Left Handed Skyhook? - Orig Owner Story and Option

[69LM1]

OK,

Just bought another 70Z. Forest Green, green interior. The car got here (the last owner drove it from Atlanta to me here in New Orleans!) and for a change, actually looked better than in the photos. 66k miles, gobs and gobs of paperwork to back it up, and literally, not a scratch on her. Everything works, down to the clock and the cigarette lighter. Only negative thing is the heads/solid lifters were changed out at some point, everything else is stock but the headers. Original block/water pump/alt/distrib. Original TH400.

So, in the paperwork I see phone numbers from some of the previous owners. Guy I bought it from was the third owner and had it for 2 years. I start calling the previous owner once removed. He has a mechanics shop in Ithica, NY. Nice guy, says he bought the car from a friend, who bought the car new at the chevy dealership where he(first owner) worked as a mechanic.

I ask about why the solid lifters and heads were changed. He stated that the original owner got married and the wife complained about how "loud" the Z was, so he removed them. He bought the car when the orig owner and his wife divorced. BUT, he knows the guy that bought the heads from the original owner. That guy also has a repair shop in Ithica, NY. So he gives me that guys number with a promise to send him some pics. He owned the car for many years.

I call that shop, and the guy says the heads are long gone, BUT, just so happens, that the ORIGINAL OWNER IS AT THE SHOP! Man, what are the odds? So, the original owner and I start to chat. He also wants some pics. He confirms the heads/lifters/cam change. He starts reminising(sp) on how the forest green looked different in the paint chip then in person, and how he almost refused the car when he saw the color.

Now, for the LH Skyhook question:

He tells me that the car has a 70 only special option. Can't remember the name, but states that if you put the tranny in low1 for a drag race, floor it, the TH400 will "automatically" shift to low2 when the tach redlines. However, you still need to shift it to low3 at "Oh, around 90 or so". Claims the only thing that could beat him back in the day was a local 70 Cuda.
I have not heard of this and was wondering if he was pulling my leg. You know, the "Go get me a left handed skyhook" kind of thing. I promised to send him some pics, and he promised to look for the original set of keys that he thinks he still has.

So, here I am wondering if I had the B@ll's to try this on a 60k original car. What the heck? Right? If you can't have fun, what's the point.

I take her out on a deserted road about an hour ago, and from a stop, in L1, punch it. Sure enough, at 6300, she shifts to L2 on her own!

So, am I in the dark? What was this called, and was it standard on the 70 Z's, or an RPO option? Either way, it's Coooooolllll!

Rich

[Casey Marks]

This is a trait of 400's known as "blow shift". Basically, it is a fail-safe from the engine grenading itself. It is not an option, but a safety mechanism for the engine and trans. In fact, it can be seen in 700-4R's too. I was driving a buddy's 427 4x4 truck with a 700 in it, and just put it to the mat until the trans upshifted. Blow-shift is the "trans guy" term. Still cool tho ...... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[sYc]

And if you stay in it, will do the same from 2nd to 3rd.

Some bracket racers never shift on there own, letting the trans do it for them, more consistant. But IMO, really takes the fun out of it. My theory is (not Rob's), shift when the beast quits pulling. Rob says that is what I tach is for. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

[WILMASBOYL78]

Left handed sky-hook..sounds like something from boy scout camp....we used to send guys out for a left handed smoke shifter or my favorite, a "100ft of shoreline" http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

wilma http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[69LM1]

[ QUOTE ]
And if you stay in it, will do the same from 2nd to 3rd.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have to try that one! Thanks Guys,

R

[Charley Lillard]

My understanding is 1970 was the first year for that in the Turbo 400's.

[Mr70]

It was and for ALL GM vehicles w/TH400,not just Chevy,regardless of their Horse Power.It also did help keep service replacements ("H" units) at bay.
I really like it behind the L-78.

[3macs1]

I think Rick you and Charley may have just saved a pile of 68/69 engines with TH400. Bad images in my mind. Ok they said 6300 lets try 6500 maybe 7000. Wow what a bang. Where is all the smoke and oil coming from.
For what it is worth I could never get mine to do it between 2nd and third probally the just the driver.

[1970Bluel78]

I thought that there were only Left handed Monkey Wrenches

[77Z28]

Congratulations on the purchase just time for Christmas. How about posting some pictures for the rest of us. Enjoy. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

Todd http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Bill Pritchard]

My friend Rick had a 70 L78 Nova w/ T400 brand new. He called it "Houdini" because it would do just as stated here. Pull the shifter (it had the floor mounted shifter with bucket seats & mini-console) down into low, nail it, and not only would the trans shift when it hit ~7K, but the shift lever would physically move up into the 2nd gear position http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[flyingn]

Yea every GM automatic that I owned including the 200's from the 80's did this..

[Kim_Howie]

The first trans. to do this was the t-400 in the Gibb nova's. My understanding They had extra clutch packs just for this. All trans before this you had to let off the gas to get them to shift.

[PeteLeathersac]

So aside from M40's as orig. equipment in a '68 & up w/ L78 or better, no other '65 to '69's had this feature...but all '70 & up M40's did? .
And what about the 6-bolt torque converter M40's in commercial trucks...would they have had this pre '70? .

Where I grew up (have I yet?) apprentices were sent for a "Long Stand" and you were told to be specific that a short one just wasn't sufficient and stress that you really wanted the longest one available! . It took a while sometimes but after standing there waiting and waiting, it usually clicked...if it didn't, the guy was a marked man! .
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
~ Pete

[Kim_Howie]

I think all 400t's in solid lifters cars in 1969 had them. They also had the 6 bolt converter. A lot of taxis had the 6 bolt conv. but it's not the same type.

[kenny M]

Hi there LOOOONG time lurker first time poster, My 68 SS 396 Chevelle L34 had this going for it although I never experienced the 2-3 shift my 72 Corvette did the same thing until I changed to a manual valve body. By comparison my Infiniti G35 sedan that I bought in the spring doesn't shift 1-2 in manual mode much to my suprise instead it bangs off the rev limiter ( fuel shutoff probably ) but wow does 6500 rpm ever come quick. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Musclecarkid]

Isn't this bang shift deal caused by the governor on the side of the trans just doing it's job? My TH400 did the same thing at about 5500rpms if left in low gear. Chirped the tires like a 4-speed. I know the Z28's and solid lifter big blocks had a different governor that shifted near 6500rpms.

[x Baldwin Motion]

my 04 5.3 (327?) silverado does that shift thing too. there is a switch on the shift lever for racing (has a picture of a trailer going up hill !!?) flick that on and get another 600 rpm's before the bang and chirp. hey, it's waranteed might as well stand on it !! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif Chris

p.s. pass that tube of elbow grease and the light bulb repair kit. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

[69LM1]

Here are some pics:
http://www.69lm1.com/70grnz

Man, a couple of friends were over last night, and I told them about this. Same reaction, naw, no way, bs. Took em for a ride one at a time, you should have seen the smiles. Ear to ear. Gotta try the 70 COPO now (it's a TH400 as well).

Rich

[Bill Pritchard]

Rich,

A bit more info from my friend Rick who had the Nova back in the day. He said that, although the shifter in his car did physically move when the trans shifted from 1st to 2nd, it was not really fully engaged in the 2nd (or L2) gear position. He quickly learned to move it fully into that position, because a couple times he did not move it, and when he let off the throttle, the car would violently downshift back into low gear.....such that the rear tires would lock up and the rear end would hop http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

I had a 400 turbo in a 55 Chevy,and it would shift into second by itself but you physically had to bump the steering mounted original powerglide lever to second then bump it aagain to third.The shifter never moved on its own.That is the first time I have heard of the shifter moving automatically but sounds cool! I love those 400 turbos,great trannies!I know that on the 55 I had about 5 or 6 times letting the 400 shift automatically I always had a pinion seal start leaking!I guess it was because when that baby did hit second gear it was a real neck jerker no telling what angle that stock rearend with 4.11 gears was torqued into when that thing hit.A short story here! I rebuilt all the front end and had a new engine built for my car and worked on it all winter one year!The engine builder was an OLD Dirt tracker and had built many many engines,so he built me one and did a bunch of his old racing tricks,some of them he wouldn't even tell me what they were and the engine sounded REALLY AWSOME! Well I really wanted to test drive it to see how it performed because it sounded SO GOOD! I was a little scared to get into it too much because of the front end steering being way out of whack.So I drive very carefully to the tire center had the OLD Gent that did alignments do it up right.They was all finished and on the way home is this little stretch of road that is really straight! and about 2 miles long! Well you guessed it I stopped held the brake slightly stomped the gas and away we went,the tach was buzzing 6800 and all of a sudden the 400 shifted! BAMN ,SCRAPE, BANG, BANG BOOM! I came to a screetching halt! The engine performed so well it completely wiped out the drive shaft.The shaft was twisted beyond repair,also the steel pinion yoke on the rearend was destroyed! The only thing any good was the yoke that slid into the trannie! I called my little brother ,he drove a big wrecker and hauled it home for me and took me to this little machine shop he knew of.I showed the guy the drive shaft,yoke etc and he laughed and said you must be running a good 400 turbo.For $175.00 I will build you a balanced drive shaft that won't break!He did just that,I had that old 55 until 1995 and In those 10 years I never broke a u joint,drive shaft or a yoke.But I did replace a few pinion seals.But it sure was fun when someone wanted to play a little and you were side by side until that 400 hit 2nd gear then the 55 started pulling away really hard and after 3rd most of the time I was well ahead.But a couple of times I picked on some cars that all I seen was taillights! I often thought about a 200 shot of that Nitrous stuff but I really like all engine!Sure do miss that old 55 it was a really fine looker and one hell of a runner.That old dirt Track guy really knew his stuff when it came to small block chevy engines.Now I need to find me someone like that to do a couple Mopar 340 engines! Need a really good stroked 340 for that Gasser out of Illinois coming in a couple of weeks!

Bobby

[69LM1]

Nice Story.

My shifter does not move. I still have to manually move it up.

Rich