The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

Super behind on updates, I'm been very unmotivated to keep up on this, sucks when you let yourself get behind...

I am very happy with how the hood vents turned out, and they definitely pull some heat out of the engine bay! I also finally ran a true fender well intake while I was at it. ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

I picked up a Z spoiler/trunk as well, had to refinish it, but in the final stages the paint cracked real bad on the trunk, so I'll have to redo it again.

On the bright side, I refinished one of my fender lips from the tire damage from on the way to Bfest, and it turned out great! ImageImageImageImageImage

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

I've been busy working on this thing still, almost ready to break out for late Spring!

In the process of redoing the hacked up downpipes. 2.5" pipe, to 2" pipe, back to 2.5" again. The O2 sensor was WAY down the pipe almost half way under the body, so that's being fixed too. It'll be in the cross over pipe this time.

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I cut out the rust in the passenger rear fender and fixed that as well. It didn't turn out too bad, but still looks better, and the rust is longer there.

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I refinished the trunk as well. I wasn't happy with how it turned out the first time. It turned out better as well, I noticed a few wrinkles in the paint afterwards, but it's much more level too.

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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Rettax3
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by Rettax3 »

Nice work curing that rust! Hard to do there with all the compound curves and edges -looks nice though.

If you are mounting your O2 sensor in the cross-over tube, it won't provide ANY feedback regarding the rear cylinders... Overall not advisable. Better than nothing, but your old configuration might be superior in that regards -especially since it looks like you run a heated (HO2) sensor -so placement farther back in the exhaust-stream won't be as much of a problem. Keeping it closer to the engine is more critical on a one-wire sensor since it will have a harder time staying hot placed farther down-stream.

That Z spoiler really does look 'right' on that car -I still love the look of your Solar Wing too -I just haven't found one for a price I want to pay.


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

I really wish I didn't have the Pacesetter headers, and have contemplated MULTIPLE times on going back to ported manifolds. They're just a terrible fit, and the O2 sensor fitment was awful.

If it wasn't for them, it would be so much easier!

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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Rettax3
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by Rettax3 »

I could help you out with that... :wink: I could take them off your hands. :D I am so tired of building headers... :o

I've got two or three projects waiting for engine-side exhaust builds -3800 turbo in a Third Gen Trans Am (tribute to, not clone of, the '89 Indy Pace Car Turbo Trans Am -mine will be powered by a Series 3 3800 with a bigger turbo rather than the poorly breathing 3.8 SFI used in '89, and I'll likely use the 'turbo' hood rather than the vented style, I'm keeping the 'deluxe' Carmine Red interior instead of the Camel Tan used in all the TTA's, and of course I'm doing a five-speed swap too, all TTAs were autos). Second is my Yellow Indy, getting a Supercharged Series 3 3800 to give my modified Series 2 in the GTU a run for the money. No rush on the Indy as it still runs great with the stock 3.1MPFI. I've got Gen 4 F-Body factory manifolds that would make life easier on one of them, and stainless headers to adapt to the other build to help remove the last shred of my sanity. :crazy:

I thought Pacesetters fit fairly well? Pretty much all headers end up leaking, it is almost like, 'change oil, change oil, change oil and header gaskets...' :roll: Though the headers I made for my '90 Turbo 'Retta have yet to leak, I built those over a decade ago (wow! :shock: ). You could relocate the O2 sensor easily enough, just screw in a plug in the cross-over and weld in a new one in the downpipe... But if it runs good as is, it may not be worth the effort in the short run.


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

That's a nice laundry list of projects, haha. Props to having the motivation! Mine has been severely lacking these days.

I'm just thankful most of the exhaust leaks are now gone, haha.

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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woody90gtz
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by woody90gtz »

The factory MLS exhaust manifold gaskets for a 3400 worked awesome with the headers. I think Jon told me that - originally I used a graphite type gasket that was junk. I did find a leak on the stock gasket once, but I'm sure that's more from having the headers out a dozen times and reusing the gaskets over and over again. I did put a fresh set in with the WOT heads.


91 "SS" - WOT 3400/5spd - 13.29@101.6 - World's fastest N/A FWD Beretta
96 "T56" LS/6spd/8.8 RWD swap - 13.45@104.7 lol
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Rettax3
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by Rettax3 »

Copper might be the ultimate, I've got some I could try out someday. :roll: I used a ceramic fiber something or other on the '89 RS Camaro's 5.7 Police Special, they did last many years without leaking. Finally went after the car sat for several years then got driven cross-country. Bummer to hear the graphite gaskets aren't up to snuff, I think that is what I dropped in that car when the fiber gaskets went a couple of years ago -I would have to check to be sure.

@Whiteretta, thanks, but if I actually had the motivation, that laundry list would be half finished by now (and replaced by ten times more, I'm sure!). We just added things up, that Trans Am has been an ongoing project now for three years. Ugh. Didn't help that the original L98 350 TPI had cracked piston skirts to go along with its' ruined rod bearings -really not sure what the previous owner did to cause that damage, but it did ultimately help me decide to go the Turbo 3.8 route... :o


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

Man, finding the motivation is just as bad as finding the time. That's why I never seem to get anything finished. The last thing I want to do when I get home from work or have a day off, is to work on something.

I really need to fix my never ending exhaust leaks, I may change out the gaskets over the winter. I need to get the trans out for a rebuild, and I need to change the fuel pump... I just don't want to do that much work! That and I don't really have the money, haha.

And yes, 3.8 turbo swap FTMFW!

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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woody90gtz
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by woody90gtz »

Pat, some day you're gonna wish you spent your free time more efficiently. I had no idea how inefficient I was until I had a kid! haha


91 "SS" - WOT 3400/5spd - 13.29@101.6 - World's fastest N/A FWD Beretta
96 "T56" LS/6spd/8.8 RWD swap - 13.45@104.7 lol
GEARHEAD dezign youtube
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

Man am I behind on updates.

Nothing new visually, but fought a bad fuel pump all spring, then fought a bad crank sensor over the summer.

Making my list of winter projects for the car already...

- exhaust leaks (still)
- front wheel bearing
- properly machine rear spindles (they're off a little bit and it drives me crazy)
- rear wheel bearings (bought cheap ones, the ABS sensor fell apart on one)
- install A/C (it's all missing)
- front calipers

We'll see how much I get through! [emoji1787]

Oh, and I did get a good shot of the car this year as well.

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1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

Quick yearly update! 🤣🤣

Spent this year refinishing the rest of the exhaust with another new setup, added a high flow cat and replaced the old eBay muffler with a Flowtech Terminator, I'm not fully sold on if I like the muffler or not since it broke in, but whatever. I also finally did new front wheel bearings, and pulled the trans to start a 5 speed swap over this winter. Swapping in a Getrag 282!


1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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whiteretta
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by whiteretta »

Uploaded my exhaust video from Spring, good Lord how I missed that I don't know!

https://youtu.be/wo29rOym2r4?si=SkIv6L_eBjhp5aMz


1994 Chevy Beretta, mild 3500 swap.
https://youtube.com/@MurphRocks86?si=mpCQc0DnEitPx3Jg
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Rettax3
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Re: The Derretta, 1994 base with some attitude.

Post by Rettax3 »

whiteretta wrote: Sun Dec 31, 2023 1:41 pm pulled the trans to start a 5 speed swap over this winter. Swapping in a Getrag 282!
YES!! Now it will be a real car! Haha. :wink: Still like that car of yours, every time I see it there is something 'fresh' about the looks, yet familiar too. I guess that is what makes the car's styling (and the details you have added!) 'classic'. Yeah, I guess I'm still hooked on these cars, oh well. :Rose: :pardon: Keep on-a-posting for us addicts, please.


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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