727 Manual valve body pros & cons

[skip68]

I don't have the correct kick down parts and it seems it's about the same cost for the right parts or going to a manual valve body.   I don't mind shifting it and think it makes sense to just go with the manual body and don't worry about the right parts and adjusting it.    I just want to know the pros & cons with going to a manual valve body.    Thanks....

[Ghoste]

Pros-full control of shifts and no worrying about the kickdown
Cons-having to manually shift all the time

[Cooter]

Pro's= Usually a VERY positive shift (IE: BANG SCREECH)

Cons= Get the correct kickdown stuff, it isn't that hard to just make it from Small Block stuff..Done it many times.
Usually REVERSE shift pattern and when someone else drives your car, they usually take off in High gear.

[red79]

a manual valve body gives you the control of manual shifts, without the maintenance associated with a clutch disk. it's a far cry from the precision and fun offered by a 4 speed--but it's the next best thing, and you get some of the perks like compression braking (get a valve body with low band engage). you also get to shift at full throttle, which helps the ETs by more than a little when compared to a stick. and like cooter said, most manual valve bodies incorporate the shift improvements offered by whoever makes the unit--bang screech indeed, as long as you have your converter/cam matched right.

personally, I prefer 4 speeds--but the charger that showed up when I was in the market had an AT, so I'm getting along with a turbo action reverse manual valve body for now. it should tide me over until I have the time/funds for a 3rd pedal swap

[skip68]

I like the idea of better shifts.   I would think it would give the tranny a longer life. 

[John_Kunkel]

Those neck-snapping shifts aren't necessarily good for the transmission and they might get old in a street driven car.

[red79]

and they might get old in a street driven car.

true, but nothing's stopping you from letting off the throttle before a shift and keeping it as smooth as you want. you don't have to be chirping the tires at every stoplight.

imo, the part that might get old is having to shift gears. I have a factory slapstick shifter, but a reverse manual valve body--means I need to press the thumb button for every upshift, but can slap the downshifts haha. the cash for a third pedal can't come soon enough

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I have had a full reverse manual valve body in my Charger for 13+ years & wont ever consider going back to a regular one.  TOO MUCH FUN!

I have one of the original Cheatah ones with no low band apply (the ones that have printed all over the box "NOT FOR STREET USE")

You have to be careful with 1st gear (loosing traction, then regaining traction while still in 1st....this will grenade your trans) as well as 2-3 upshifts (should be on the throttle) and 3-2 downshifts (on throttle again at speed)....1st gear freewheels so coasting to a stop shift from 3-1 with no troubles....just be stopped before applying gas to get moving again in first.

I too run the stock shifter & used to have to press the button shifting down from "D" to "2" then to "1" (which is actually 3rd because its a "reverse pattern")

Then I hooked up with Tom Duncan of Duncan Engineering....I was his "test mule" for his new Shift-R-Gate.  His first design was nice & then we came up with the reverse pattern one he now sells.

http://www.duncan-motor-sports.com/2.html

I would miss 2nd gear a lot due to the sloppy design of the gate on the stock shifter (since I had to push the button to upshift going down on the shifter)
Now with the new gate 1-2 is a slap stick style (no button press with a positive stop on 3rd gear) and then 2-3 requires a button press.
ratcheting back up to "D" or first requires no button press & has a positive stop at "N"

I also had a custom decal made up (which Tom now sells) to make those that are observant scratch their head & say "hey....thats not right...."

[red79]

I actually bought a reverse pattern Shift-R-Gate from Tom a few months ago. When it got here and I examined the gate pattern more closely, I realized that it's meant to modify a stock standard shifter to a reverse-slapstick operation---*not* modify a mopar forward-pattern slapstick to reverse-pattern. The internals are very different, e.g. the factory slapstick gate has a spring mechanism to prevent missing gears.

I'm keeping an eye out for an el-cheapo stock shifter to slap the shift-r-gate onto, until then i'm gonna leave the mopar unit intact. 

[firefighter3931]

VegasMike has the forward pattern Turbo Action manual valvebody in his trans....i know you've been in his car so how do you like it Chuck ? 

I have the same one in mine and the shifts are not harsh under light throttle. 



Ron

[Cooter]

I can't see the benefit of a reverse manual trans even in a race car..To me, the ONLY reason people run these things is cause they are either too lazy to fab up the correct kickdown linkage, or don't know how to...

I can manually shift my 727, or let it shift by itself...As for the harsh shifts, any typical shift kit will provide that...

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I can't see the benefit of a reverse manual trans even in a race car..To me, the ONLY reason people run these things is cause they are either too lazy to fab up the correct kickdown linkage, or don't know how to...

I can manually shift my 727, or let it shift by itself...As for the harsh shifts, any typical shift kit will provide that...

I beg to differ.....no "shift kit" will give you a positive shift like a manual valve body

PS---Im not lazy either....  

....well maybe a little when it comes to cleaning the house

[Ghoste]

I'm surprised you can't even see a benefit for a drag car.

[Cooter]

I've run high 10's in a REAL street car, and seen alot faster, through the mufflers, on Pump gas, and DOT tires without a Reverse manual...There's simply isn't a need for it IMO...I mean, all your looking for is a good, firm shift..You aren't looking to bust the windshield every time it slams 2nd gear...TOO harsh a shift is just as bad as too shoft...

Same as with those Big. ol. huge, Mickey's out back and tubbed out cars when I've seen High 8's on a 10.5" tire...

[skip68]

Mikes car seems fairly smooth when he wants it to be.    I like to shift and just don't want to mess with getting the after  market pieces to fit my intake for the kick down.     I look at it this way,  my tranny needs an overhaul and my kick down stuff is not right anyway so why not upgrade the valve body since it needs work anyway.   ??

[John_Kunkel]

As for the harsh shifts, any typical shift kit will provide that...

Not neccessarily, the RMVB has the throttle pressure (and line prfessure) pegged wide open, so even light throttle shifts slam into gear pretty hard. The "typical shift kit" still has the line pressure modulated according to throttle.

[69rtse4spd]

Love it in the 70, but then again did not like the column shifter with reverse manual body. Going to put a Hemi 4-spd. with Passon overdrive gear set in it anyway. Dana with 3.73s will go in over Christmas shut down, if I do not have to work. Just having fun with it. .

[skip68]

Well I guess when the time comes it will be a manual body.

[greenpigs]

Well I guess when the time comes it will be a manual body.

I was in the same boat as you and went with a MV body & don't regret it.