kickdown should not have 1inch gap. Once the throttle moves, within no more than 3/16ths, it should move the kickdown cable,and throttle and kickdown should hit their limits at the same time. If none of this occurs, then the alignment is off.
If it isn't releasing when you let off the throttle, then you have a bind somewhere. There should also be a return spring at the lever at the transmission. Factory kickdown would have this spring.
Yea I wondered about the spring. Lokar said NO spring at trans as the springs at carb should return it. I think it's my actual lever though, cause it really gets wedged at FULL throttle. Like it's hung up hard. I'll experiment after work.