ISO GRIFO 7 LITRE (Series I)

Country of Manufacture: Italy     Vin #: 7L950297
Model Type: 2 Door Coupe
Body Designer: Bertone (Giugiaro)
Engine: Corvette L36 427 V8
Horsepower: 400 bhp at 5200 rpm
Torque: 460 lb at 3600 rpm
Transmission: ZF 5-Speed gearbox
Suspension:
Front- Independent, wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Rear- de Dion tube, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, longitudinal struts, cross bar with Watts linkage, coil springs, tube shocks
Brakes:
Front- 11.5 inch Girling discs
Rear- 11 inch Girling discs mounted inboard
Top Speed: 186 mph

History: The ISO company was founded by Renzo Rivolta, an industrialist best known for making refrigerators, motor scooters and the Isetta bubble car, which he later licensed to BMW. The first high performance car made by ISO was the very successful 2 door Rivolta. This was followed by the fastback Grifo which grew out of the earlier Rivolta that was engineered by Giotto Bizzarrini, designed by Bertone (Giugiaro) and powered by Corvette 327 V8. Using the same Bizzarrini designed unit-body/monocoque underpinnings, Bertone designed a sleek 2 seat berlinetta. With the prototype Grifo A3L receiving critical acclaim, a production version appeared 18 months later in 1965. A higher powered, limited production version known as the Grifo 7 Litre using Corvette 427, 400 bhp engines (usually in combination with 4-speed gearboxes or 3 speed automatics, although a few were fitted with a ZF 5-speed), became an option in late 1968. The 5-speed big block version was the fastest of all Grifo’s and, in the late sixties was recognized as the fastest production car in the world. A covered headlight Series II Grifo appeared in 1970. Most Series II cars were Ford Cleveland 351 powered, although the big block cars stayed with Corvette power, albeit the 454, which provided more low end torque, but lower speed at the top end.

Production: In total, 413 Grifo’s of all types were built before ISO went out of business in 1974, another victim of the 1973 energy crisis. 66 Corvette 427 powered Series I cars were built and 4 Series II cars with same engine. 20 Series II cars were built using the Corvette 454 engine.

This car took first place in its class when shown at Pebble Beach in 1999.

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