So I am going to install. TH350 in my father’s 66 Cutlass that has a 330/ST300 2spd column shift. I understand the install is straight forward and have done trans replacements. The only thing I can not figure out is the kickdown cable. He has a 4barrel Quadrajet on his 330 with all the factory linkage. I don’t see how to hook up the kickdown cable to the throttle arm of the carb. There is no hole for it. See pics below. I know I can buy an aftermarket bracket and cable but not sure how it would attach or if the factory linkage would be in the way. Car is in FL and I am in NJ. He is brining it up for me to do the swap. Is there factory parts I can get from a later model?

Thanks,
Derek

 

I have done this swap. My 66 had the same dilemma. I chose to remove the kick down cable and have no kick down. Otherwise the carb base has to be modified to accept the sliding cable. The swap otherwise is bolt in.

 

I appreciate it but I am hoping some one can point me in the right direction. So it will be functional. Do you just downshift yourself when you need too? My father has a column shifter.

 

Yes I have the column shifter. Adjustments to that will be needed to go through all the gears. Yes I manually down shift it when needed.

 

There are a couple of ways to do this. The easiest is probably to get an aftermarket cable and bracket from a company like Lokar. Finding the correct lever arm distance for the kickdown cable might take some trial and error. Alternately, get a later Qjet that has the provision for the kickdown cable.

 

You might could check on a 67 Pontiac Lemans pedal assembly/kick down cable. The GTO's I think came with a TH400 and maybe the Lemans came with a TH350. I'm not familiar with Pontiacs, so I'm just guessing.

 

The TH350 didn't exist until part way through the 1969 model year.

 

Ok, thanks for the clarification. I know the 66 GTO's used a throttle cable unlike the Olds throttle firewall mechanism. It might could be modified to work.

 

Actually Olds also used the cable throttle on the 1966-67 cars with the I6

 

I appreciate the ideas! I previously found Lokar kit XKD-2350U but I am not sure if it will clear the factory throttle linkage as it sits and I have now way of attaching it to the throttle lever/arm on his quadrajet. I maybe able to swap out that with one that has a provision but I will have to get him to give me some more measurements and more pics.
Has anybody used the above kit on an Oldsmobile intake manifold to verify fitment?

 

Unlike a 2004R or 700R4, the kickdown cable technically isn’t needed with a 350 trans. It’s not required for durability, but it definitely improves driveability.

All that’s required is the kickdown cable is tight at WOT. How you accomplish this is limited only by your ingenuity.

Id start by finding a junk Q-Jet and either transferring the entire throttle arm (not the entire throttle shaft!) or just removing the stud for the kickdown cable. This would be an option if the throttle arm with clear the exhaust crossover of the intake.

My other brainstorm idea: use a kickdown cable from a 69-72 A body. It goes thru the firewall just below the existing throttle cable. All that’s required would be required besides drilling the hole would be to fabricate a bracket on the gas pedal.

I have used some Lokar stuff, in my opinion their quality leaves much to be desired. Their cables seem ok, I wouldn’t pay a dime for their dipsticks.

 

The 1966 throttle linkage doesn't work that way. The pedal is hinged on the floor and the arm that comes through the firewall only moves forward when you press on the pedal. On the 68-up cars the arm extends above the pivot point and thus is able to pull on the cable when you depress the pedal.

As for swapping the throttle arm, the arm is swaged to the throttle shaft, so you really do end up swapping the entire shaft. Personally, given the issues with the 1966 Qjets, just get a later model Qjet.

 

on my 72 350/TH350 I went with a Quick Fuel carb (a Holley-style platform) and had change out both my original throttle cable and the kickdown. Ultimately went with the Lokar KD carb-mounted cable and an OEM Buick Skylark 2-bbl throttle cable which was the perfect length (19.5") for my setup. The Lokar KD cable was a great option for me - I couldn't get the original pedal-mounted kickdown cable to adjust right or operate smoothly on that setup. I had to add an aftermarket carb bracket to align both cables to the carb.

Eventually I'll trim off the excess KD cable wire protruding forth of the mount - I didn't want to do that until I was sure of my adjustment setting.

So possibly similar mods may work for you if you swap out your carb to something newer, whether Qjet or Holley-style

 

Now that you pointed it out, I do recall the way the earlier cars throttle is set up. Obviously my suggestion won’t work.

As for the throttle arm, I have ground off the swaged part, transferred arms, and welded them together with success. If the existing Q-Jet needs work, then the later carb would be the better option.

 

I think I may have found a Lokar cable and bracket that will work. I am talking to the carb shop here about a later model arm that has the provision for the kickdown cable.

Derek