413 sooner downshift with manual shifting

I have a rebuilt trans in my shadow with the basic part upgrades, clutches, steels, bands and whatnot. The car is used for ice racing on a oval track in the winter and may try it on the pavement this summer. The problem I'm having is getting the car to downshift earlier from second to first? I'm manually shifting the trans into 1st but it doesn't go until the RPM's drop. Is there a way to do this without going to a manual valve body? Right now when it downshifts the rpms are around 3500-4000. I'd like them to be up over 5 for more engine braking as the brakes start to fade towards the end of the race and that's in the middle of winter with snow and ice flying around for cooling.

Any of you Auto trans guys have any idea on this one? I may just go to a RMVB but I was hoping to save the money for other projects.

You want it to downshift with the gas pedal, right? You can try messing with the TV cable adjustment otherwise I don't know what to mod to affect it. Maybe PM Chad Kilback.

Mainly I'm looking for it to go into first earlier when coming to the corner after the straight. I might get up to 80 in the straights and then down shift when coming up to the corner. Right now when the trans downshifts it only brings the rpm's up to 3500 or so. I like it to down shift earlier to get more engine braking. I have no idea if it's possible.

I don't think it is without modifying valves etc. Chad might know.

That's pretty much what I was thinking

The standard Cheetah RMVB doesnt have engine braking in 1st either. The RMVB I have from Chad does and is reversible meaning you can change it to no engine breaking with a simple mod to the VB

One of the shift kits you can get cheap has an option to go full manual with the stock pattern and might address the issue you're having. I have installed the kit but never attempted the full manual option.