Manual valve body.. do you need a kickdown linkage?

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RSie

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Does a manual valve body eliminate a need for a kickdown linkage?
I'm asking as the Cuda I'm working on has a 340 with a holley strip dominator manifold, that had a holley 750 DP on it. My nephew snagged the carb with the linkage on it it before he sold it to me. I have some carbs to bolt on (thanks to a couple members on here!), but I don't think the kickdown will work right with those.. I may be wrong, lol.
I've always been a 'change it out to get it on the road' guy, never tore down a trans or engine.
School me!
 
A manual valve body, basically you have to shift like a manual trans? Shift 1st, 2nd, 3rd, right? If it's in 'D' it'll be in 3rd gear from a dead stop?
 
If it's a "home built" manual,(I.e. a TransGo TF3), then linkage IS required. The big company ones usually eliminate it.
 
You can loose a 1/2 pound here. No need for the kick down with FMVB!
 
Completely depends on the valve body. As above, if it is a factory vb modified with a transgo tf3 kit into a manual vb it absolutely needs the linkage, or at a minimum to wire the throttle valve lever on the transmission wide open which will make it not street friendly. If it is an aftermarket vb it likely does not need the linkage, but I would recommend that you contact the vb manufacturer first to know for sure.
 
Look at the shift lever that is attached to the valve body on the trans...Is there a provision for the linkage....an aftermaket valve body like a Turbo Action Cheetah does not have the provsion for the shift linkage...if it is there then you have one that has been modified with a trans go kit...
 
This car had a manual kit installed. Didn't work out so well on 2nd to 3rd shift. If he could he talk he would tell you to buy a good manual valve body. Once you shift there is no clutch pedal to fall back on. Automatics have throttle pressure. Manuals shouldn't

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I’m not understanding what happened there...

But this is a timely thread. I’m rebuilding a 727 and I was looking at that TF3 manual valve body kit...I was going to not use the kick down linkage....I could have made a big mistake...
 
I’m not understanding what happened there...

But this is a timely thread. I’m rebuilding a 727 and I was looking at that TF3 manual valve body kit...I was going to not use the kick down linkage....I could have made a big mistake...
Yes, the first TF3 that I did I was unsure so I called transgo and they confirmed that the kickdown (actually throttle pressure) linkage is still required.

I would suspect that the wreck is a result of a really harsh shifting automatic and tight sure grip or spool, downshift or upshift at speed on a corner possibly in the rain and the back end comes out from under.
 
I’m not understanding what happened there...

But this is a timely thread. I’m rebuilding a 727 and I was looking at that TF3 manual valve body kit...I was going to not use the kick down linkage....I could have made a big mistake...
If I remember correctly, oldmanmopar had posted about that wreck before, and I think the trans locked up between 2nd and 3rd, locked up the tires, the car spun around and went off the road hitting a huge, kind of pointy rock.
 
I'm pretty sure the trans I have has a stock valve body in it. I'm thinking about using a Lokar kickdown cable too, been researching that a little. Might work better for me as once I get my car on the road, as I have 3 engine/trans combos I want to get some running time on.
 
I'm pretty sure the trans I have has a stock valve body in it. I'm thinking about using a Lokar kickdown cable too, been researching that a little. Might work better for me as once I get my car on the road, as I have 3 engine/trans combos I want to get some running time on.
The bouchillon cable is better, it is based on factory parts from magnum engines and is more durable. That being said, you can build your own quite cheaply using the magnum cable and brackets from a wrecking yard.
 
The bouchillon cable is better, it is based on factory parts from magnum engines and is more durable. That being said, you can build your own quite cheaply using the magnum cable and brackets from a wrecking yard.
You had me at 'cheaply'! Thanks man!
 
You had me at 'cheaply'! Thanks man!
No problem. From a magnum grab the cable, bracket spring and lever from the transmission (this all bolts onto a 727), and I also take the bracket off the throttle body. You have to modify the throttle body bracket to work with a carb, and fabricate a stud on the carb linkage to mount the upper end of the cable to. Make sure that the stud is positioned to give you proper travel (when the carb is at idle the tv lever on the trans should be all the way forward, pulled forward by the lower spring, there should be a little slack in the cable. At wide open throttle the tv lever on the trans should be pulled all the way back). Here is a pic of the upper end on mine.

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No problem. From a magnum grab the cable, bracket spring and lever from the transmission (this all bolts onto a 727), and I also take the bracket off the throttle body. You have to modify the throttle body bracket to work with a carb, and fabricate a stud on the carb linkage to mount the upper end of the cable to. Make sure that the stud is positioned to give you proper travel (when the carb is at idle the tv lever on the trans should be all the way forward, pulled forward by the lower spring, there should be a little slack in the cable. At wide open throttle the tv lever on the trans should be pulled all the way back). Here is a pic of the upper end on mine.

View attachment 1715413397
Wow, thanks man!
 
Full manual is strip only in reality. Think first!
 
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