Stock Looking V8 Beretta GT

[1990BerettaGTZ2.3L]

My buddy rwd'd an 88 cavalier once he used a fox body mustang rear, and fox body front strut towers out of a 5.0 and put a 327 chevy in it I guess nobody in town could touch him and then I guess it went to some young idiot that didn't know anything and he blew up the 327 and it ended up in the grave yard

[2.2H8TA]

Yup^^
I've seen plenty S10 frame swapped rettas

Where?

I've seen a couple people come on here with them over the years. One not too long ago, and I believe the guy was trying to sell it. I also found on on CL in the Allentown PA area a while back. I have never seen one in person, but the ones I've seen pics of, like 3x00 said, just don't look right. The back wheels are always sticking WAY out, and no one ever cares to make the car streetable, they're always just built to go in a straight line. This one looks like it could be streetable.

Edit: Here's one. This one looks more street friendly than that one I found on CL.

http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9199

Edit: Here's a link to the topic I posted on the one I found on CL, so you can see everyone's thoughts and opinions on it.

http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=8145

[3X00-Modified]

whoever did it, it was done right. I'd be curious to hear what frame he used under there. Most try an S10 fram and then never narrow it to fit right or run way to odd of rims and it just looks dumb... and also don't bring the height down either.

So without seeing the underbody and only the outside you can say its done right? Just cause it looks "stock"?

Just want to pick huh...

Is this reply really necessary?

[Chad91GTZ]

The first one looks fine. The second one I cannot see, but judging from the comments it was built by a real winner. (and no mention of an S-10 anywhere, other than a 40 year old pickup comment by Weba, which would certainly suggest NOT an S10.).

Honestly, having built several cars and having years of fabrication experience, it doesn't matter where you start as long as its done properly. But I wouldn't even consider using an S10 frame when you can actually purchase an NHRA legal cage that you can put in a Beretta. Mustang II front end, box tube frame and you can basically do whatever else you want without having to compromise.

[Chad91GTZ]

Oh and if for some reason I did use an S 10, I would specifically use the frame from an Isuzu.

That way I could say that my V8 Burrito was built on an Hombre. Wocka Wocka

[3X00-Modified]

The first one looks fine. The second one I cannot see, but judging from the comments it was built by a real winner. (and no mention of an S-10 anywhere, other than a 40 year old pickup comment by Weba, which would certainly suggest NOT an S10.).

Honestly, having built several cars and having years of fabrication experience, it doesn't matter where you start as long as its done properly. But I wouldn't even consider using an S10 frame when you can actually purchase an NHRA legal cage that you can put in a Beretta. Mustang II front end, box tube frame and you can basically do whatever else you want without having to compromise.

You didn't read far enough on the second link

Yeah, it was definitely set up as a basic drag car. The unibody is pretty much just sitting on top of an S-10 frame. Should go in a straight line pretty good, but it definitely won't handle like a Beretta would.

looks like they cut the front "rail" out by the fender..

Regardless the pictures posted resemble the factory Beretta stance almost exactly so whatever this person did they spent a lot of time to keep it looking original, and I'd be interested to see what direction they went in to do this.

[Chad91GTZ]

Which I believe to be speculative as Cramez wasnt the builder?

I get the feeling people see a conversion done on a Beretta and assume S-10. Which is actually pretty silly when you think about it, because of the points you just made Jon.

Stance. To to it right its about the same amount of effort to custom build the frame. The only benefit I see is price an availability of the truck frame. But tube steel isn't that hard to come by.

To the OP. Its sitting the way you'd want it to, agree completely. Need underbelly shots, I'd like to see the rear end setup.

[scd88ga]

IMO, I would have to say the red one posted in the thread has NO frame under it similar to the GN Beretta! Either that, or it has been painstakingly body-dropped onto who knows what kinda frame (modified stock or custom tube)? It's obviously NOT sitting on top of a modified stock car/truck frame. Any idiot can see that............

[3X00-Modified]

Correct, I don't think anyone was saying it was sitting on top of a frame, or at least not the first car in this thread.

Hence the reason why I feel this setup was done right, or way more work was put into it to make it fit and sit like a stock car.

We know for a fact that they yellow black car is a S10 frame, lengthened to fit actually... now the other one that was posted WAS a frame swap, I remember seeing the pics, he had cut a lot of the body out to fit the frame up into it, so he attempted or completed a body drop on it, BUT some disagree with the hardware used; for example Weba's remark of using 40yr old technology. That would put it on like a 60's or 70's C10 frame or something similar

Either way most of these swaps you see YES are done on some sort of truck frame because of the ease of it... not many have the tools or knowledge to build a tube chassis under a Beretta, Or care to unless they are Pro Streeting the car. I do agree that is the correct way to do it though that's for damn sure.

[themixer]

i like my FWD beretta, its so nice and safe

[3X00-Modified]

safe? are you kidding me? it was canceled because it failed the new side impact testing... lol

[GTZfan]

Maybe save [easier] to drive due o FWD he means!?

[GTU89]

I've always wondered how safe our cars are, I know our A pillars look tiny when the doors are off/open. What I don't get is IIRC it passed the drivers side test but failed the passanger side test, is there more support on the drivers side?

[GTZfan]

The doors are proected well but the B pillars are like paper when there is a crash. Our cars do quite well in Frontal crash, as I remember it was a 5* reating at its time. Rear crash not too bad either...except you mess with a truck, a beretta just goes underway...but the same happens with other low cars.

[themixer]

I just like my stock beretta