1967 Iso Grifo Series I

In Italy, just prior to the outbreak of World War II, Iso Thermos was founded by the Rivolta family producing refrigeration and heating products. After the war, founder Renzo Rivolta wanted to expand the company's offerings to include motorcycles, scooters, and various light duty cargo haulers. By 1953, the automotive wing of the company was renamed Iso Autoveicoli. Their first breakthrough in the automotive world was the Isetta, the small compact "bubble car" with a front opening door and powered by a motorcycle engine. This little car was a success and production capacity for Italy was soon topped out. Licenses were granted to companies in other countries, such as BMW in Germany. These revenues would help fund new projects closer to what Rivolta was really aiming for, a full-size sports car. These dreams were realized with the 1962 release of the Iso Rivolta. With coachwork from Bertone and under the hood performance from a small-block Chevrolet V-8, it was a blend on old world and new world in a motorcar. Previewed at the Turin Motor Show, this gorgeous coupe designed under the direction of Giotto Bizzarrini, who had come to Iso directly from Ferrari where he had been responsible for the legendary 250 GTO, would be the basis for the next project, known in-house as the A3/L, or Luxury edition. Eventually, the market name Grifo was selected in recognition of the Griffin, a mythical creature that was half lion and half eagle, and was featured on the Rivolta family crest. Again, Bizzarrini was responsible for the drivetrain with Giorgetto Giugiaro, working with Bertone at the time, creating a stunning vehicle that would be well-received and set the trend for sporty touring cars. Power would be provided by Chevrolet's L75 version of the 327 V-8, the same engines used in the Corvette, but with several modifications such as a larger oil sump, the use of Carter AFB carburetors, smaller diameter oil cooler and larger diameter radiator. America was also the source for the transmission, employing the Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed. The steel chassis was fitted with an independent front suspension using an unequal length double wishbone set-up, while the de Dion rear axle was fitted with twin trailing arms and transverse Watt's linkage. Also coil spring hydraulic shocks were equipped all around with a front anti-roll bar. Disc brakes were found on all four corners. Reported top speed for the Series I was 160 mph, and after its initial unveiling, the Iso Grifo was on its way to introducing the world to the quality of the Iso marque. In production from late 1965 to 1974, several versions of the Grifo would be produced, but for collectors, the purity of the Series I is highly sought-after.