Beretta.net

I've been asked thru the years to make shift cables for the FWD GM cars like the Beretta. It has been a while but again someone asks that I make them. I have to have 300 of each made per batch. Would I ever sell 300 pair??

The one problem that is not hard to overcome is how the cable ends attach to the trans arm and the shifter arm. There are a few variations. I would make them with an eyelet and make a conversion pin. One would remove the factory pins and bolt or weld in my conversion pins. It has been a while since I have looked at this but how about how the cables attach to the shifter and trans? That could be a problem if there are variations.

I'm in the Milwaukee area and hope to maybe get to the Beretta fest this summer.

Thank you,
Rodney Dickman
rodney@rodneydickman.com
www.rodneydickman.com
7604 Treeview Drive
Caledonia, WI 53108
Phone/Fax 262-835-9575

Well if you would have started selling them 10 year ago, 300 would have been easier, most of these 30 year old cars are scrapped now..

There are at least 2 variations in Beretta's, I can maybe provide some photos later if i still have both on my inventory.

I'm sure that could be dealt with by using screw-on exchangeable ends for example. There are also some variations in the length, but I think they will all work if changed in pairs.. Or again threaded ends so length can be adjusted.

I just modified the trans end of my shift cable, but I think it would be easy enough to make it universal. Length variations would probably be more of a problem because the variation would be lb the center and not on the ends. I've got cut to length throttle and ebrake cables from Lokar that are nice, but that is flexible the whole length of the cable, not solid rods on the end like the shift cables.

There are certainly some challenges, but I'd be interested in a pair.

I agree, Getting 300 pairs to sell would be quite difficult with the group we have now. It would be nice to see you make it out to Bfest as well just so you could see what our group is about and maybe get a better understanding of these cars and the cables people are asking for.

If people really want these though, then you guys need to step up and get some sets that you know work on your cars and document them... Length, ends, connections... everything... Get this info up here so we can figure out if something can be universally made to help us out. This seems to be the #1 complaint about 5-speed equipped cars.

Well, at least we are having the discussion. That's a good start in my book. This group has become incredibly resourceful in terms of developing products and fixes for our cars over the years as GM supply has dwindled, but shift cables are something we have not yet found a good aftermarket source for.

I am very interested in what it would take to get these made. The single largest gripe I have about my car is the sloppy shift field. My cables aren't broken, but they definitely have more play than they should. I would most definitely be a buyer assuming the price was reasonable.

I know it's extremely early in the process, but do you have a ballpark figure in mind for each set? Just curious. If they are reasonable, I know myself and many others that might be interested in having more than one set.

I'm sure people have already mentioned this to you in inquiring about having these made, but as far as I understand, any of the late 80s, early 90s FWD GM cars utilize a similar cable so maybe we can get some of those owners involved as well

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you at Beretta Fest in June.
- Brian
93 GTZ

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

There is a guy on the Oldsmobile Facebook that is selling Isuzu adaptor bracket for the getrag 282 tranny, the bracket is about $50.
I assume that there is an abundance of Isuzu cables available?

I dug up the old shift cables I still had,




All but one should be from 90-91 Quad4 cars, witch I have also used with a V6 with no issues.
The one with the thicker end is from 93 2.2 Isuzu trans.

I can provide measurements if needed, but again none of these is in a new condition.

Years ago one member had 3 sets of VERY heady duty cables made at California Push and Pull, I payed top dollar to get one of those sets for my car. I can tell you shifting still ain't smooth, I do also use Rodney Dickmans shifter rebuild kit. It's just the Getrag isn't smooth shifting design to begin with, but off course the cables made a significant difference to worn ones.

Edit: found a picture comparing the 90-91 and 93 shifters I had:

Rodney,

The shift cables in the Beretta's went through quite a few changes from 87-96. Depending on year, and engine, they had a different configuration of ends. Here are a few "facts" that I can speak for from my experience:

87-89 cars appeared to use just about the same cables, no matter then engine.
Shifter design changed in 90, and different cable ends happened.
Shifter design changed again in 91. Different shift cable design was used, but it had the same connector style on it (they were just an updated manufacturing technique).
Starting in 93, they changed the shift cable to be a larger bushing style, however depending on if it was the V6 or the I4, it got a big bushing on one end, but not the other (typically V6 had this), and then I4 used the same larger bushing on both sides. The selector cable remained the same.

I haven't done much work with the old cars, but I do know that it appears that all of the 91-96 cars used the same cable lengths, and other than the manufacturing difference on the cable ends starting in 91 (you can see my pictures, which are of 92 Quad GTZ - the ends are white, but they have the same sort of plug on them and will work on the shifters) all of the years seemed to use the same selector cable - it was only the shift cable that changed. Also, I haven't had any issues swapping cables between years, since the cable points on the transmission are removable and you can swap a shifter in from whatever year your cables are from and it will work.

I think it would be pretty simple to design a cable which would work in all 91-96 years (and likely in the 87-90 as well) which just requires custom end pieces to be added to the shifter as you had mentioned. Hopefully that makes sense.

Let me know if it doesn't.

i'm sure a collaboration with w body and j body guys would yield a few more sales. if indeed you could get away with just making the longest length cable, and it isn't troublesome on the car that originally came with the shortest... would be great to have a set to fall back on, likely mentioned, we're at the point of modifying other stuff to make things work in some cases now on these cars.

I can have a smaller amount made. Price would be higher. Probably like $110-$120ish each. But they would be top shelf. I think I'm going to maybe make up a web page showing how to measure them. Once enough submit these measurements I'll look at this again. Possibly I would have them made with threaded ends and add the end fittings. If all that can add to this please do. Pictures of the cable ends and the pieces they attach to on the shifter and transmission arm. The ones that press on will need to be changed to a pin with a hole. I would make bolt in pins. Grind the back flush and hammer it out. Bolt in the new pins. I doubt I can reproduce the press on ends. I can but the cost would be way too high.

These also fit other cars like Grand Am's. So there might be some other demand.

Thank you,
Rodney Dickman
www.rodneydickman.com
7604 Treeview Drive
Caledonia, WI 53108
Phone/Fax 262-835-9575

I worked on this a little yesterday. I started on the design of the replacement pins for the shifter and trans arms. I have a run going in my lathe but that should be done in a few days. Once done I'll machine a few of these pins. I'll take some pictures of a cable showing how to measure it and we'll see how many variations there are. With the replacement pins all the cables will have an eyelet. So the cable ends are of no concern.

Thank you,
Rodney Dickman
www.rodneydickman.com
7604 Treeview Drive
Caledonia, WI 53108
Phone/Fax 262-835-9575

If I make these I'll be looking for some shift arms on the trans so I can design the replacement pins for the trans arm/lever.

Rodney

I know the shift arm is a square hole, I believe the select is too. I welded a nut on mine, but lathing a new pin/stud would make installation a lot faster and easier.

http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic. ... start=1560

I think you are probably right on the levers on the transmissions. They probably all have a square holes. Both shift and select.

I have a part for that:

http://rodneydickman.com/catalog/produc ... cts_id=322

The one with the pin.

Rodney Dickman

Rodney,

Here is a picture of the pin on the transmission side. These appear to be the same from 91-96 for the "small" cable ends. The "large" cable ends use the same style, it's just a larger diameter where the cable connects (but it has the square bottom with threads just like this). These are the same style for both the shift and selector.