66 Monaco Wagon Preservation

The compressor is clattering like an SOB. It worked perfectly right up to the end so everything was working fine. Unfortunately due to a well insulated cabin and my lousy hearing I did not hear it until it was too late.

If it was still running R12 and you topped it up with 134, that is likely what happened to your compressor. 134 doesn't play nice with the R12 compressor oil.

Kevin
 
If it was still running R12 and you topped it up with 134, that is likely what happened to your compressor. 134 doesn't play nice with the R12 compressor oil.

Kevin
No, it had already been converted to R134A, I imagine it was a combination of a very old compressor sitting unused for too long then me forcing it back into service...
 
It`s always good to see a station wagon getting a fair amount of pure love. You are doing a very good
job to preserve yours.
 
Finished up the carb last weekend. Found the floats were not moving freely, wound up putting back the original floats and needle-seat assemblies. Float levels were right on. I put the carb back on and it ran better but was missing, so I replaced the spark plugs. The old ones were seriously gas fouled, no surprise, now it runs good. I also put the old choke unit back in, it connects without binding but does not open all the way when warm so I disconnected it again. Drove the car, what a difference! I'll drive it a while like that and hopefully burn out some of the carbon slowly, but I will have to revisit the choke before winter.

Overall I'm not happy with the Daytona kit. They were very helpful on the phone but the kit had issues with missing and incorrect gaskets plus their needles and seats did not work for me, IMO not worth the price.

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I took the wagon for a longer drive yesterday including some freeway time. it does cruise nicely at 70-75 with those 2.76 gears. The ride is very nautical and it really bounces on dips in the road, my to-do list includes new sway bar rubber in front and new shocks with helper springs in the back, I may also tighten the torsion bars a turn or so and see if that helps. One thing I have to add to the list - I have no kick-down passing gear so will need to look at all the linkage.
I also took some new photos...

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She looks wonderful!

Do not delay in checking the transmission linkage, as a maladjusted kickdown setup can toast a 727 in short order.

Take it to a place that knows 727s or do it yourself as per the factory service manual.

As you likely know tightening the torsion bars a turn or two will raise the front end - not possibly to the advantage of the car's stance.

What's the device on the left corner of your dash?
 
Car looks fantastic! 2.76 gears with a 383 4bbl in a wagon seem a little unusual, all things considered.

The rear load-leveler shocks might not stiffen things up too much. The closer-wound coils in the middle are the "soft" section and won't really help to add to what's already there, until the outer sections come into play, which are stiffer. HD shocks will work nicely, all the way around, from my experiences. The OEM Chrysler HD shocks, back then, were really Monroe Super 500s in a Chrysler box, but I ended up with Gabriel Striders on the front of the '66 Newport, set at the 2nd click from "base". It handled the drainage dips in Lubbock with no problem, at posted speeds.

On the '66, the kickdown linkage was "two turns preload with the carb at hot base idle". HAS to be at hot idle, lest that pre-load would be less than it should be. Adding two more turns will raise the part-throttle upshift speeds a little bit, which will make the car feel better at the same throttle. Aim for a 2-3 shift right at 28mph, with min throttle. Which should put it into "High gear" at 1000rpm, rather than lower. That's how I ended up with the '66 set with zero trans issues of durability and such. Probably put another 70k+ miles on it after I did that minor tweak.

As the earlier TFs had no part-throttle kickdown, I learned to do that manually in getting on freeways and such. Not as much throttle for more acceleration. Probably less heat in the fluid due to less converter slippage, too. When you drive it enough, you'll get the feel of what it likes!

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
Thanks CBODY67, 2.76 ratio was standard according to the fsm. I have the helper shocks on the car now but they are leaking and need replaced. I plan to adjust the kickdown band and set all the linkage per the fsm to start with then maybe tweak from there. The trans shifts very smoothly now with no apparent slippage.
 
Ross, you are correct as the part throttle kick down came to 71 models. In older Mopars the accelerator pedal must be pressed fully to the floor for a downshift.
 
I recall reading (after the p-t kickdown was introduced) that an earlier TF could be converted to such. Seems like it took a '71+ valve body and possibly a few other items? At that time, "major" transmission work (as it was more than just a fluid/filter change), to me. I just learned to pay attention to the feel of the car and did manual downshifts (3-2) to get onto the freeway in what I considered a more efficient manner at part-throttle.

I also remember reading that Chrysler engineers defended their prior position of no p-t downshifts. Only thing was that GM automatics had it and THAT was "the market leader" having it. Traffic was moving faster, too, as time progressed. PLUS, having to use WOT to get a downshift made the car feel less-powerful/less torquey, having to get that far into the throttle to get "action". No need for "passing gear" just to get on a freeway, typically.

CBODY67
 
I just found a 66 full line parts catalog. It's parts counter fresh with the metal covers and most of the divider tabs. If anybody needs a number lookup let me know.

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