So anyhow, I had on the porch two packages when I got home. One is a LenTech valve body for the mustang's AOD transmission. An amazing piece of work, the little marvel completely changes the way the transmission works. An AOD has a shitty three position shift pattern: 1, 2&3, OD. To hold second manually you have to shift into 2/3 then back into 1. You are not supposed to do that if you want it to live long. The AOD uses a lockup convertor for fuel mileage full lock in 4 partial lock in 3, effectively the same efficiency in 4th as a manual trans geared the same. But because of that the 2-3 shift is the AOD's weak link for reasons that are a little beyond me. Somehow this valve body tricks the reverse clutches into helping out on that shift & also does away with the partial lockup in third making the trans that is supposed to die behind a 500hp motor able to live just fine with 800hp. Not sure I believe that, but still... Here's what an article in a mustang mag has to say about it:
Street Terminator Lock-Up Valvebody
By itself, the Street Terminator Lock-Up will allow your AOD to deal with up to 800 hp, while offering the efficiency of converter lockup in OD only (as it should be). It accomplishes both by Lentech's patented process of rerouting your AOD's Third-gear power flow through its turbine-driven outer input shaft, and Reverse/Forward clutches, instead of via the direct-driven inner shaft and direct clutch. Only Overdrive receives power through the latter route, and therefore retains full lockup operation for maximum cruise efficiency. We told you the valvebody was a brain.
Unlike the basic Street Terminator, the Lock-Up is a full-pressure valvebody, beneficial to clutch-pack engagement and longevity, with relatively firm part-throttle upshifts as the only penalty. Actually, its target audience is the dual-purpose, street/strip car, so line pressures in the Street Terminator Lock-Up are normally kept in the 150-160 psi range_plenty for positive clutch actuation without loosening dentures on every shift. Lentech will fine-tune the line pressure depending on your car's combination and use.
the other is a cool subdued appearing Hurst ratchet shifter:
I'm hoping to get it to fit inside my factory console and ditch the hurst housing. I'm also hoping to put my stock mustang shifter handle on top and perhaps when I'm ambitious adapt the stock handle's lock out button to operate the OD switch. sneakyhe he he.
Most ratchet shifters look something like this:
with levers to lock out reverse and park or whatever. This one uses a lift -up on the lever lockout. again, sneaky Of course you can leave it in drive (or OD with the elctric switch) and not bother ratcheting.
Looking to sell the truck anyway, i got to get something that doesn't eat 8 gallons of gas upon startup
http://www.madmaxswitch.cjb.net/