manual valve body 727 trans question

[737jetdr]

I just purchased a mopar with a reverse manual valve body trans. Unfortunately the shifter doesn't work with it without pulling T handle from each gear (doesn't rachet backwards). Will it hurt the trans to drive it in 3rd all of the time? I don't plan on racing the car. Maybe I should put a normal trans back in it?? It's a pain in the *** to drive shifting through all 3 gears with the current shifter.
Can it be changed back to a regular trans or what it be better to have another one built?

 

[Darter6]

Changing the valve body is easy.Just make sure you get the one for the date of your transmission.There were changes over the years.OR you can buy a forward manual body from places like A&A transmission.I currently have one in my Hemi car. Oh yeah, not too good to drive around in 3rd unless the car has some deep gears.I only heard of one car, a 69 charger that the owner did that and had tranny failure. Cope racing transmissions built the tranny and told the owner that's a no no. You be the judge.One more thing if going to a stock valve body,,you will have to hook up the kick down linkage back up

 

[TrailBeast]

I use a ratchet type shifter with a standard valve body (shift kitted)
Shift manually from 1st, 2nd, 3rd using the ratchet if I want, or let it shift completely automatic if I don't feel like messing with it.
I can't take off in second or third, but I do have the "Low gear at any speed" option via the shift kit. (great for dropping into first and instantly being in your torque range) but you have to use common sense with that option, or have a rev limiter.

Taking off in third won't hurt anything because the converter is where the give is, but it sure makes for sluggish acceleration, and adds heat from the converter slip.

 

[67Dart273]

I had a reverse in mine and LOVE it. I would change the shifter and keep the VB. As said leaving it in 3 will cause heating, IE you have a slipping hydraulic pump there trying to move the car. That slippage has to go somewhere, and that is HEAT

 

[TrailBeast]

I had a reverse in mine and LOVE it. I would change the shifter and keep the VB. As said leaving it in 3 will cause heating, IE you have a slipping hydraulic pump there trying to move the car. That slippage has to go somewhere, and that is HEAT

Or maybe even reverse the shifter cable bracket on the trans to mount the cable backwards.
Then the ratchet 1-2-3 would work.

 

[forphorty]

I had a reverse in mine and LOVE it. I would change the shifter and keep the VB. As said leaving it in 3 will cause heating, IE you have a slipping hydraulic pump there trying to move the car. That slippage has to go somewhere, and that is HEAT

I agree with this.

 

[67Dart273]

Actually I have two of the ??BM?? I'll have to look ratchets and it appears to me they would work just as well forwards or backwards OP if you are interested I'll dig one out and see "what."

 

[famous bob]

I had a reverse in mine and LOVE it. I would change the shifter and keep the VB. As said leaving it in 3 will cause heating, IE you have a slipping hydraulic pump there trying to move the car. That slippage has to go somewhere, and that is HEAT

^^^^^^^^^^
agree w/ this, change the shifter, unless u just want an auto.

 

[737jetdr]

Thanks for the input everyone. Mine has a B&M shifter in it but it only ratchets 1 direction. I guess they make some like the hammer and megashifter that ratchet in both directions. I will probably change the shifter for now. Looking at the hammer shifter.( if any has any input on that shifter please let me know). May have it changed back over so I can use it manually or as an automatic eventually.

 

[fishy68]

The B&M Quicksilver shifter also ratchets forward and backwards and is a real nice shifter. I have one in my car and love it. Changing out the shifter is probably the easiest solution to your problem since you don't even have to crawl under the car to do it.

 

[67Dart273]

I believe Megashifter is what I have, that rings a bell. I since went to a Cheetah shifter which I like much better. You can actually use them with the forward gate on a reverse body, but I bought the reverse gate.

 

[famous bob]

I believe Megashifter is what I have, that rings a bell. I since went to a Cheetah shifter which I like much better. You can actually use them with the forward gate on a reverse body, but I bought the reverse gate.

I run a cheeta shifter too, after inquiring about shifters on here. I used to run a B-M ratchet shifter in my 406 vega, it flat sucked after a burn out-having to ratchet shift back to neutral for a clean out before staging.

 

[Abodybomber]

I run a cheeta shifter too, after inquiring about shifters on here. I used to run a B-M ratchet shifter in my 406 vega, it flat sucked after a burn out-having to ratchet shift back to neutral for a clean out before staging.

Got pictures of the Vega, Bob..? Love V8 Vega(s)....

 

[Abodybomber]

Thanks for the input everyone. Mine has a B&M shifter in it but it only ratchets 1 direction. I guess they make some like the hammer and megashifter that ratchet in both directions. I will probably change the shifter for now. Looking at the hammer shifter.( if any has any input on that shifter please let me know). May have it changed back over so I can use it manually or as an automatic eventually.

Shifter must be a B &M "Z gate..." .. If you go back to a stock style valve body pattern.. Go Transgo "TF -2 " kit, and make sure, you have (and learn to adjust ...) , the factory transmission kickdown linkage...

 

[famous bob]

Got pictures of the Vega, Bob..? Love V8 Vega(s)....

yeah, some where, but have never figured out how to post pics on here, gave up. It has been explained a few times , but don`t work on this p.c., "always" don`t get the right results when trying it, too many filters to get thru, and most of all-not enough knowledge. The vega`s best run was 10:28, but what was cool was outrunning a turbo porshe, and a calaway corvette on the 4 lane. embarrassed the porshe driver !

 

[famous bob]

yeah, some where, but have never figured out how to post pics on here, gave up. It has been explained a few times , but don`t work on this p.c., "always" don`t get the right results when trying it, too many filters to get thru, and most of all-not enough knowledge. The vega`s best run was 10:28, but what was cool was outrunning a turbo porshe, and a calaway corvette on the 4 lane. embarrassed the porshe driver !

Wish I STILL HAD IT TOO !

 

[Bakerlite]

Sometimes when the trans is built it gets modified to suit the new valve body. Just changing out the valve body can cause all sorts of problems..