This is an early Iso Grifo, dating from the first year of production. Iso S.p.A. was already well known for producing the high-performance Rivolta IR 300, a sleek 2+2 Coupe based on Chevrolet Corvette mechanicals. After leaving Ferrari in 1961, Giotto Bizzarrini set up “Prototipi Bizzarrini” in Livorno, Tuscany where he designed and consulted for marques such as ATS, Lamborghini, and Iso. In 1963, he designed the Iso Grifo A3/L (L for Lusso) for Renzo Rivolta, who was looking for a follow-up to his IR 300. The body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, while Bizzarrini wsas responsible for the mechanical components.
Bizzarrini considered that there would also be a demand for a race version of the Grifo and developed the A3/C (C for Corsa) with a dramatic, modified alloy body. He later named it his “Improved GTO”, as he had designed the 250 GTO when he had worked for Ferrari. In the Corsa, he moved the engine back about 40 mm (1.6 in), making the A3/C a front, mid-engined car; to adjust the timing, mechanics had to remove a piece of the dashboard. Both the racing and road-legal versions of the car were being built simultaneously.
In 1964, the prototype A3/C raced at Le Mans (driven by Edgar Berney and Pierre Noblet), running well until brake problems required a two-hour pit stop. The car resumed the race, finally finishing 14th. In 1965, the car performed better, finishing 9th at the same venue.
The production of the Iso Grifo GL started in 1965, but the Bizzarrini and Rivolta partnership soon fell apart over the use of the name Grifo. This resulted in separate production of the Grifo GL and the competition A3/C. The Grifo GL was produced at Bresso, while the A3/C was produced at Piero Drogo’s Sports Cars of Modena, under Bizzarrini’s strict supervision. Bizzarrini refined his A3/C, eventually developing his line of models. Only 22 examples of the Grifo A3/C were made before Rivolta and Bizzarrini split – and this is one of them, with the unique riveted alloy body by Drogo and the desirable flat rear window.
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