Need Advice on 74 Cuda

[BoughtItNew]

Eliminated both those problems in mine three ways with the following package.
1) Rebuilt the trans.  Found high gear had been slipping for a while.  Friction material GONE on two of the high gear friction discs.

2) Forward pattern Turbo Action Cheetah manual Valve body.  http://www.turboaction.com/frame.html  Yes, I do have to make every shift but see #3 below.  Also eliminates the extra linkage.  Folks look under the hood and comment, "Oh, a 4 speed car!" 

3) Greg Slack built me a converter to specs.  (704) 983-1972  On a good day it stalls at 3900 but is so tame on the street you would never know it's a higher stall unit.  With 3.55 gear I often motor away from stop signs in second and rarely have to downshift on rolling corners.  My son drove the car once and told me "...when it shifted to passing gear..."  He didn't realize it didn't auto downshift.  It was the converter that made it roll.  Trans temp runs 140-150 in town or on the highway measured in the pan with an add on cooler.  Greg is a Super Rod/Quick Rod racer with IHRA.

So, have Terry go through the box, call TA to deliver a valve body and Greg to get a converter to you ASAP!  Tell TA and Greg Auto Meter Mike said hi.  Then you'll fry the meats at will!

[tactransman]

Do you think that the linkage is most of my problem?  And do you know if a '70 340 six pack one piece linkage fit on this setup?  Thanks again!

Yes,I think the linkage is the problem and yes the '70 linkage should fit.

[Bullitt-]

Looks like you could just re-locate the pivot to the rear most hole.

[tactransman]

Looks like you could just re-locate the pivot to the rear most hole.

 

[HemiOrange70]

That is one of the nicest 74 Cuda's I ahve ever seen

[BoughtItNew]

That is one of the nicest 74 Cuda's I ahve ever seen

What he said.

[Barracuda4]

Thanks everyone for the tranny/linkage advice and the compliments!  I will see if I can make some of the changes soon and keep you posted on the results!  With pics, of course!

[tactransman]

That is one of the nicest 74 Cuda's I have ever seen 

  You gotta love the "old school" Cragar S/S's

[Barracuda4]

I tried to do it up like I would have when I was 19...Cragars, DC valve covers, chrome t-stat housing, six pack, etc...even the graduation tassle on the rear view mirror.  All except the 8-track.  Ditched it for a CD player...under the dash.

On another note, I found a '70 linkage.  I will keep you posted.  Thanks again to all you wonderful folks for the compliments (even though I have seen more than a LOT of better looking cars on this site), and the great advice.  Nice to be in such good company.

[Barracuda4]

Yes,I think the linkage is the problem and yes the '70 linkage should fit.

tactransman: You were 100% correct. I got a '70 340 Six Pack kickdown linkage from A&A Transmission and installed it today. Like all my installations, it got exciting real quick.  When I got it out on the road, I floored it and the console shifter moved out of drive to neutral. %$^%!!  When I got home, I saw that the kickdown linkage hits the drive selector lever when the car is floored. It pushes the selector lever from drive to neutral.

I looked at the service manual and I soon discovered that the rod from the floor shofter to the shift lever on the transmission was backwards. I guess the rebuilder didn't know how it went and it shifted just fine (until these other problems...). I turned the rod around and it shifts perfectly now--downshifts, upshifts, perfectly.

Because everyone seems to like pics so much on this site, I have enclosed two pics of the new linkage and a no-so-good shot of the throttle rod at the transmisison lever. Maybe this might help others with similar problems, but you are THE MAN!  Thanks again to you and everyone who weighed in with great recommendations!

Of course, one more bit of "excitement." Once everything was working, I decided to get gas.  It overheated. I think I diagnosed it right as a stuck (closed) thermostat because once I changed it, it was fine.  So much for those balance sleeve "high-performance" thermostats, eh?

[Bullitt-]

                 &  no  we don't like pics...................we LOVE  pics.......good job B4

[Barracuda4]

                &  no  we don't like pics...................we LOVE  pics.......good job B4

Thanks!  This site has been GREAT!

[tactransman]

   Great looking linkage. (I bet it wasn't cheap though)

[Barracuda4]

  Great linkage linkage. (I bet it wasn't cheap though)

You got that right...but when I compare it to what I thought I was going to pay for a converter and tranny rebuild, I came out okay!  You diagnosis was right on.