Anybody Here NOT Like Transmission Shift Kits?

[Fleet 500]

I have been a fan of shift kits for automatic transmissions since I have been driving. In fact, my former '66 Dodge Dart GT V-8 had a shift kit even before I started driving it (my brother put one in after he tuned the engine and before I got my driver's license).

I think a quick and firm shifting transmission is so much better than a soft-shifting one, especially for a Mopar with a high-performance engine.

I like shift kits so much that even my '69 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham has one. Much better to drive; with the stock transmission, it seemed to take forever to complete a shift, especially 2nd to 3rd.

I also own a '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine and while it doesn't have a shift kit I have considered one even for that car! What do you think... should my limo have a shift kit? Not the hard, tire-chirp type of shift, just firm instead of mushy.

[dodge freak 2]

Does help the trans last longer but factory I think uses soft mushy shifting trans for a few reason. Mom with her baby or soon to be baby might feel soft is "better". Does GM, Ford, Mopar really want your tranny to last "forever"--nope.

In snow and ice driving the soft slow shift trans might be best not to slide after a shift....believe it or not all new cars were design for winter driving, lol. 

[Cooter]

I too prefer a nice firm shifting automatic...Bang screech shifts are nice as well..Ever notice that with more converter, the shift kit seems to shift "Softer"?...The first thing I did with my boy when we got the 'ol '83 Dodge truck, was to modify the trans for towing..The kid really didn't understand why what I did was beneficial until we hit the road under WOT....He liked it as well...Anything to reduce the amount of heat build up in an Automatic has my vote...