Actual 1966 TH400 vs PG column differences?

[HOTFUN]

Well luckily during the winter, I was rewarded after I traveled 400 miles to capture my 66 C20 Custom Camper with factory air but more rare with the factory original turbo 400 complete from column to the linkages to the brake cables. I have been taking this apart carefully as a rare piece of history, piece by piece, and comparing it to my original 66 C30 327 PG truck donor. Way more differences than meets the eye. All this will be restored, rebuilt, and installed just as the factory did on the line built C20 into my bare 66 C10 swb frame. I have the T400 crossmember and park brake cables all refit and relocated for the dry run on the swb frame. Fit just like it was factory installed but why wouldn't it since they actually made it on the 67 115" frame using the same brake cables.

Pictured is what blew me away that it wasn't just a shift indicator dial addition for the T400 line installation but the actual column shift tube and detent plate was totally different. Of course they also used a different neutral safety switch with BU too.
Check the picture of the detent plate comparisons between the turbohydramatic 400 column on the LH side to the powerglide column on the RH side. The linkage arm on the LH side TH 400 is actually 5/8" longer and a different angle which must work with the swing arm swivel linkage that mounts about straight below in the frame channel on the TH 400 truck.

Thought some of you fellow purists my enjoy this information.

[MusicMan70]

HotFun, school me a bit here please.

1966 was the first year for the TURBO 400 in these trucks?

[HOTFUN]

This was the first year as an option only on C20 models according to the GM dealer data book. Otherwise the only automatic available on the 1966 trucks was the 2 speed powerglide. Wonder if it were possible to have the zone office overide the order for a special to get this into other models?

[Clyde65]

I didnt know they were TH400's I thought they were different, they were called Turbo Hydromatic transmissions and were a 3 speed upgrade to the PG. I could be mistaken ( Im used to that actually)

[Rich 5150 69]

You might want to document this and to which plant it was built at to see if this was a plant issue, or model change, the TH400 did come out in `65, there was one person that had one, and I`m not sure if it was this site or another claiming to be a `65 Custom Camper, was his actually built that way or a registration issue, I don`t know, I `ll have to search for it, it would be nice to see if they built the Custom campers at one plant only.

[sodly]

My 66 CC was built at the Fremont, CA plant.

[LostMy65]

Stumbled across this thread.
I kinda wondered what all the differences were.

[rustbucket66]

Wow, that is a very rare piece there. I knew some of the 3/4 tons had Turbo 400's in them, and I always wondered what the column might look like. Up here there are VERY few automatic trucks C10 or C20. I found one and bought the whole truck to get the column, the powerglide itself, correct driveshaft, crossmember, rad with the cooling lines, and shift and kickdown linkages. Not much left of the truck after, was a basket case pretty much already. There are basically no automatic trucks up here, and that 3 speed column and equipment is super rare. I think the kickdown on the T400s is electric also with the switch at the gas pedal, not a linkage. Some cool stuff you have there, and the differences are interesting, especially when they are side by side like that.

[cru_zn_29]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

I didnt know they were TH400's I thought they were different, they were called Turbo Hydromatic transmissions and were a 3 speed upgrade to the PG. I could be mistaken ( Im used to that actually)

Are you thinking of the Turbo Glide better known as Trouble Glide. They didn't go over very well.