I have a 67 Bird 400 convert. factory air w/a new Turbo 400. The old set up had a Holley with no kickdown. The new set up has a quadrajet but still no kickdown. I have searched high and low for the correct kickdown with no success.The bracket seems be just about unobtainalbe. Any suggestions?

I'm working on one that will mount near the gas pedal. You use an GM NOS Cutlas kickdown switch that cost about $20. I'll have pics in a week or so.

Here's a picture of the Olds switch. You can get them at www.oldsparts.com

Lokar has a nice one that mounts down at the tranny. I thought it was about $70. B&M is supposed to have another.

If you want to be strickly original - good luck. The switches come up on e-pay every once in a while.

I picked the gas pedal area so that the switch would last longer.
I think that's why there is a surplus of these NOS Olds switches. I didn't want to put any screw holes in anything when mounting so I'm using a clamp around the lower steering column. A 2 inch muffler clamp works perfect. I'm planning on using 3/4 angle for the arm to get it over by the pedal arm.

I too am kick-less and am anxious to see your set-up Jim, I like the idea of a gas pedal system too as long as its sturdy and it sounds like yours will be.

Randy

Oh yeah. It'll be sturdy. I build this kind of stuff all day at GM. Switches on brackets, lasers on brackets. They have to be rigid. This baby is real simple. Muffler clamp, short piece of angle with a bend in it and a switch. I tried a couple prototypes that were made of theaded rod and they were not simple enough and not rigid enough. The goal was: cheap, easy, and most important, using a switch that was made just for this application. Once I get it wrapped up you should be able to make one in a hour and only spend around $35.

I have been stuck on the idea of the original style electric kickdown mounted off the carb and that is where I can't find anything. I guess that I'll have to consider a pedal type instead. Thanks

there is a repo switch out there.it is not a very good quality part but it is 60 dollars and it mounts to the carb

Do you know who offers it?

I have been on the hunt for months on this subject. They are $200-$300 for a used one. 69firebirdman told me about the aftermarket one and it's at the Parts Place. I think it's a cobble of questionable quality with a switch that isn't really for that application. It doesn't look close to original. If you are going to put a switch near the carb that's not original you might as well go to your nearest auto electric shop and buy one of theirs cheaply. They will tell you it will have a questionable life span because of the heat of the engine.

Shunt,

it always depends on how stock you want to go... Perhaps I can help. I was looking for one of these kickdown switches for a long time, too. Finally found a good one. And discovered (and bought) a second one at ebay´s that looks very similar but not correct to the bone: the plug-ins on the rear side are not parallel but diagonal. I think this was the setting for all `65 Lemans with V8 engines & all `65 GTOs.










Apart from this minor difference as far as I can compare them they look identical.
Including s&h to Germany I paid $135 but still haven´t tested it. The mounting bracket that´s included should be correct for all 4 bbl Carter AFB but as far as I remember the correct one´s are still available at Ames or CI (look at the last pics, I documented some of my fresh bought "treasures" a while back...)





If you should be interested I can test the switch this weekend and can check once again where I purchased the brackets. There´s even a new plunger available from Chicago Muscle (not THAT cheap for $35) but I didn´t dare to bend open the diecast mantle...

Cheers

So, there are a bunch of these on eBay? This may have been a once in a lifetime find. I'm surprised the GTO guys didn't bid it to the moon.

B&M makes a "pull" type switch that can be made to work.

Shunt,

I didn´t get any reply from you so I suppose you´re not interested? Never mind, it´s only for knowing if I could pass it on to someone else if anybody should be interested...

But I´m in no hurry to get rid of it so take your time... Primarely I bought it to keep one in reserve in case the other one will show problems some day. Probably will keep it this way...

Thomas

That was quite the find. You could sell it right now for $300.

I don´t want to gain money on the expense of other FGF members... I know by bitter experience how tough it could be finding some rare parts. I´m no business man, I don´t make a living from selling ebay parts. I´m a Firebird enthusiast and I got a lot of help from members of this site. So I just wanted to give back a little...

I didn't mean that you would sell it here for a profit. If you would want to put it back on a car like the car of origin you could get $300 for it. I'm sure there are many 65 GTO's that need the correct kickdown.

Sorry that I have not replied quickly. I found this set up and I think that I'm going to give it a try. Thank you very much for your assistance and willingness to help.


http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/tech/hppp_060200_transmission_kickdown_switch_install/

Ley me know what your thoughts are, I'd love to hear some feedback

That is the B&M switch to which I referred earlier. It works. I just installed on my '68. I made an "L" bracket that mounted to the same bolt as the throttle bracket. I'll post a photo if you're interested.

Shunt's Quote, "Ley me know what your thoughts are, I'd love to hear some feedback"

The one Shunt shows costs quite a bit more than the under the dash version I'm working on. I'm leary of using a switch that wasn't meant for the application. Any switch on the engine will not last as long as one away from the heat and out of the weather.

I just finished roughing in my $35 kick down switch set-up. You can use this on all three years. I made it in less than an hour. The best part, I think, is that you don't have to alter anything. Not even any holes drilled in the car body for mounting. The bracket is made of a piece of angle iron. The clamp is obviously an exhaust clamp(2"). The switch is a real GM Turbo 400 kick down switch. They are available for $20 at
http://www.oldsparts.com/

Nice work Jim....and, its invisible from the normal angles of view.

Thanks. About the only thing you see is the bottom of the clamp around the column. It's really sturdy and simple.

Looks great Jim, Thanks for the good photos and thanks for being so helpful.

Thanks Randy. It would be cool to know that there are a few people who use this idea. I can't wait until spring when I get to try it out.

Yeah, I would like to see the bracket that you fabricated. Thanks.

Shunt,
There's a picture above. Do you need any more measurements? It's a piece of 3/4 angle iron trimmed and folded. Real simple to make. Trim half the angle off as shown and then fold the end at a 90. Mount the switch as close to the corner as possible. Mine looks a little rough but I only spent an hour on it. I made it simple for those who don't have a lot of time for fabrication. I made it cheap for those on a budget. I picked durable parts for those that want to get it done and not have to worry about tweaking it all the time. It should last a long time because it's not subject to engine heat or the elements.

Thanks Jim. This certainly looks like an efficient set up and I do appreciate all of the feedback. I make no illusions that I am knowledgable about this stuff and that is why I really appreciate all of the knowledge that is ahared.

You are welcome. Let us know if you go this route. I'm curious to see if anyone else does it this way and how it works out.

Very nice job, Jim.

Thank You.

This is what I went with:

That's the pic from HP Pontiac? Show us a pic when you get it installed and let us know how it works. I've heard about some problems with that set-up.

Jim, that is my installation. It seemed to work well but, car wasn't running exactly right so, I couldn't fully test it.

WOW You had me fooled. I thought for sure it was the one from HP with that Weber carb.

Thanks...I think. Thats an E'brock carb. It does look almost exactly lke the phot in the magazine. I have it.

How's it work with that spring? I heard that it may bounce. EDIT I see now that you haven't had a chance to test it.

Edelbrock must have started getting their cores from Weber. Mine says Carter on it. Unless it's because of the model you have.

Jim, I picked up the switch (like yours) can you clue me in on how to wire it? I suppose its pretty simple but any help for the electronically challenged (like me) would be appreciated.
Thanks again.