727 Shift Kit Question. Do I need a kickdown cable/linkage?

[73Challengr]

I've got a 73 Challeger i'm going to put a shift kit in (vendor recommendations welcome). It currently doesn't have a kickdown cable/linkage (vendor recommendations welcome). Will I need one? Thanks much!

[70chall440]

I posted an answer on FEBO but to recap

1. you MUST run kick down linkage because it controls line pressure. Failure to do so will burn up the trans

2. Mancini has linkage kits but I run cables on all of mine, I use Lokar but I like the Bouchillon Performance kit

[73Challengr]

Appreciate the feedback from y'all! I got the Lokar kickdown cable installed and calibrated today and ya...no more soft shifts, very crisp shifts and at what I would consider a normal RPM range.

I'm not transmission guy but the shifts felt to soft so I kept a real light foot, lifted off the throttle and manually shifted for a while. After reading the feedback here, I feel lucky as h#11 I noticed it, could have destroyed the transmission. But all good now.

The back story is, the kickdown linkage was there but the previous owner put an aftermarket Holley carb on when the engine was re-built and the linkage was never engaged. Even at WOT the carb never came close to the linkage kickdown point. After reading a few articles, the consensus was, the kickdown linkage geometry was designed for the thermo quad and it's a b1tch to get the correct linkage travel for an aftermarket carb. Good product those Lokar cables, very happy with it.

So anyway, thanks for the feedback, I owe y'all some beers, you probably saved me from a large transmission rebuild bill.

    

[70chall440]

Glad you got it working and sorted, enjoy it.