Hey all, just got my car running again and finally had some work done to get some power out of it and threw a whole new exhaust system on the car. Now that it actually sounds like it should, I find myself tempted to start driving it by manually shifting with the 1-2-3 gear positions. My car is the auto 3spd th350, I haven't really driven the car by going manually through 1-2-3 outside of once or twice, I wasn't sure if the 2 and 1 settings on the auto are for just low gear for downhills etc. so I've left it alone. I checked my owners manual a while ago and remember that it stated "1" will just be first gear, "2" will shift automatically from 1 to 2 but will stay in 2nd, and "3" is the fully auto setting that I use normally, but don't remember anything saying it's okay or not okay to drive manually all the time. Before I mess around with it and break something I want to make sure this won't do any damage to the car if I start driving like this around town? Obviously stupid stuff like redlining in 3rd and trying to downshift to 2nd will do some damage, but if I'm just cruising around town manually up and downshifting will this have any ill effects or can the transmission handle it? Thanks guys! Glad to have the car back and actually being able to enjoy it.

 

No ill affects. I manually shift my 77 with TH350 often. Especially to down shift and rev past the normal auto shifting point dictated by the governor.

 

You guy's make me very happy I bought the one with the third pedal!
But yes you can manually shift your automatic.

 

Funny. I thought I was was the only one who did this. I found if you do it right and letting up between shifts with a loud enough exhaust (side pipes) it sounds like you have a 3rd pedal. Yes I wish I had a 3rd pedal!

 

Two with a shift kit and a high stall converter is pretty fun. Don't forget auto's get torque multiplication at launch. Helps to actually have some torque/HP and gearing behind it, not near as much with the anemic stock 180ish HP with a 3.08 read diff and stock stall.
If you want to make your stock motor more fun get a 2500 or better stall torque converter then some day get the rear diff up to 3.55 or even 3.73 if you can tolerate the RPMS at cruise. The 3.55 is a good middle ground.

I know my TH350 will do 90 MPH in second gear @ 6200 RPM. Lots of fun to shift into second @ 70 and stomp it up to 90 before I hit third.

I also know it'll do 60 in first. accelerate to 60 then shift to second rear end breaks loose going in and accelerates like a beast. Fun stuff.