Beretta.net

how's the progres on this car?

This hasn't been updated in 2 years by the OP and he hasn't even been on the forum in over a year... My guess is it's dead and did not ever get completed...

How many V-8 Berettas are collecting dust? Sadly, I can account for one... I think mine would have been faster to finish putting back together than the 3.4 DOHC build has become. At this point, I don't think I would even want to tackle an LS4 build, but then I know what "not much bigger than an L67" means firsthand... Still, somebody could do it... Please?

Guys it was a plan that got halted in the drivetrain phase, the two transmissions that may have made this really possible was primarily the NSX (5speed) tranny or turn it into a rear wheel configuration, but then at that point using the LS4 would be moot...




There was no GM FWD tranny imo that would have been successfully used on a modified LS4 turbo, so I am still in my ye'ol faithful...

Would be great to meet u if can bring this beast to bfest this yr. Depending where your from

Ohh, F40 six-speed goodness, sitting by V-8 betterness. Does this pic count as car-porn? Looks like an LQ1 hanging out in the background too, I can't tell from here if it is a pre-'96 like mine or an oval-port '96-'97... Doing an intake mod on it, or just have the upper removed?

I don't think the F40 would fit well in the bay with the LS4 unless you chopped-up the car anyway -mine barely fits with my modded L67 after milling-down the bell-housing... It would be an awesome car if it was made to fit though, with or without a turbo... Your Series III looks great already though, glad to see you are still around with it.

Rettax3 wrote:Ohh, F40 six-speed goodness, sitting by V-8 betterness. Does this pic count as car-porn? Looks like an LQ1 hanging out in the background too, I can't tell from here if it is a pre-'96 like mine or an oval-port '96-'97... Doing an intake mod on it, or just have the upper removed?

I don't think the F40 would fit well in the bay with the LS4 unless you chopped-up the car anyway -mine barely fits with my modded L67 after milling-down the bell-housing... It would be an awesome car if it was made to fit though, with or without a turbo... Your Series III looks great already though, glad to see you are still around with it.

Hi Rettax3...
Definitely car porn


the mildy massaged 3.4 DOHC in the background belongs to Steven Snyder; http://steventsnyder.com/cars/1988-pontiac-fiero/ yep it is pre-96 as well.

The F40 'fits' coupled with the LS4, like putting 10lbs of poop in a 1lb bag, doable but its a headache and I don't trust any FWD GM tranny behind an LS4 Turbo.

Thanks man, hardly drive the thing adult life is becoming too complex. Being try to change a fuel map now, its been 3 months...I just cannot find time!!
how are your projects?

nocutt wrote:Hi Rettax3...the mildy massaged 3.4 DOHC in the background belongs to Steven Snyder; http://steventsnyder.com/cars/1988-pontiac-fiero/ yep it is pre-96 as well.

The F40 'fits' coupled with the LS4, like putting 10lbs of poop in a 1lb bag, doable but its a headache and I don't trust any FWD GM tranny behind an LS4 Turbo.

Thanks man, hardly drive the thing adult life is becoming too complex. Being try to change a fuel map now, its been 3 months...I just cannot find time!!
how are your projects?

Overall good -too many of them though. Mostly focused on the '95 Z with the LQ1 turbo and 5-speed, which is coming along well. (Topic in 'General Discussion' "Finally..." if interested.) Some maintenance and tweaking on the '90 turbo 'Retta, and the Nothstar 5-speed Indy rebuild is maybe the next big project (after the old Plymouth gets the new engine finished, also the 5.7 Vortec / TPI hybrid build going into the 'Vert IROC with a Hurst WC T-5, fixing one of the daily drivers that actually broke down...). Then maybe I'll finally get back to some of the really fast cars.

That would have been cool to see a fwd v8 turbo beretta.

Have you thought about the fwd auto that came on the v8 impala and monte Carlo?

It would have but that would have worn out quickly...lol
The contemporary GM FWD auto tranny that would have had a snowball of a chance is the 4T80e. That however comes with its own unique caveat...
I am looking more at sustainability and not really wow factor, I was bummed out believe me. Someone with more $$$ and time can definitely look into such a project, it is cheaper than going RWD for sure...not sure the impact in the long run, now that is not to say if I get an NSX tranny I won't consider it...

Not being an auto fan myself, I am left wondering what your take is on an old Muncie/Getrag 284 -I have never found any specs on it so far as torque input limitations. I keep hearing that the F40 is the strongest FWD manual transaxle GM has offered (and at 400 NM/~300 Ft-Lbs input rating, even my GTU is pushing past those limitations), but if the 284 is being overlooked, that may not be correct... Any thoughts on it?

Fiero engine swaps I remember seeing online: 3800 SC's, 3.4's, LS's, HT4100's and I believe someone had a carbed small block. So I wonder what the fiero guys are using for transmissions on their v8 and higher hp swaps.

WhiteGTZ wrote:Fiero engine swaps I remember seeing online: 3800 SC's, 3.4's, LS's, HT4100's and I believe someone had a carbed small block. So I wonder what the fiero guys are using for transmissions on their v8 and higher hp swaps.

a Blessed 282? LOL

Glad to see you still have the car Nocutt... It would be sad to see that thing vanish since it has so much history. Sad to hear the LS4 swap didn't come together, but sadly that's how life is when you're working with the tiny Beretta engine bay...

There is a guy that is running a turbo LS4 in a W-body Monte Carlo, using a built 4T65E-HD trans. Why isn't that viable?

WhiteGTZ wrote:Fiero engine swaps I remember seeing online: 3800 SC's, 3.4's, LS's, HT4100's and I believe someone had a carbed small block. So I wonder what the fiero guys are using for transmissions on their v8 and higher hp swaps.

...And 350 Tuned-Port Injected L98s, injected LT1s, even a (IIRC 600-700 HP) turbo Northstar, I even saw a 455 Olds, but that had the Toronado FWD longitudinal transaxle still with it. Jon is right, typically they are using the 282s, but for automatics virtually anything is possible with a Fiero. Traction seems to be the limiting factor more than mechanical strength -and it should be even more so with a FWD Beretta. The main question isn't what transmission will survive that kind of HP, the question is how long can you use the engine's full potential before that driving style destroys the transmission. But why bother with 500 HP if you can't use it for fear of winding up on the back of a tow-truck?