Torsion Bar Swaps

[GR-124]

Hello all,
Looking at stiffening the Alfetta GT up.
Will the torsion bars from a Alfetta sportiva 2000 slot straight into a alfetta 116 GT 1976?
To me, without measuring the sportiva look to be a larger diameter spring/rod that the GT. I'm not sure about the spline diameter or the length for fitting?

[Gisdan]

Not sure about the Sportiva specifically but when I measured the bars on a late model 2.0 litre looking for replacement on my '77 sedan they were the same OD so no point changing.

[Neil Choi]

For a mild upgrade without spending a lot of $$$, use GTV6 (23mm) torsion bars, sway bars and springs.  You can cut a coil off the springs and set up a sensible ride height.  Change the castor bush to urethane bushes and get a good wheel alignment with a good set up. 


Otherwise go 28 or 30mm torsions and the full kit including extended top ball joint on the front A-arm.  May also go the 105 caster arm joint.


Oh, you are looking for the long torsion bars.

[GR-124]

Thanks Neil, for your response, the 23mm sound like the go.
Just for the record, it's just an upgrade for the road, nothing more for now.
I just measured my standard ones, I make 18.5mm dia bar, 28.5 OD spline and about 1000mm long.

"Oh, you are looking for the long torsion bars." what lengths are there? on what cars?

[Mat Francis]

It's my understanding that the Sportiva should in fact have the gtv6 (23mm) bars in it. So yes, your visual assertion that they looked bigger is likely correct.

I've got the 23mm bars in my car and basically the first setup Neil describes there. Ideal for road use and acceptable for the track (I'm never going to be the fastest out there anyway).

There's only 2 lengths of bars- "Alfetta" ones and "75"* ones. Both your cars will have the longer alfetta ones, where the cross member they seat into is removable from the body of the car. The later model "75" style shorter bars mount into the chassis rails if you like.

*I call them "75" ones for ease of explanation, but some very late 116 cars (from about '85?) had the shorter bars in them as well. Both your cars will have the long bars though, and even if there was any doubt a 10 second look under the car will clarify this.

[Neil Choi]

Early model GTV and GTV6 have what is called long torsion bars, dimension I don't know.  But later GTV6 and 75's have what is called shorter torsion bars.


So you need the early GTV6 ones, not the last of the GTV6.

[brook308]

Alfetta Gtv's and Gtv6's moved to a chassis with built in torsion bar rear mounts around 84, these latter chassis were set up like the 75 chassis and had short torsion bars. Older (pre 84) alfetta chassis have a cast part that bolts to the chassis that supports the rear of the torsion bar, these bars are the long ones.

[GR-124]

To all the Alfa Heads
Thank you for sharing your expertise on this subject. I'm much clearer on my direction now.

[pep105]

When your talking Alfettas, theres plenty of knowledgeable people on here.

It could depend if your talking Sportiva 1 or 2.
A mate of mine had a Sportiva 1 which had 19mm torsion bars, I think the Sportiva 2 were the later thicker type.

If the Sportiva 2 ones aren't 23.6mm (which they might be) then they could be 22.2mm.

My 84 sedan has these, my old 82 GTV plastic bumper with aircon had 23.6mm.

A set of vernier's will be your best friend.