Manual valve body W/O engine braking?

Kind of, yes. But low band apply is optional. The manual valve body is considered a race part because it has the pressures turned up all the time. That is why there is no throttle linkage. The only part that should be replaced to match the valve body is the intermediate band apply lever, what everyone calls the kickdown lever. But if you are not racing, not making full throttle hard shifts all the time, that will not really cause any problems leaving the stock ratio lever in place. The transmission has the be out and torque converter removed to replace the intermediate band apply lever, and then you may as well rebuild it.

If you have a trans that is already mostly worn out the manual valve body will not help this.
Cool! Thank You! My trans is tight. Just don't like the old B@m kit the rebuilder put in 12 years ago. And it always seemed to work better in drive...