Functioning ram air??

[coryh8504]

Well..I was left alone in the shop today...decided to get a start on the beretta build.

After a 6 pack and staring at the trans am..my brain decided to go "let's make a ram air duct" and I grabbed a welder, a cutting off wheel and proceeded to cut a hole in thr fender.

It's a hard start of design, I am making it functional, it will serve a purpose.

I might get some hate from the other members..oh well.

I just felt it needed some induction help.

And most importantly..I was left unattended..

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[woody90gtz]

Dare to be different, man.

I did a similar thing with my Camaro. It had an existing fender vent to let heat out...I just enlarged it a bunch.

[coryh8504]

I'm doing the hood vents next.

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[snowblindburd]

Hey that's pretty cool! I love seeing unique modifications. Whether or not people like it is highly subjective, but I appreciate anyone willing to get out there and modify their cars to their taste and to try new things.

Looking forward to seeing your updates!

[coryh8504]

It's something I've wanted to do for a while. Just got lazy and life got in the way. There are plans for this car. All the little details are for a reason. I'm currently trying to find a red color that I like, I can't repaint it factory red. I might spend some time in the mixing room to create me own color.

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[Rettax3]

I can't even pretend to hate on that. My '90 Turbo 'Retta was supposed to get fender vents for hot-air extraction from the intercooler -before it got a massive FMIC instead.

Honestly, the Z04 body kit (GTZ and Z-26) feeds a LOT of air pressure there already, from underneath at the nose up into the fender in front of the splash-guard and in from the big hole there normally under the airbox. But I too supplemented my Z-26's airflow there with a NACA-style 280-Z hood-scoop.

A divider plate (not installed in this pic) separates the intercooler/intake area from the turbocharger and the rest of the engine bay. This keeps the air fresh and cool here. The hood-scoop has a 'vented' area behind the scoop to allow the hot air a place to rise out, so it does good providing both in and out breathing for the intercooler.

For me, it is not just fresh air for the intake, but also cooling air for the intercooler, but regardless, more isn't worse here, for sure. Looks like your cuts were pretty clean too, so that helps.

[coryh8504]

I'm just jealous of that engine swap. These engines aren't easily found anymore. I've tossed out the LS swap idea. Can't bring myself to do it. Want something more tame. Maybe a little 3400 swap. I'd like to drop a 3800 swap..but..again..finding all the parts. And then tuning and getting stock trans to work well with it.

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[Rettax3]

I'm just jealous of that engine swap. These engines aren't easily found anymore. I've tossed out the LS swap idea. Can't bring myself to do it. Want something more tame. Maybe a little 3400 swap. I'd like to drop a 3800 swap..but..again..finding all the parts. And then tuning and getting stock trans to work well with it.

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Thank you. I would say don't be jealous, just based on the amount of work it took (actually it probably wasn't that bad, except for my insistence on keeping the wiring 'clean'), but considering how many people talked about the swap over the years, how many people said it 'can't fit', etc, etc and how blasted quick the car is, sure, be a little jealous! But seriously, a 3800 swap is just as fun (in a slightly different way) and is FAR easier. Just keep the factory tune on the 3800's PCM, can't it run the transmission right? You could even rig a 7x "crank sensor", duplicate the other essential engine sensors, and just piggy-back the PCMs: the original to run the transmission, the 3800's to run the engine. Seems like a hard way around it to me, but it could get the job done... These days, a 3500 swap is easy enough with add-on 7x "crank sensor" emulators, and otherwise bolt right in. I wouldn't mind tackling a 3900 swap some time either, I just don't see much advantage over the 3800, and am not convinced that the engine is as durable either. Still, it would be interesting to see.

[coryh8504]

I dropped a 3800 sc into a fiero. But they make kits for them. My step dad keeps saying to just 3800 swap the car. I haven't been around these mechanically to know all the ins and outs of the swap. Newer stuff..sure..the older cars..not as much. They just before my mechanical times.
We have the same (ish) transmission 4t65. So it should bolt up in theory. Then its dealing with guages and other stuff. If anyone had done it...and wants to pass on the technical write up..and step by step "guide" I would appreciate it.


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[Rettax3]

I had one back on Bstuff, the other Beretta owners group /enthusiast site, but that belly-uped several years ago, and everything was lost. A year or two later, my computer was stolen, so away went MOST of the write-up and the info. When I settle the Series III SC I have into the Yellow Indy, I'll try to get some decent pics of that and post a write-up, but I will be converting the car from the older three-speed TH125C automatic to a five-speed manual at the same time, so not everything will line up for you. I will say however, that compared to the swap I did in my '89 GTU, yours would be a little easier, because you have the newer style quick-connect fuel lines, like a 3800, and you have the option to run the 3300 mounts from a mid '90s Grand Am, which should bolt that engine right into your car, my GTU did NOT have that option as the older Berettas used a totally different engine mount system...