro tour gsx

    i have one of these converters from jw and its hard to tell theres a 3000 stall just driving around. but when you nail it man hold on. all that said im pleased
     
  8. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482


    Yes..

    I was skeptical of a 9.5" unit, when we first started on these, but Dick, the owner of the very large Converter re-manufacturer that does my stuff, talked me into one.

    In your typical 500 HP iron head GS, with 3.42 gears, I wouldn't have believed it was a 9.5" converter, except for the fact that I put it in.. They have no "slippery feel" under light load driving conditions.

    That's the beauty of the small converter.. You don't have to have aggressive fin angles, and big tip clearances to get them to stall.. the stall is very much of a function of the diameter of the converter. Also, the reduction in weight is incredible, our Stage 1 and 2 9.5" converters weight in at 27 lbs, easily 3 lbs lighter than the typical 10", and the stock 12" GM converter is 37lbs.. add much more fluid to the bigger converter, and it's just that much more of a difference.

    In fact, going back to the very first one we did, I had to take it out and have it loosened up.. that cured my concern for them being too loose or inefficient for street use.. After they changed the stator to re-stall the converter, it didn't really "feel" any different under normal driving. There was a slight difference, but it was an advantage, because it did a better job of soaking up the cam pulses (290-08H) at idle in gear. Very similar to one of my 12" VP converters, in high stall..



    JW
     
  9. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482


    Checked on that for you today.. Had to stop down to pick up a fellow board member's VP converter they had just finished up..

    Two different options or the 200R4

    2500-2700 stall lockup

    Got the run down on it:
    Based on the Stock D-5 GM 2000 stall 27 spline converter with the following mods.

    - Re-stalled to 2500-2700 rpm, behind the typical warmed over BBB.
    - Fully furnace brazed
    - Steel Turbine Hub
    - Carbon Metallic clutch lining
    - HD Damper spring assembly
    - Lifetime warrantee

    This would be the typical converter for most of you guys running around with a GS with the 200-4R.

    Cost: $329.00

    Beyond that, we can get you into a 27 Spline 10" unit, with a special Carbon fiber lockup clutch for more durablity if your doing full throttle lockup stuff (racing), and all the mods above. Those converters are custom built to your combo and stall speed requirements.

    Cost: $595.00


    JW
     
  10. 64 Hardtop

    64 Hardtop Founders Club Member

    Hi, I'm new to the scene. I need a new converter for my new engine build. Any help?
     
  11. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

  12. jarrett

    jarrett Well-Known Member

    Would one of your 9.5" converters work in my 5000LB 1970 4x4 behind a 690LB, 660HP 505BB chevy. I have had nothing but trouble with torque converters with this truck. I seem to blow through every converter under 12" that I try. I can stall A factory 12'' TH350 converter to 2800+ rpm but they are heavy, and don't multiply any torque, then they shell out. I spent 850.00 on a custom continental 11'' that was supposed to go 3200RPM. It launched good but I lost 5MPH, and .3 with it. When I hit 2nd @6000 the rpm only drops to 5500RPM:af: . My peak torque is @3900RPM. Im now running a 258mm pro yank SC converter rated for 1400HP. It locks up on top but will only flash 23-2500RPM. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to see what you thought. Thanks, J
     
  13. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482


    I would hate to tell you to throw out a $900 converter... have you talked to them, to see if they can change the stator to get a bit more stall out of it for you?

    JW
     
  14. Da Torquester.

    Da Torquester. Platinum Level Contributor

    Hi Jim, sorry if this might of been asked earlier, is one of these 9.5 in. converters available in a switch pitch application ? Right now I'm using a 12" J&W performance converter and I'm not really sure of it's reliability. Thank you, John Biggs.
     
  15. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    No John, it's a fixed pitch converter.

    If you have a 12" VP now, that's the core I need to build one of mine, and you won't break it..

    JW
     
  16. jarrett

    jarrett Well-Known Member

    He said they can raise the stall but the shift extention will go up. Right now with a 6000RPM shift point the RPM falls down to about 4500RPM which is just right, locks up really well on the top end. When I first had the converter built it flashed 3000-3200 but I would only drop to about 5000-5200RPM on the shift's, and wouldn't lock up on the top end. Thanks, J
     
  17. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    Hi Jim:

    I'm still running a factory GM switch pitch converter (12") with 4.33 gears at a race weight of 3885 lbs.
    With the DOT's, full exhaust and 91 octane pump gas the car has run a best of 10.96 @ 124.55 mph with a 1.57 60'. Its tough to try to compromise and keep it a dual purpose car with plenty of street driving. But I'd like to see what this combo is capable of. No dyno time so any hp/tq figures are merely a guess on my part. Would you mind looking over my combination if I email you the specs and see what might be available?
     
  18. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Dave,

    Glad to look it over for you, and I would say it's a sure be that if we reworked that 12" VP we could pick up some time for you. What's it stalling at now with the stock converter?

    email is jim@trishieldperf.com

    JW
     
  19. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Yup, that's the deal for sure.. I would be hesitant to say that I could improve dramatically over what you have. They have it set up pretty tight right now and I would have to say that if we cut your current converter, and took a look at it, we might be able to either improve that one, or build a new one for you, but I would be foolish to tell you I can send you something out of the box for this application and be confident it will be what your after.. really dependant on what exactly you have now..

    Be glad to give you a second opinion on it, if you wish.

    JW
     
  20. Gary Bohannon

    Gary Bohannon Well-Known Member

    Jim,

    My 67 runs mid 12's and 60' is 1.75 at best with a 3.42 gear.

    How much differance in ET and 60' would we expect if I:
    1.Let you rebuild/modify my old KB 12" s/p converter.
    2.Swap my old 12" s/p for your 9.5" converter.
    Thanks, Gary B.
     

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