My driveshaft donuts are pretty cracked and buggered, and I don't fancy running at Winton with them (despite the fact they won't spin any faster than on the road!), so decided I'd do the 3 of them while I've got the shaft out.
Having been quoted a rather excessive a price for them from my usual supplier, I'm now looking further afield, and finding I can buy all 3 from overseas for less than the price of the rear one over here.
Need to check a couple of things first though - my car is a 4 cylinder, and I know that there are two types for the front and rear, of which I'm pretty sure mine is late type (being plastic bumper), but will pull the shaft before ordering to make sure (although, considering the price compared to over here, I should just buy a full set of every type and put the ones I don't use up for sale!). What I'm not sure about though, is the V6 couplings. I suspect they are larger, and then of course won't fit, but I've never had the two side by side to confirm this. Does anyone know any more about the ins and outs of the various Alfa donuts, especially in relation to UK/US models?
The sites I've turned up in a (very) brief search that list the 116 series donuts are:
http://www.highwoodalfa.com/alfa%20romeo%20116engine.htm#miscWho list 3 distinct sets of 3 'flex couplings', early and late 4 cyl, and v6
http://www.arricambi.com/Whose catalog is a nightmare, but some of the rear couplings work out to about $25 AU with the current exchange rate - assuming you can work out which one is which, and assuming they are still going and prices are correct.
http://www.centerlinealfa.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/c-Driveshaft-AxleAv_Flex_Discs_and_U-Joints.html?L+scstore+rdcl7925ff748674+1206155699And this last which shows pictures even, but the changepoints seem off - I thought that the change point from 'early' to 'late' donuts was in '79, but maybe they didn't get any 4 cylinders when the v6 came out?
I'm thinking maybe the best option is to pull the shaft out, take photos of the remains of the donuts, and see what help I get by emailing them to various suppliers.
Unless anybody has an Australian supplier who supplies these damn things at a reasonable price (I think around $120 is probably comparable to the average overseas price, and beats the $350ish I was quoted for ONE by a long shot)
