Updates on my 3500 z26

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Barry
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Updates on my 3500 z26

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I am back at school now, so the beretta is on weekend duty. It had a tough last few months, been in a few ditches, hit a few things, etc.

Here are some projects I have coming up for it, one is pretty significant.

Needs a new front bumper and lip. Curbs and ditches claimed that one this winter.

Bad tranny bearing is still holding on! I plan to do a new swap, using a getraf F23 from a 2000+ cavalier. It is aparently just as strong, but shifts way smoother and is easier to find. Unfortunatly this will mean I need to swap mounts again, change shifters and cables, make some kind of clutch work, and make the speedo work. There is very limited information on this swap, so I will be blazing my own trail on this one.

My exhaust is crap. I am going to build a new 3" system with flanged cat so I can easily swap it out for a straight pipe.

I need to fix random interior flaws, stuff breaking over time.

I need to make a circuit to signal my ICM to cranking mode when I'm cranking, or make MS do it. That is why I break starter clutches.

I am building a fender roller so I can roll my fronts and rears to hopefully fit 245/45/17 up front and 235/45/17 in the rear.

My ebrake drum brake shoes fell apart, need to replace them too.

I will keep updated, I dont know when I will be able to start these projects.
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themixer
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by themixer »

pics or it didnt happen!
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Barry
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Barry »

I would also like to do coilovers as well. I built a set for my 240 and they work awesome. The beretta is a little more complicated however
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by woody90gtz »

Do it to it!
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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3400beretta
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by 3400beretta »

Barry, any interest in buying my tranny? Its an internal slave getrag, which has a custom gearset in it. Basically it is the W41 gear cluster, with a 3.61 FDR. Which IMHO is the best possible gearing setup. It also has a team green insert. When I did the gearing change, I basically had 3 transmissions apart at the same time, and I used the best parts from each to make this one. I had a tranny guy look at the syncros and he thought they were brand new - to give you an idea. Also I replaced a bunch of the shaft bearings while I was in there - I had to special order them from a GM dealer in the states. I have a whole box of extra bearings and parts, plus a box of the remaining 2 transmission parts. Also if you are interested my Stage 3+ spec clutch with the modified pressure place may be up for grabs as well. So far it has held up great behind the turbo motor, but I do not power shift it, ever. It shifts perfectly and has not once grinded on any gear since I put it together. Let me know..
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Wanako »

themixer wrote:pics or it didnt happen!
woody90gtz wrote:Do it to it!
+1

you should just put 245 all the way around.

Subscribed
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Barry
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

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3400beretta wrote:Barry, any interest in buying my tranny? Its an internal slave getrag, which has a custom gearset in it. Basically it is the W41 gear cluster, with a 3.61 FDR. Which IMHO is the best possible gearing setup. It also has a team green insert. When I did the gearing change, I basically had 3 transmissions apart at the same time, and I used the best parts from each to make this one. I had a tranny guy look at the syncros and he thought they were brand new - to give you an idea. Also I replaced a bunch of the shaft bearings while I was in there - I had to special order them from a GM dealer in the states. I have a whole box of extra bearings and parts, plus a box of the remaining 2 transmission parts. Also if you are interested my Stage 3+ spec clutch with the modified pressure place may be up for grabs as well. So far it has held up great behind the turbo motor, but I do not power shift it, ever. It shifts perfectly and has not once grinded on any gear since I put it together. Let me know..
I appreciate your offer, Rodney. Your trans is probably one of the best to be had. However, with my budget I cant make you an offer anywhere near what your stuff is worth. Thanks though 8)

I would like to document the f23 swap well, as it could be a much easier swap for people because the parts are much easier to be found. Just find any 2000+ Grand am, cavy, sunfire with the 2.2OHV and get all the parts + cut the mounts off the frame.

Like I said, who knows when I will actually start on this. Right now I'm just throwing ideas around
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Wanako »

That trans will bolt on to a 60degreev6? Or wil you need to swap the bellhousing?
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by speedy »

i dont know that they made any 2000+ grand ams with 5 speeds, however the sunfires and cavy's had them, and they are very easy to come by, but see if a cobalt trans will work, i seen a few of them too, and there much newer, even though im not impressed with the trans at all, and from my understanding, a 2004 cavalier has the same exact trans as a 2010 cobalt.... so why not go new! and if you go that far, look into the cobalt ss trans, they have a longer 5th gear.
1991 beretta GTZ- 2.3l w41 cams, ported 086 head with a 3 angle valve job, fidanza flywheel with exedy racing clutch, 3.94fdr from and scx, so much more..
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Barry
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Barry »

The f23 from a 2.2 bolts to 60v6. The cobalt one had the Eco pattern and I would need to swap bellhousings.

The cobalt ss/tc uses the f35 which is a totally different animal. However, I'm not sure what the ss/sc used.

A factory LSD would be tits
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Cliff8928 »

Barry wrote:I would like to document the f23 swap well, as it could be a much easier swap for people because the parts are much easier to be found. Just find any 2000+ Grand am, cavy, sunfire with the 2.2OHV and get all the parts + cut the mounts off the frame.
You'd definitely need to get the mounts from a J-Body. All 3 of the N-Body trans mounts bolt to the subframe.
speedy wrote:i dont know that they made any 2000+ grand ams with 5 speeds
Yeah they did, but they were all twin-cams or ecotecs. My 2004 Alero is a F23 5-speed.

You'd just need the parts off a 2.2 OHV J-Body. It all bolts up the same. The flywheel off the 2.2 will bolt right on to your 60°V6.

There's also the option for the F40 trans from a G6, but it may be a little big.
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Wanako
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Wanako »

Well hopefully something can be solved as it would be highly beneficial to us to have a trans that is better supported. But is the f23 strong? Can it take the torque of the 3500?
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Cliff8928 »

Wanako wrote: But is the f23 strong?
Does this answer your question?

http://www.streetfire.net/video/1-bad-a ... _81564.htm
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Wanako »

Cliff8928 wrote:
Wanako wrote: But is the f23 strong?
Does this answer your question?

http://www.streetfire.net/video/1-bad-a ... _81564.htm

oh yea. f*ck yea! :good:

Barry, I'm looking forward to this. Do work, son!

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Barry
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Re: Updates on my 3500 z26

Post by Barry »

One issue that I am concerned about is the location or the rear mount. It sits 4 inches back from mount I currently use(if my thinking is correct, based on a third gen J). I dont have much room left of frame rail before I hit firewall. Maybe the my motor sits in a difference place than it does in a J.

http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f ... 16&t=36216

^ Pics of the swap from izuzu mounts (same as mine) to getrag mounts.

Heres my mounts. Notice the lack of room behind the last mount. I will have to re route those brake lines.

Image

I guess we will find out. Bolt it to the motor, line it up, and see where the mounts fall
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