Does anyone know much about an Iso Grifo. There was one on e-bay that appears to be bogus. I did the buy it now and nothing. Looks like a really cool car with a Corvette drivetrain. What are they worth and what problems are typical?

 

One can only assume you own a computer, or have access to one. Simply type the name into your browser's search and see what you find.....................B

 

I know a little, I'm still kicking myself for not following up on one I saw for sale back about 1982 for $15k, which is about what they cost when they were brand new (nearly two and a half times as much as a same-year 427 Corvette and slightly more than a Ferrari 330/GTC). They bring a LOT more than that now; my guess is $65k to $85k minimum for a nice example, but a total of only 412 were built, so they rarely come up for sale. Unique replacement parts might be a bit of a problem.

They were made in Italy, starting with a 1965 model. I prefer the early model, which uses the Covette 327/300hp, with 350hp as an option. It had a 3:31 "Salisbury" differential according to one article (see below), "a DeDion axle with coil springs and a Watts Link". From what I've read, the standard tranny was a BW-T10, with an extra-cost option of a ZF 5-speed all synchromesh with a 0.83 final ratio. Bodies were steel, designed and built by Bertone, and the car weighed 3515 pounds, with 51% on the rear wheels. There were later cars, beginning in 1970 (I think) that used a Chevy 400hp big block; the last production year was 1974.

Car & Driver Nov 1968 issue had an article on the early model;
once in a while I've seen repros of an Iso brochure for sale for around $20 on eBay.
Iso was the featured marque at a car show I once attended;
here's a couple of photos I've taken (regrettably, I did not look beneath these cars nor
discuss them with the owners)...

 

I sold a 69 Iso Rivolta to Winston Goodfellow in CA app 20 years ago.....had the LT-1 350 in it & was a Pebble Beach concourse car a few years later......then about 6-7 years ago we saw it on Speed channel in Italy at a big show! the Griffo was the big dog of the Iso's. Super rare. Hemmings Motor News is a good source of info.

 

Funny you mentioned Iso. I never seen one myself but waynec pics show a beutiful car.* I picked up a 1966 Sports Car Graphic magazine at a local car show because it had an artical interviewing Zora and Ford's Roy Lunn. ( Duntov is quoted of being "very proud of the 427 engine combined with independant suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes") OK back to Iso, in that 1966 magazine there is an ad for Malcolm-Konner Chevrolet* Rt 17 Paramus, New Jersey " New Jersey's headquarters for NEW Corvettes", "See Bob Wasserman". Featured in that ad "Now- Italian ISO powered by Corvette" I would have to say that it must of been quite a site to walk into a Chevy dealership in 1966 and see one of these ISO's!

 

I saw a recent sale on eBay for over $300,000. What makes you think that this car might have been bogus?

 

I was next to (in my Alfa) one at Greenwich last year and spoke to the guy a bit. Be prepared to have custom work done ie: his exhaust had to be custom made

 

I passed one up when I was at college ten years ago. The ex-wife, wife at the time said "why would you buy a car without an engine?". That was in the UK. I knew I could put a BBC in it;

Its one of the very few cars that I would rather have than a C2 vette!

There is one in Holland for sale now; looks real nice for 95,000 Euro. So, that's ~$150k. The later ones had Ford engines. there was an Iso circa '74 for ~$20k on ebay a few months back; but without a chevy engine its not my bag!

carbster

 

Here are some pictures that I took last weekend of a beautifully restored 1969 Iso at the Charlotte AutoFair. It had a 327ci/300hp Corvette engine and a Muncie 4 sp trans ( notice the shifter ). This has to be one of the most beautiful cars that I have seen. It was close to perfect and the owner drives it regularly! Steel and aluminum body. And yes claimed to be VERY valuable. 412 produced in 1969, most all hand built in Italy according to the owner.

 

Hello Everyone here!

I am restoring this car and would like to ask You very kindly for help.I try to find steering column for my Iso Grifo and I would like to ask You for pictures of steering columns mounted in different Corvette's models.

It is possible to send to You images of oryginal steering column-please only contact me by email.

Hope You will be able to help me in finding...

 

We are currently finishing up a 1969 7 Litre Iso Grifo and the steering column is not Corvette. E-mail me and I'll send you some pictures

davesgarage@netscape.com
Dave

 

You'd get more reliable information from the Iso owners.