TH350 manual valve body

[derrick79]

What does everyone think of running a manual valve body? I was thinking about possibly putting one in my truck. My th350 is slipping and I need to rebuild it and I thought it would be kinda cool to have a manual valve body in there. It is just a street/bush truck so its not like I need one. Any thoughts?

[Psycho71]

 It's all personal preferrence. If you like driving a standard transmission, it pretty much the same, except no clutch. I have a manual valve body in the th350 in my '71. Using the ratchet shifter it's not too bad. But I would not do it with a column shifter, overshifting would be too easy without a positive stop like the ratchet shifter provides.  In fact, I have considered having it taken out. Shifting up and down can get on my nerves a bit at times.

[derrick79]

It's all personal preferrence. If you like driving a standard transmission, it pretty much the same, except no clutch. I have a manual valve body in the th350 in my '71. Using the ratchet shifter it's not too bad. But I would not do it with a column shifter, overshifting would be too easy without a positive stop like the ratchet shifter provides.  In fact, I have considered having it taken out. Shifting up and down can get on my nerves a bit at times.

How was it installing a ratchet shifter? I would be a little nervous about cutting a hole in my cab. But that would definately be more desirable than running up and down on the column.