Fordomatic Kickdown

[stacks38]

Hello, I am installing a dual carb setup on my 54 inline 6 and the Offenhauser manifold does not have the provision to install the kickdown rod. It appears that my options are to remove the rod altogether or else make a bracket and secure it in place. My question is: Will the Fordomatic work ok without the kickdown rod?

It appears that the kickdown rod also serves some purpose in how the car shifts. If I tie the rod down I am not sure what impact this will have on the shifting.

 

[darrell]

it must be hooked up and right or the trans will slip when shifting

 

[JeffB2]

Contact this Forum:http://www.network54.com/Forum/260730/ It is 100% all Ford transmissions.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

I've never heard of anyone trying to install a dual carb setup with a Ford-O-Matic. The I-block 6 engines with Ford-O-Matic were fairly rare in the early '50's. Most of the 6's had manual transmissions. The aftermarket Offenhouser dual intake manifold was not designed with the Ford-O-Matic in mind. They are meant to be used with any manual trans you might want.
You cannot simply clamp the kickdown lever in a stationary position. The trans will not shift right. I have a 223 with Ford-O-Matic in my '55 Courier. The location of the mounting standoff on the intake manifold is critical as well as the fulcrum relating to the kickdown travel.
If you did try to fabricate a bracket and somehow clamp it to the offenhouser, you would not be able to mount it where the original bracket is, thus you would need to re-think that fulcrum and associated travel to get the trans to shift properly.
All I can tell you is look into www.fordsix.com and pick the vintage inline sixes forum. There are lots of guys in there that play with the 215 and 223 I blocks and do a lot of offenhouser and header conversions.

 

[Motorhead6]

You can fabricate a kickdown that will make the FOM upshift okay, but unless you use the Ford original kickdown mechanism or something akin to it, you will not get the passing gear downshift. This is okay with a V8 because there is plenty of torque, but with a 6 banger you will have to manually pull the thing into low to attain this. Also, the Ford unit allows the FOM to start in 1st gear if the throttle is depressed to the metal. The Ford kickdown has a sort of override feature that allows the accelerator to be depressed beyond wide open throttle and thus activate the kickdown to passing gear or, in the case of starting from standstill, start in 1st. The FOM will not slip due to an improper kickdown, it will just shift too soon as there is not a vacuum modulator used therein.

You really need to find an original Ford mechanism and fabricate a way to mount it.

VR, Motorhead

 

[darrell]

what I meant by slips was when it shifts it revs and takes a second or two.not good for the transmission.

 

[stacks38]

I gave it a test whereby I disconnected the kickdown rod and attached it to a bracket I made. I gave it about 1/2 inch of pressure and gave it a drive. I noticed a little rev when it shifted so I gave the rod another turn on the adjuster. On the next drive it shifted very well - no slipping - nice smooth shifts - no shuttering - and no problems. Of all the advice I got only one person said that he had actually done it this way, and has driven the car several years.

I think I am ready for the manifold change now.

 

[stacks38]

Here it is with the new manifold and carbs ...

 

[scicala]

Very nice car stacks38 ! The last year of the "real" coupe too.
Gotta love the glass bowl Holley's too.

 

[parklane]

Very nice car, and nice job of installing the manifold/carbs.