Beretta.net

It's been really hard to find a 5-speed Quad 4 GTZ like I want. They all seem to be 3.1 autos so I was wondering if anyone here knows anything about swapping out the 3.1 auto for a manual 5-Speed Quad 4.

I have searched the forum with little results so if anyone has ever done this or knows someone who has done it let me know. I'd like to talk to them.

I haven't given up my search yet and would only consider this a last resort if it is possible.

The 5-speed swap has been done many times and it is well documented.

Rodney has a 3500 swapped 5-speed Beretta sitting in my garage that started as a California original 3100 auto.

Barry also has a 3500 swapped 5-speed Beretta.

Woody has a 3400 swapped 5-speed

Geoff Morrow has a 3400 swapped 5-speed

Kurt has a 3400 swapped 5-speed

And the list goes on.....

All these cars started out as 3100 autos.

As far as swapping a V6 for a Quad, that is a little more complicated and probably not worth the aggravation.

Kurt and I had 3.1 MPFI cars, mine was a factory 5spd and his a TH125. But Geoff, Barry, Chris, Mike, DaGuze, McGavin and probably some more I'm forgetting did complete the 4t60e to 5spd swap.

Marc: For what it's worth, and this is only my opinion, I enjoy a v6 5spd much more than the Quad4 5spd I used to drive. If you want a GTZ, buy the nicest one you can find and worry about the drivetrain last. A 5spd swap is not that difficult, certainly less difficult than restoring a car with the drivetrain you want that has not been taken care of. And I'd assume you'd be happy with a happy with a 5spd, be it either Quad or v6.

I agree with Woody.

Look for the best car, insofar as rust and paint etc.

Engines and trans axles can be made to fit, however if you start with a rust pile, you will never stop fighting it.

The problem is they are getting harder and harder to find. The last Beretta was buillt almost 15 years ago, and even at that the last two production years were pretty small.

Thanks so much guy's!

I found a 94 Z26 that is white and looks like it only has rust in the front corners of the door jams. It's 3100 Auto. I could start with that and like you said, worry about the drive train last.

I would be very interested in swapping in something other then the Quad 4 like a 3500. I would probably lean towards whatever is easiest.

Sir Cranky wrote:The 5-speed swap has been done many times and it is well documented...

Is there any way you could give me a link to the documentation or should I just try looking there name up and sending them a message?

I'm really excited tonight after seeing the white Z26 and hearing that a V6 5-Speed swap is very do-able!

Just don't read into it that the 5-speed swap is easy weekend project though. It does require cutting the old transmission mounting points off and welding in the correct 5-speed ones.

Door jam rust is the first sign of disaster.

What you see is only the tip of the iceberg as it starts inside and finally shows up in the door jam.

Any visable rust in that area would require a very thorough check of the rockers. They are probably rotten. And I'll bet the rear spring perches and shock towers are rotted too.

Plus a '94 is OBD 1.5 and untunable, and while a 3400 will run pretty good on the stock tune, a 3500 is a whole different story, and that can get expensive in a hurry.

And a Quad swap into that thing borders on financial suicide.

Just find the car you want and buy it, and quit dreaming of making something out of nothing for cheap.

Yup, these cars rot from the inside out. The unibody "frame rails" collect all the water, salt, etc. and eat away because they are nearly impossible to try and clean. If you can see any visible rust bubbling, it is much worse than you would think. Take a very good look at the rockers and the cross brace between the rear springs...they are probably real ugly.

Thanks for the tips woody90gtz, some good advice there.

Does anyone have any links with more info on swapping the 3400 and the 3500? I have found some stuff myself and continue to look but havent found anything worth while. I'm not asking anyone to go out and look for me, onlyif you have done the swap or know of info anywhare that would be great.

The 3400 swap is extremely easy for a 94-96, and only slightly more difficult for an earlier car.

I think 3400swap.com still has info. Basically what you want to do is swap all your sensors & accessories over to the 3400 and a couple small modifications. The coolant pipe to the lower intake is different, so you either need to tap the 3400 intake or use the press-in 3400 pipe. There is a bolt boss that needs to be ground off too, and you'll need to re-use your fuel rail & injectors. For a 93-older you'll also have to get a 3100 Beretta throttle cable, power steering hose and an engine mount, and most people use the 3400 injectors with a custom chip.

The biggest ordeal regarding a 5 speed swap is the transmission mount(s). You can use one from an 87-91 car and then you only need to weld 1 mount in - though some will argue the 92+ mounting style is superior.

If you are serious about a 5 speed swap, buy a rusted out donor. I managed to dig up a rusty old 90 GT 5 speed car for $500 a couple years ago. I beat it senselessly until the 3.1 developed some issues then I gutted the car and sent it to the crusher once my swap was done.

If you have a parts car to go off of - everything is much easier. I took somewhere around 2 years to swap a 3400 and 5 speed into my car, but I was also living 2 hours away from my car and going to school full time - and I took a lot of time to get parts made that hadn't previously existed - which added more time. If I was presented with a situation to do it all over again I'm sure I could do the same swap in a month's worth of weekends.