LOT 275

One owner from new 1971 Iso Grifo 7.4-Litre Series II Coupé Coachwork by Carrozzeria Bertone Registration no. HFJ 592N Chassis no. 7L/110/3339/D Engine no. 1536T0303CZU

Sold for £345,000 inc. premium

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Lot 275

One owner from new
1971 Iso Grifo 7.4-Litre Series II Coupé

Goodwood Revival: Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia|18 September 2021, 13:00 BST|Chichester, Goodwood

One owner from new
1971 Iso Grifo 7.4-Litre Series II Coupé
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Bertone
Registration no. HFJ 592N
Chassis no. 7L/110/3339/D
Engine no. 1536T0303CZU

• One of only three right-hand drive '7.0-Litre' cars
• Unique specification
• Original 7.4-Litre 'Can Am' engine
• Original five-speed manual gearbox
• Dry-stored since 1974

Footnotes

"For front-engined machismo at a bargain price, look no further than the 7-litre Iso Grifo – fastest and rarest of all the hybrid, American-engined heavyweights that proliferated in the Sixties." – Classic Cars.

With only 90 made, examples of the ultimate 7.0-litre version of Giotto Bizzarrini's Iso Grifo supercar are rarely offered for sale, and of the few that are, surely none can match the exceptional provenance of the right-hand drive car offered here, which was ordered new by the current owner and has spent the last 47 years in dry storage!

Italian 'bubble car' manufacturer Iso joined the ranks of supercar constructors in 1962 with the launch of the Rivolta coupé at the Turin Motor Show. Renzo Rivolta's Isothermos company had begun life pre-WW2 making refrigerators, turning to the manufacture of scooters and motorcycles, under the Iso name, after the war and thence to the Isetta bubble car, which was taken up so successfully by BMW. Styled at Carrozzeria Bertone by the young and up-and-coming Giorgetto Giugiaro and powered by a 327ci (5.4-litre) Chevrolet V8, the four-seat Rivolta employed a steel platform chassis featuring independent front suspension, De Dion rear axle, and disc brakes all round (inboard at the rear). The chassis and running gear were designed by ex-Ferrari engineer, Giotto Bizzarrini, whose company specialised in the production of prototypes for the Italian automobile industry.

An engineering graduate and former Alfa Romeo test driver, Bizzarrini was head-hunted by Ferrari in 1957, eventually assuming responsibility for sports car development at Maranello where he worked on such notable models as the 250 GTO. In 1961, he was one of the many senior technical staff that departed from Ferrari following an acrimonious dispute over the company's style of management. His next job was with ATS, and then in 1962 he started his own company, Società Autostar, changing its name to Bizzarrini in 1964. His delight at being asked by Rivolta to produce a 'Ferrari beater' can only be imagined.

As Iso and many of its European contemporaries had recognised, the use of a tried and tested American power train enabled them to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin in performance terms while undercutting them on price. Iso's first supercar set the pattern for those that followed: Bizzarrini-designed chassis, Bertone coachwork, and Chevrolet engines. Future developments included the long-wheelbase, Ghia-styled, Fidia four-door saloon; the Rivolta-replacement Lele; and the muscular, short-wheelbase Grifo.

Produced between 1965 and 1974, the 'standard' Grifo used the small-block Chevrolet Corvette V8 engine in all but its final Ford-powered incarnation. Even the tamest Grifo came with 350bhp, which was good for around 160mph, while for the seriously speed addicted there was the exclusive, 427ci (7.0-litre), 'big block' model. Introduced in 1968, the 7.0-litre Grifo incorporated numerous mechanical changes to cope with larger, heavier engine and its monstrous power output. It was readily distinguishable from the regular Grifo by its large bonnet scoop (dubbed 'Penthouse' on account of its shape) necessitated by the taller engine. The factory claimed a top speed of 186mph for the long-legged 7.0-litre Grifo, making it faster than a Ferrari Daytona.

Iso also offered the even more powerful 7.4-litre 'Can Am' version of this engine. The latter produced a claimed 390bhp at 4,800rpm, with 500lb/ft of torque available at 3,600 revs. There was also a Corsa (racing) version of the Grifo: the A3/C. Despite the partnership's successes, Rivolta and Bizzarrini soon parted company, the latter going on to re-launch a revised version of the A3/C under his own name in 1965.

Between 1965 and 1974 when production ceased, Iso made approximately 412 Grifos (published figures vary), this car being one of only three right-hand drive examples of the ultimate 7.0-litre version. In actual fact, this car goes one better, having been delivered new with the 7.4-litre 'Can Am' engine under the bonnet. It is a Series II model featuring the restyled, sleeker nose with its pop-up headlight covers, and is referred to (with ownership) in the excellent reference work Iso Rivolta - The Men, The Machines by Winston Goodfellow.

The elderly gentleman owner ordered the Grifo directly from the factory, specifying the rare 'Can Am' motor; right-hand drive configuration; the five-speed manual gearbox; and a special Blaupunkt radio suitable for reception in Rhodesia where he was living at the time. He chose the Iso rather than a 12-cylinder Ferrari as he wanted the same power but from what he describes as a more reliable V8 power unit. He also ordered a special dual Targa top rather than the sunroof that the factory had advised against, saying it would reduce rigidity. Other notable original features include a leather-trimmed steering wheel; air conditioning; and a heated rear screen with wiper. Reportedly, the Grifo ended up costing roughly the same as a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.

In the event, the owner stopped the car being delivered to him in Rhodesia and went to the factory to collect it, driving back through Europe and Spain to the UK. Over the next three years he used the Grifo in the UK and completed at least one or two trips through Europe and to Spain. During this period Kenlowe cooling fans were added plus a higher-output alternator. The owner recalls having the car serviced and some works carried out at Peter Agg's Trojan company near Croydon.

The car was not registered in the UK until January 1975 having been run with Italian plates until the owner put it in the garage in 1974, never to be taken out again! He has a logbook of petrol fills, the last entry being made in 1974, and the car also comes with copies of its original purchase paperwork and correspondence, and a 'Use and Maintenance' manual.

At time of cataloguing the car had recorded 20,873 miles and is not expected to be started before the auction. Careful reconditioning and servicing, at the very least, is suggested before returning it to regular use. The black leather interior trim is very good, with no undue signs of wear.

Of quite exceptional rarity, and having had only one gentleman owner from new, this spectacular Iso Grifo '7.4' represents an unrepeatable opportunity to acquire a unique example of the very best in Italian Gran Turismo style and performance.

Saleroom notices

Please note the correct chassis number is 7L/110/339/D.

Additional information

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