Merry Christmas Everyone!

Now for my questions-

1) I wanted to add part throttle 2nd gear kickdown to my '65 Valiant- So, following instructions in Mopar Action, I added the part throttle kickdown valve from a '68 /6 904. Problem is, it didn't make any difference! E-berg had never let me down before. I know there are differences between '66-up and '65-down T-flites. Will part throttle kickdown not work on '65 and earlier trannies?

2) Can the late model wide ratio low 1st gear gearset be swapped into my '65 trans?

3) If these things aren't possible, can the larger snout on a later model torque converter be turned down to work with an earlier engine's smaller pilot hole?

I'm just kicking around ideas for my Val....
Was considering keeping the 170 (for the mileage, ya know) but with a Super Six/ 2 1/4" exhaust set up. A low 1st trans would allow me to stay with 2.76 gears and still not be such a slug off the line. Sure would be nice to have part throttle kick down too. I'm just not sure if the way to do it is to modify the original '65 trans or swap to a later one.

Thanks!

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Brian (Valianator)

'65 Valiant V100 170/T-flite
'82 D150 225/4-speed
'65 Dart 225 4 door
'68 Dart 225 4-door with Valiant front clip (future project)

1) don't know what to tell you on this one.

2) no. i tried it. will NOT work.

3) i doubt there is enuff 'meat' to allow that much work on the lathe. special torque convertor would be my best guess.

now, i have NOT tried this, but it is possible, i think:

take your FRONT pump assembly and input shaft (front clutch pack) and install it into a later model trans. (as long as it is non-lock up) you can then use your correct torque convertor and get the rear planetaries you want. i could be wrong on this one, but i think the parts will mesh in this way.

sb

That can be done, but it requires custom valve body modification. Pat Blais can set you up. tflitepatty@verizon.net
That only works back to 1966 models.
Ebooger has some great ideas and some lousy ones, some great information and some "Um, dude, stop smoking drugs" information. You just have to sift through and use the good stuff while disregarding the bad stuff.

Yes, but some fairly significant other parts-swapping is also required -- you need the correct governor weights to govern the shift points correctly with the wider-ratio gearset, and some other hardparts have to be changed and/or modified. Again, check with Pat Blais on the particulars. (Note: I had just such a "frankenflite" transmission in my '65 for awhile. I quickly came to dislike it, and will not repeat that build; that's why the details of how it was all put together don't stand out in my mind.)
No, but a custom torque converter can be built, or the early input shaft assembly can be swapped into a later trans.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I think it was argentina-slantsixer that has an overthrow spring setup on the kickdown linkage so that the kickdown lever goes in before WOT.


Then the spring compresses once the throw ends at the tranny so the the throttle can open up all the way.

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Yikes!
Looks like my best bet is gonna be to use a later model trans.

Seriously though, thanks for all the info, guys.

Speaking of later model trannies, On lunch today I snuck down to the local U-pull yard and swiped the column, linkage, and speedo cable from a '66 T-flite Valiant. It's one of only two pre-eighties Mopes currently in that yard and it's been there for awhile, so I figured I'd better get while the gettin's good.

That and a cable-type accelerator would give me about everything I'd need to swap in any /6 and 904.

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Brian (Valianator)

'65 Valiant V100 170/T-flite
'82 D150 225/4-speed
'65 Dart 225 4 door
'68 Dart 225 4-door with Valiant front clip (future project)