has anyone ever put a gv unit on a th400 with a switch pitch converter installed ? ive been contemplateing this setup for a while now and i was wondering if anyone knows of or can think of any problems i might encounter. thanks in advance Curtis :3gears:
No problems whatsoever. In some ways a SP 400 is more suited to a GV install. The low stall setting will be better at pulling the overdrive.
Gear Vendors Overdrive unit. Bolts on to a THM400 in place of the extension housing. Has a .78 overdrive feature that can be used as a gear splitter, effectively giving you 6 gears instead of 3, like 1st gear, 1st over, second gear, second over, etc. See the thread about installation and driving impressions in this forum.
Another pitch switch question My 65 LeSabre has a non-original Carter/Edelbrock Perfomer. Do I hook up the transpitch switch above the trottle shaft (moves with the throttle linkage) or below the shaft (moves opposite the throttle linkage)? I bought the car like this in August 2004, and I've been driving with the switch slid fully to the rear. It barks the tires (yes) shifting from first to second if I'm in the throttle over 1/3 of the way, but from a dead stop it's not very quick. I have not tried sliding to the front. Heck I just found out what it does from this site. I wondered why it didn't move when I turned on the A/C... It looks hooked up in the pic, but it's just pivoting - not working the switch. I want to know how to tie it in to the linkage. Engine is 300 / 355 Wildcat, if that makes a difference.
There are two switches that activate the SP. One on the carb linkage side. It sould be compressed at full throttle. Above or below on your carb, I don't know. Whatever makes the switch activate. The other is close to the firewall on the throttle linkage for when the car is at idle. Look for the hinge where the linkage dives down to the gas pedal, or follow the wires. It apparently was used to activate the stall so there would be no "creep" while stopped at a light. I don't think many people worry about this. There was so much "slop" in my hinge I blew it off. I think most people hook up a bypass switch to activate the SP manually at launch. They apparently sell a timer switch to turn the SP at the optimal moment while running the quarter mile. I don't think our boats need that. I tested my SP converter by idleing down the road and manually activating the switch. Just run a wire from the trans to the cockpit with a momentary switch.There is a noticable rise in RPM's. There are two prongs on the tranny. One for SP and one for detent. You can just move the wire to test the detent after the SP. Does your car downsift from 3rd to 2nd? My detent switch was out when I got my car. I don't think our cars downshift from 2nd to 1st. Rick
Mine activates when the switch is fully compressed. Are you sure you have a Switch Pitch? I thought they only went on 401's or 425's. that doesn't mean someone didn't put one in. An identifier for the SP is a dent in the transmission pan that looks like a man's shoe heel print stomped into it and there should be two wires going to the drivers side of the transmission. How bout some more pics of the car? I like the paint.
Yep, I have the two switches in the spots you mentioned. I have not checked either one to see if they are working, but I think the kickdown (detent?) is not working. I can't force a 3-2 downshift by just hitting the gas pedal. I'm thinking "detent" to you is what I've called "kickdown" -- a forced downshift by stabbing the gas pedal. The car will downshift 3-2-1 when slowing down for a red light, stop sign, etc -- just no "passing gear" downshift. I like your idea of running a manual switch to play with the trans. I had not thought of that.
Here's a couple pics - I don't really like the Dayton wheels and Vogue tires - not my diversity group. And swinging a lead hammer at the knockoffs to get the wheels off just does not seem right. I'm looking for some torq-thrust style wheels, or even stock rallys.
Hell we're both from Texas. It was always a kickdown to me until I found this board. That same switch (carb side) activates both the kickdown and the SP. To test if the kickdown switch in the tranny is working, I turned the ignition on (without the car running) and moved the switch at the carb until I heard the kickdown switch "click". You may have to get someone to do it while you are under the car. It's actually pretty loud. Make sure the wires aren't cut. I had one cut completely.
What's that dash look like? The dash chrome is hard to find in good shape. Nice trim on the car. I'm with you on the stock Rallys. I've spent a great deal of time on the dash of my car.......make that I am spending a great deal of time. It's all ripped out right now.
Fouled up and only got one pic the first time... I found this car through my wife's friend, whose cousin was needing money because his (the cousin's) mother had health problems and they were moving. He had a Caprice also, but would not part with both cars. Got this one for $3500 in the shape you see here.
interior Clock works, sometimes. If the road is rough, the clock will start up, but quit again when it smooths out. Trying to figure out how to make the pics show up like in the other posts...
I just finished a tear-down, re-lighting, A/C cable replacement, and otherwise complete re-do of my 64 Impala dash - I'ts mostly steel, the only plastic pieces are the A/C vents. It looks sweet now. I'm having trouble finding a pic of the dash... That's a heck of a lot bigger job than I thought it would be.
Heck of a deal for $3500. Does the A/C work? That's a tough one to fix. I've seen numerous NOS clocks on ebay. That clock is very easy to get out but a bear to get into. I'd advise finding one on ebay. That instrument cluster is really cool. Both speedo and clock come out with two screws. They slide in and plug in from the back. No wires to undo. Whats the red button for on the dash? Nitrous? :Brow: Rick
A/C works great. Fan resistors are not right, so I have on and off - fortunately as you know living in Texas that's all you need here anyway - off or wide open. The red spot is the alarm flasher. I like the nitrous idea, though, maybe I can find a suitable label for it. The alarm (I don't use it) was another add by the previous owner, as is the black-out hidden faceplate CD radio over the similarly non-factory cupholder. Actually, the hidden CD radio is great as the Sonomatic can stay up in the factory location looking good. No idea if the Sonomatic works but it lights up at night. This car also has cables run to the trunk for a second battery (I took the batt out) and a thumper woofer box. May or may not do that later. The dual exhaust sounds so good I usually leave the radio off and just listen to the engine.
