I have to agree...the kickdown cable is right in the way and somewhat fragile when old. what can happen is the sleeve breaks but the wire cable stays attached. The problem is that this effectively changes your kickdown adjustment by a couple of inches !

Happened to me doing the same thing. BAP/GEON has a replacement at about $70 but it reqires dropping the transmission pan (need seal kit) see haynes manual. It will be messy and you will lose fluid but not all of it...in fact that is what most people call an ATF change. I highly recommend that you buy the very inexpensive ATF change kit that IPD sells and do a complete flush once you get this fixed...nobody seems to do this simple, critical service that keeps your automatic alive!

In my case I had just bought the car and the ATF looked dark and I had the common hard shift from 1st to 2nd. I flushed the trans completely with Valvoline High Mileage ATF---drove it on a 700 mile trip then did another complete flush to Mobile One ATF...even my wife noticed the improved shifting!

Unfortunately on my last trip the heater core dumped and at night I had to make the bypass in a parking lot. Since the cable is a lot like an old bike brake it did seperate...170 mles from home.

My quick fix was- to go to Lowes(or Home Depot)and buy a 3 foot piec of aluminum "c" channel -- like a square tube missing one side--- with an inside channel of aprox. 3/8". Enough that the offending cable and shield could be forced inside... cut a length about 5-6 inchs long.

Then bought 6 -1/2 inch screw worm style clamps...I had some spare vaccum line already.
So...force the cable into the channel (leatherman is nice) with the rubber line to act asa wedge/cushion on the ope side---which faced outward toward driver.

Mount all clamps... need to force the channel just over the edge of where it mounts to the intake (and has its adjustment) be careful to not over do it.
Thighten the clamps most of the way spread the distance...bring the whole deal into a straight line between where the cable mounts and the firewall...then tighen the hell out of the clamps keeping everything lined up. It helps if one clamp actually stradles where the channel covers the cable entrance to its adjustment on the manifold.

If you have done this right it should be pretty firm and straight.
Now you will have to adjust the kickdown point (haynes manual) as the exact geometry of the cable and adjuster has changed somewhat.

Sounds crazy but worked for weeks until time available to replace the cable properly and top off with Mobile One ATF.

760 Turbo gle wagon