The pan gasket needs to be replaced. Is there anything else I should do while the pan is off? The vehicle is my 1968 Plymouth Fury wagon with a mildly modified 383. The tranny shifts well with no slippage.

I am not at all familiar with automatic transmissions so please keep that in mind. Should I consider some kind of shift kit or other modifications to increase the fun factor?

What do you say?

Thanks

I'd say at minimum:

New filter (3 screws to remove - easy)

Check the band adjustment - easy

The pressure releif spring has lost some tension over the last almost 50 years so a couple turns out on it is good. Check both band adjustments with the pan off. Re-fill with type-f fluid. Other than that a 727 is really overkill for a mild 383 and no mods would do much for performance.

set the gap under the two levers just like you would valve lash. kunkel has me set my circle track 904 to 1/4 and 5/16 (I forgot which band was which/dont have the note in front of me right now). As said you might want to adj the hex screw (see what the guys say). new filter new gasket pan rails straight especially the perimeter around the pan holes. Any screws going into aluminum its a good plan to lube em but they should be wet with trans fluid as is but I'd check. I'd use some non hardening gasket cement (permatex #2) on the pan bolts to help keep em snug (not a dealbreaker but one of my idiosynchrosies (sp)

I would replace the pan gasket with a modern hard gasket. The partnr. floats around on the forum.

You could decide to replace the throttle pressure shaft, gear-selector shaft and oilfillertube seals.

A TransGo reprogramming kit could shorten the time it takes the trans to make a shift, making it feel shift quicker, without actually being harser like some shift kits do.
But this would involve getting into the valvebody and do some mods in the housing.

X2, VG plan (perfect time to do it) EDIT IF you are comfortable with taking out the VB which is the best way to access the big seal

Thanks Guys! Gasket, filter, seals, and band adjustment are on the to do list.

How about a pan drain plug and check the pan mounting bolt threads in the tranny case.
I had some that were stripped so I opted to have them fixed with heli-coils.

as mentioned, the reusable pan gasket at the dealer is a very nice piece, but maybe someone here can say whether or not it will seal with the older pans. The rails on the newer pans are much smoother. I've had the pan off of my race trans several times. Use the gasket again, torque to 125 inch lb, hasn't leaked a drop!

Kickdown band strut.

use slightly longer bolts with the new style pan gasket. i'm thinking about 1/4-3/8 longer, or use studs. also, when using longer bolts instead of studs, make sure the bolts don't bottom in the blind holes in the case before they tighten up. this is a non issue if using studs. if using a cast pan, it is advisable to measure the pan rail, case thread depth and the gasket thickness before deciding on a bolt or stud length. this will insure proper gasket crush without bottoming or stripping threads.

OK, it's nearly a month old thread but if I were doing mods & if I had a decent rear ratio, the MP shift improved kits is simple to do. Twist up the line pressure for added firmness.

Otherwise, a deep pan and add a trans cooler, adjust the bands, call it a day.
Auto transmissions like to be cool and shift quick for long life. Creature comforts shorten life.

The MP is the absolute worst choice for a "kit", nothing there that you can't duplicate for free and minimal improvement.