I don't really consider this a "tech" question, just want to know if anyone has seen this set-up...

I just bought a '66 Imperial. After driving it about 30 feet, I knew the trans wasn't working correctly. (The car was in a warehouse and I needed to move it towards better lighting to look it over.) After pulling the dipstick, my fear was confirmed, the fluid smelled like poo and was brown rather than red. I still bought the car, but had it trucked home. I just dropped the pan and the blood-letting began. I'm hoping it was a good sign that the converter drain landed at 6 o'clock so no under-car cranking required!

Then I noticed something I'd never seen/noticed before... There is a piece of linkage sticking out of the floorpan, pretty much where the accel pedal would be located. However, it's just a rod with the bell-crank ball sticking out. It's not connected to anything. This can't be throttle linkage because the accel pedal functions normally, so I figure this must be the kickdown. Also makes sense because no kickdown would burn up the trans. (I didn't investigate further yet... Just wanted to shower the burned trans fluid out of my eyes and hair.)

But now I'm thinking this might be a one-year-only part because the '65 TF was cable operated, '66 was the last year before the Imperial was completely redesigned. So my question is, "Was this kickdown linkage a one-year Imperial-only design, or was this used across multiple years/models?"

Anybody know where I could find a photo/drawing of this part? I'll either have to fab it or find it.

I've only dealt with the later 60s version that actuates the kickdown from the throttle shaft. I asked my '51 Imperial and it said "What is an automatic transmission?"

I think most of the early C bodies had mechanical linkage from carb to trans. Two bell cranks, one at the back of the motor, and one down at the trans, about where the foot pedal is.

Sounds to me like your diagnosis is correct in that the trans is gone because of lack of linkage. Maybe why the car was parked?

In any case, a trans rebuild shouldn't break the bank if you take it out and bring it to a shop, or maybe even try rebuilding it yourself.

Best of luck to you!

The '66 Imperial would have the one-piece TP linkage i.e. a single rod runs directly from the carb to the lever on the trans...no bellcranks like the other Chrysler models.

Similar to the 4th picture down on this archives page.

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/auto/35.html

Was that one of the cars from the estate sale in Dearborn? I saw all of the Imperials, and really wanted the '65 vert but that one sold almost immediately.

My '67 Imperial had the conventional bellcrank linkage, like my '68 300.

I believe if your car was equipped with it, the cruise control linkage rod attaches to that bellcrank.

Yer way beyond a band adjustment...

The gravel in that pan tells the story...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPQlXNH36mI

They never officially said they would take offers, but this car was still listed on Craigs for weeks (months?) after the first sale. I knew people would be afraid of it because of the cheapo re-spray, so I screen-capped the completed autions section of eBay along with a polite email that said I'd buy it at X price. He emailed back and said "bring cash". Now my goal is just to get it safe and reliable. Hopefully start on cosmetics in early summer. They have an offer of $170k for the 3 Eldorados if you'd care to top it.

That old auto-pilot was cool... I had it on a '68 and should have remembered it would allow, but push-back if you exceeded the set speed. Had to come through the pedal... Duh.

PS: Not a lot of tech in this thread, which is why I posted in the non tech section. Guess the mods have to justify their pay.