I ve got a 67 cuda with 904a and its 1-2 shift will chirp the tires under hard accel. The 225 is stock. The guy I bought the car from said theres a shift kit in it that wasn't done right. I was told that I should start found scratch and get a new valve body.
I have heard that theres better valve bodies than the 67 type. I've been told the reverse switch is not on the trans and thats a good thing. Why?
Any help would be great.
Brennan

H'mm. Let's start from the start:

A "better" valve body for your '67? Better in what way? What does this transmission do that you don't like, or what does it not do that you want it to do? Are you unhappy with the tire-chirp on full-throttle 1-2 shifts? Or is there some other aspect of the shifting that's bothering you? It could be that a simple adjustment will make it work the way you want. It's usually best to evaluate newly-bought cars on your own, rather than taking a previous owner's word for anything.

The reverse lamp switch is indeed not in the transmission on your '67. Is that a good thing? Well, no. It's also not really a bad thing. It just is.

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

The shift is way to hard 1-2. I plan on increasing HP and this hard shifting is not good for the 7 1/4 rear and U-joints. It not good even now with a 145HP 225. The guy I bought the car from seems to be a straight shooter. Adjusting the 1-2 shift how is it done? If it involves digging it to the valve body, then replacement would be a good ground floor start.

OK, next question: Is the 1-2 shift also too late? At what vehicle speed does the 1-2 shift occur under light throttle (e.g., leaving a stop sign on a 25-mph road)? At what speed does the 1-2 shift occur under medium throttle (leaving a green light on an empty 45-mph road)?

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

I'll have to take so notes while driving to give exact numbers. Off the top of my head. Stop to 20 mph 1/3 throttle 1-2 shift not to bad. If you never drove this car that shift would at least make you look at your passenger with a raised eyebrow. Stop to 30 mph 3/4 throttle 1-2 shift is much harder. If the road were to be sandy or wet it might loose traction for second. Stop to 35 full throttle 1-2 shift is scary for the 7 1/4 rear and chirps the tires all the time except it road is very clean and its very hot. (205-70-14)
These numbers are just a guess and I need to drive it again and take notes.
It dose seem to be shifting at the right time just hard. I would put more stock is that statement than the mph's I just gave.

OK, then yes, it does sound like someone made an improper choice of shift kit, and/or installed it improperly. So, as you were originally thinking, a replacement valve body is probably your best option for either restoring factory-type shifts or as a starting point to install a less severe shift kit. Any '66 to '78 non-lockup A904 valve body will fit and work in your '67 trans. Which one to pick depends on what you're after. Recommend you contact Pat Blais, tflitepatty@verizon.net , and talk over your situation and needs.

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

What should I expect to pay for a valve body?

How are the other shifts? is 2 to 3rd real hard? Is shifting into reverse a hard engagement?

As noted, you may be able to adjust the unit to get the correct "firmness".
A couple of things to check would be:
-Main line pressure set high.
-2nd gear band mis-adjusted
-Accumulator has been 'deactivated'. (spring removed, solid strut installed)

Run some pressure checks and adjust as needed per the FSM.
DD

2-3 shift is perfect. Just enough to tip your head back.
I am not tooled up for checking line pressure. My wife hates it when I spend time on the car. Its easier to spend money on it. She has no problem with me working.