Is it possible the kickdown linkage is adjusted way too much? Or maybe possibly the levers were reinstalled incorrectly? If the kickdown linkage is adjusted too much, it would take a lot of RPMs for it to shift out of first gear.
Mine is mounted between the column and the ashtray. Found a position where it is not in the way. Fits great. I rely more on the shift light for high rpm shifts anyways.
Yes, I did use LED lights. They look so much better than the stock lights. And brighter. I did read about rotating the lights previously, but thank you for the tip.