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!

[Scooter]

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!

That is an a-ffirmative... you will need a kickdown. Prior owner of mine installed the a Lokar setup... seems to work fine.

[JonH]

If it currently does not have the line pressure linkage, (kickdown) DO NOT DRIVE IT. You will burn up the trans....

[anlauto]

YES....without the linkage in place you should always drive it manually, by that I mean start off in 1 all the time, when the engine is revving up shift to 2, then drive etc...otherwise you will smoke the transmission...

[Montclaire]

I wasn't impressed with the Lokar setup. Bouchillon sells a kickdown as well, which is a direct copy of the cable setup that Chrysler switched to years later. 

You didn't really say much about your application so it's hard to answer your other question. There are several tweaks that can maximize what you have without getting into a full shift kit, you may want to start there and see if you require more. 

[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.
   

[Scooter]

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.
   

Glad to hear you got it sorted. 

[1 Wild R/T]

Okay, I'll be the odd man out... It Depends.... 

If you intend to go full manual where you physically have to move the shifter for each shift, it will not upshifton it's own... Then no you don't need kick down linkage...

If your just doing the shift improver kit where shifters are firmer/crisper but the trans still shifts for you than yes you need kick down linkage...

[1972V21Cuda]

Chevy & Ford flippers routinely remove the kick down linkage...& they paint the trunks with gray splatter paint. Oh, and rattle can our beautiful engine bays with
black paint😆