FE / Cruiseomatic linkage problems

I am putting together a 390 and cruisomatic combo in my starliner and have run into a problem. I am using an older Weiand intake, probably around '65 era and a n Edelbrock carb. I had the throttle linkage / trans linkage bracket from the original 352 and thought I would re-use it since the Weiand intake had the mounting pad with correct bolt holes. It appears that the mounting pad is almost an inch higher that the old one. I redid the accelerator connecting link, and adjusted the carburetor connecting link as the book instructs, but the throttle control rod did not reach. I bent the throttle control rod upwards some and lengthened the clevis and now it reaches.

My problem now is that with everything hooked up the lever on the side of the trans bottoms out at just about half way to WOT. I think when I bent the throttle control rod to have a steeper angle it now has more travel on the trans lever.

Before I go bending more stuff, has anyone else had this problem? what solutions are there?

oh, I also checked a stock carb, and the distance from the throttle shaft to the linkage hole is almost exactly the same, so in theory I shouldn't need any more travel than what the stock linkage was capable of.

 

I have mine mounted on the firewall, no pics though. It's a 63 Mercury with Edelbrock Performer intake. If my memory serves me well, I'll try to take a snapshot tonite.

 

I did a customer job a few years back with same intake and same problem. It was not the first time I had dealt with this issue. I just could not fine tune the kick down and make it right. I ended up removing the intake and milling the mount down to factory height. Ended the problem. I know it's not what you wanted to hear.
The Wizzard

 

Yeah, I was afraid of that. I did find out last night that I have further compounded my problem by using the '62 T-bird transmission too. It has a vacuum modulator that the '60 model didn't, so the kickdown level has less travel as well. On the flipside, it is only a kickdown switch now, so fine tuning is not necessary, it just needs to be engaged at the right time. I'm going to try and mill out a sliding block type thing like a progressive linkage.