Identifying an Auto Transmission on 65 Cuda

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FoothillTom

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Hello again fellers. So I'm just compiling a list of things to do to get this 65 Cuda ship-shape and here is my current mystery.

This concerns the kick-down linkage on this non-stock 318 (69 vintage) and the 3-speed auto transmission. The rod that *should* tie into the transmission linkage is just hanging in space. Clearly it was disconnected once upon a time.

The thing is, I see no where for this to attach to the tranny linkage. Furthermore, if I get on it a little bit, I can feel and hear it downshift, so I'm scratching my head.

Is it likely that this transmission is not stock and has some other kind of kick-down feature? As you can tell, I'm a Mopar stooge at the current time. Only had this Cuda a few days.

I'll snap a picture of the transmission before I run out of daylight. Thanks for any ideas on this linkage...

TomView attachment Tranny.jpg
 
It's pretty hard to tell from the pic exactly what's up. If you can feel the trans downshifting, I would assume the throttle pressure linkage is hooked up. Do you have any other pics?
 
Yeah, from what we can see in the photo, the lower bell crank for the linkage looks like it's hooked up. We'd need more pics including up by the carb to tell for sure. It needs to be hooked up and adjusted properly to keep the transmission healthy and happy. That front Y pipe is an ugly thing.....don't imagine it flows too well. :)
 
I'll try to get a better picture. I took the pic from underneath in case the transmission pan was a dead give-away of a non-stock tranny. I know nothing of these things yet.

Let me see if I can put better words to this. There is "rod" that runs vertically from a bracket bolted on the back-driver's side of the motor. The throttle linkage actuates this gizmo. One end of the rod is attached (ball and socket like) to this gizmo and the other end drops down vertically -- presumably to be attached to the shifter linkage.

This rod is just hanging down unattached. It didn't show up well in the photo obviously. The pic below is a bit out of focus but trust me, it's not attached at the bottom. I wish it showed up better.

The unattached end of the rod has hardware on it that sure as heck looks like it would have attached to the shifter linkage in a previous life, but there is just no place for it that I can see.

I was curious if the tranny could have been more modern and had some kind of vacuum kick-down...hence the picture of the underside.


Thanks for the thoughts.
Tom[/ATTACH]
 

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It still looks like everything is there. Maybe it just came loose? The linkage is not shift linkage.....your year uses a cable.....it's the kickdown/throttle pressure linkage. Will that down rod attach to the bell cranks shown in your first photo? No vacuum modulators in these transmissions!
 
It should be hooked up and operating properly or you will damage the transmission. Here is a diagram of what it should look like.

It doesn't attach to the shifter linkage, but to the arm coming off the side of the trans.

If you can see where it needs to be corrected from the diagram, and you get it hooked up properly then it will need to be adjusted correctly.
 

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That is the correct linkage, and the proper bracket on the rear of the driver head. If there is a part throttle kickdown, that was a 67 and later valve body feature. Here is the correct linkage minus the down rod that is in your pic (and mine is missing :-()
020412171606.jpg
 
pishta said:
That is the correct linkage, and the proper bracket on the rear of the driver head. If there is a part throttle kickdown, that was a 67 and later valve body feature. Here is the correct linkage minus the down rod that is in your pic (and mine is missing :-()
020412171606.jpg
Click to expand...
Your setup looks to be a mix of parts from various years. The '64-6 linkage didn't use a slotted link on the carb pin. It has solid connections all the way down. The diagram shown is also a newer year but the same idea.
 
cudamark said:
Your setup looks to be a mix of parts from various years. The '64-6 linkage didn't use a slotted link on the carb pin. It has solid connections all the way down. The diagram shown is also a newer year but the same idea.
Click to expand...

Probably, I was just stoked to get the rear head bracket! I got the correct rods somewhere.
020412202107.jpg
 
Oh man, what great info. Thanks so much guys. I'll jack the fish back up tomorrow AM and have a closer inspection. The diagrams are awesome, thanks again.

Tom
 
Huzzah! Thanks to the info provided here, I was able to get this kickdown linkage restored. I even believe I have it adjusted properly. She kicks down into 2nd if I get on it and stays there until I let off so I think I'm good to go. Still don't know why the PO removed it...but more amazing is the little clip that attaches the rod to the tranny linkage managed to stay on that whole time even though it wasn't attached to anything.

One issue down, 4,038 to go!

Tom
 
Its EZ to tell if the kickdown is hanging in the wind, If your into 3rd before the crosswalk, you have no kickdown, Ran mine for 3 months not knowing this, "what a dog" I thought !
 
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