After the "easy stuff" is done it does come to real pressure tests to see exactly what the governor is doing, and if the shift valve is hanging up. The very next thing would be to find a gauge and a long hose with a 1/8 npt fitting on one end and screw it into the governor test port and see what is happening.

As Owen indicates those other items also have to be right.

If whilst driving along you floor it, does it shift out of direct?

Two things I find over and over again on inoperative or intermittent overdrives:
the first is the contacts that Howard just showed. A few strokes of a point file will have them right. When you test one of those solenoids on the bench you about have to use a known good battery and jumper cables unless you have some bodacious good test leads. Plunger should jump out and stay out.

The second is that the relay on the firewall may click but because of internal resistance will not pass enough current to push the solenoid out. This is happening a lot now that the cars are 60 years old.

My first test is to always to jumper power to the solenoid terminal of the relay. You should hear the solenoid operate. That will tell you if the problem is on the power side or the control side of the system.

I say all that because the solenoids are expensive to replace and are seldom bad beyond those dirty contacts Howard pointed out.

That was great; I hope they find part II to put up.

OK, now I am confused. I thought you had the governor out of the trans? Round aluminum housing retained by two bolts with a couple of pistons and springs inside? That is what has to be painfully clean and pistons moving freely.

The governor is above the standing oil level in the trans so no need to drain.

Did you take the governor pistons and springs out and clean everything and make sure the pistons move effortlessly in their bores? Refer to the pictures Howard posted in your original post. Otherwise you may be disappointed. Yes, I always put all 6 screws back in, though it is a pain.

I have done this job in the car without cutting the floorboard many times. You are only removing the governor itself, not the drive which goes deep into the tranny. Though, if I recall even that drive can be removed and cleaned if the governor itself is removed first.

The whole job will go much better if you stop down at Sears and pick up a 1/4" drive socket wrench set if you don't have one.

Maybe you can get one of the young and agile teenagers in your neighborhood to get the cover on and off. Small fingers are pretty well a must.

Love it. Simple is good.

The governor spews some amount of fluid all the time so that is nothing to worry about. If there is fluid in that cavity it is probably because the level in the tranny is extra high, and that probably because the convertor had drained back into the tranny while sitting. Just let it run out, or run the engine for a few minutes before you start the job, or just jack up the back of the car significantly higher than the front.

I think we are all pretty well stunned with your undertaking and what you have accomplished. Hope you can get back to it soon.

Are you going with the power assisted rack and pinion steering they had planned also?

On the WGDs it is easy to check the metering rods, no gage needed:

I started to try to describe it, but it is in the manuals and only take a couple of minutes. Make sure the pump operating link is adjusted OK (operating lever level) before you begin.