96 Beretta Project

[torq455]

prices and parts numbers! prices and part numbers!!!!!!! looking beautiful man!! that's a rather high stall converter, but if you are looking for a nice hole-shot, that'll do it! where did you get that mammoth rear sway bar? i want one!

[3400-95-Modified]

Well this is a converter I bought a while ago... It was listed as a 3k stall on E-bay and I couldn't pass up the 150 price tag. I tested it in my stock 3400 red car a long time ago when I first rebuilt my trans, it was new at the time and I blew up my 4th hub within 15 miles of testing the car... part failed, and I wasn't pleased with the converter when driving it for even that short of a time period, so I pulled it and its been sitting in my garage ever since.

Put it this way I've been tapping 6750rpm so that when it shifts it's at a decent RPM to keep the car moving and not bog... Granted this may not have been such an issue with the nitrous, BUT I figured I would give this converter a try to see what it could do and allow me to lower my max RPM. I also added about 14lbs or so of rotating mass to the front end so I'm sure that's helping in getting all of that moving. When I contacted PDQ about what this converter was they got back to me and said it was a 2795 factory stall, and they tweaked it to 3195, and if I wanted anything done they would be more than willing to perform modifications to the stall speed.

Well for p/n's and price its going to all differ... I paid 150 for a setup from a 1996 Dodge Neon Sport... I've heard of others getting it for cheaper but this was the only place that would respond to me. They sent the brackets, e-brake internals, and calipers for cores... I then had to send my brackets out to get machined to fit the bearing, that ran me 100 bux for the two, and the rest is factory replacement parts, Power Slot rotors, Hawk HPS pads, reman calipers, and 22" stainless steel braided lines. (17 bux each)

There is a write up on J-body.org about this and a video on google of what needs to be done. I followed all of that except for the one part about modifying the e-brake part on the setup, I just cut the loop off my cable so it fit in the housing and didn't apply the e-brake some in the resting position.

Rear sway bar is an addco bar the P/N#523

[IsaacHayes]

For a cavalier the sway bar # is 446 probably. I know that's what I used and it attaches with the 87-94 rear axle, which the cavaliers had the same "style" for the most part. 523 must be for 95+ L/N bodies so you have the different outer brackets.

[torq455]

yeah, the outer mounts look different on the pink car. i also believe the Beretta's rear axle is a little wider.

[3400-95-Modified]

No, my bad your right, I read my invoice wrong... a 523 is a L-body front bar... the 446 is the rear that will fit, and also was retrofitted to my 95 and now is on the 96. I just used ES universal bushings, and some aluminum spacers to prevent the bar from hitting the spring pocket since my rear axle is ever so slightly different than the 87-94's

[IsaacHayes]

When I got my 446, they gave me double the spacers, I guess for the 95--98 N/L axle application to clear the spring pocket. However you'd still have to get the ES brackets for the outer ends of the bar since they just send the 87-94 style with the bar. But that's is easily obtainable.

[CNCguy]

Jon... you need to change the title of this thread to "My car is BADASS". It IS my favorite Beretta.

[3400-95-Modified]

I tried, I went to change it to a general updates title... But it wont change... Actually if you look at post one the title is "96 Raspberry Beretta Modifications/updates" but the one that's displayed wont change to that.... dun know why.

Thank you though.

[TiredGXP]

Open your first post for editing, then click the "go advanced" button. That will give you access to change the thread title.

[3400-95-Modified]

Already did that... hence the first post having a different title... The title in the forum will not change. Trust me.

Edit* LOL An admin must have changed it for me Thanks.

[bszopi]

Edit* LOL An admin must have changed it for me Thanks.

You're welcome...

[3400-95-Modified]

Final pics of the car with 4 wheel disc










Now I just need to swap out my converter AGAIN... the PDQ one brake stalls WAY too high... I can get 4200rpm before the car starts to almost overcome the brakes... I was hoping for like 3500 or something like that but I guess not... time to go back to my 2095 converter and hope for the best. I think the NOS will take care of any low spots it may have after a shift

With running N/A I realized I had to rev the piss out of it since my gears are so wide, and once it shifted it would almost bog for a second with how the power band is on my cam... so I was hoping to eliminate that with the higher stall, but this freebie option didn't work out like I wanted it to... I already owned it so really it only cost me a fluid change...

[IsaacHayes]

I figured you'd hate it since you did before. Too bad you don't have one around that is the sweet spot.

[3400-95-Modified]

Yeah but I thought maybe hating it on a stock engine vs one with a fat cam might have been different, BUT apparently the stall is just too high.

And last time I didn't know as much as I do now when I tested it and it was only in for my inital drive where my 4th hub let go, so I didn't drive it for 3-4 days like I have this one... I've felt what it does more in this car than I did last time and well to say the least I'm not impressed.... it just feels like its slipping way too much and I'm not using any of the power down low that I do have.

The only next best solution on a chart of factory converters is a FZ converter 2375, OR send FD out to somewhere to be bumped up to a 2200 or something like that. But for now my Heavy Duty 2095 will do... I had that thing all done up when I ordered it to support the power so it's not just a "stock" FD converter... just a stock type stall.

[IsaacHayes]

Well you could go to 3.73 FDR to help out too... LOL!

What's the 2095 brake stall to? I wonder what a 2095 would stall to on my engine, since I'm making less power obviously than you. That is the converter I'll be running when I get the new trans. That is unless they don't sell you the converter with the trans... In that case where should I look for one? Not looking to pay a ton for a new one, just a low mileage one would be fine with me. Ebay a good source?