1965 Iso GifoA3 Competizione For Sale

Cars International Heritage are delighted to offer for sale this stunning red 1965 ISO Grifo A3 Competizione.

Renzo Rivolta was one of the more ingenious entrepreneurs of the Italian postwar landscape who started with motorcycles and then introduced the Isetta - a wildly successful mass-market economy car that he eventually licensed in full to BMW. By the early 1960s Rivolta's interests had turned to touring cars, and introduced the Iso Rivolta GT at the 1962 Turin Auto Salon.

One of Rivolta's key recruits to his fledgling company was Giotto Bizzarrini, the gifted engineer who had played a pivotal role in the development of Ferrari legendry cars such as the Testa Rossa and the 250 GTO.

In an effort to spur sales, Bizzarrini encouraged Rivolta to build a sports car, and soon received the go-ahead to develop such an Iso on a shortened Rivolta GT chassis. The resulting Iso Grifo was introduced in two versions at Turin in November 1963, with the luxury touring A3/ L (for Lusso) displayed on coachbuilder Bertone's stand, while Bizzarini's race-prepped A3/ C (for Corsa) was presented on Iso's stand.

With aluminum coachwork built by Piero Drogo’s Carrozzeria Sports Cars in Modena, the A3/ C was a spectacular looking car with aerodynamic flair. The Iso utilized a 5. 3-liter Chevrolet Corvette engine in all of its cars, which was tuned for racing in the A3/ C. The big-block motor was sunk far behind the front axle, giving the car a competition style mid-engine layout optomising weight distribution. According to some historians, Bizzarrini described the A3/ C as the second coming of his GTO, and a more refined one at that.

Bizzarrini provided the facilities for the AC/ 3 to be built at his factory in Livorno, while Iso and Bertone took on production of the Grifo A3/ L. To Rivolta’s thinking the Grifo was just a tool to promote his GT car, but Bizzarrini was as ever consumed with racing, and a widening philosophical gap inevitably developed between the two men after very few examples of the Drogo-bodied A3/ C’s were made, Bizzarrini left Iso altogether and continued to produce the model under his own name – the 5300 Strada.

Part of the A3/ C's transition from an Iso product to a Bizzarrini standalone involved a change of coachbuilder from Drogo to Salvatore Diomante at Autocostruzione SD of Torino who arrived in Livorno at the end of 1967.

B 0213 is believed to be first referenced in factory paperwork on December 15, 1964, and both the body appearance and the chassis numbering suggest that this A3/ C is one of the first twenty riveted aluminum-bodied examples produced by Drogo. Also referenced in the paperwork, are records between Bizzarrini and Carrozzeria Sports Cars.

It was retailed in early 1965 to Auto Becker in Germany, Ownership soon passed to a Swiss collector and privateer racer Pierre De Siebenthal, who retained possession of B0213 for many years.

In 1993, after decades of ownership, the A3/ C was sold by De Siebenthal to former Livorno principal Salvatore Diomante, who would show the car pre-restoration at the Auto Moto Retro show in Torino in 2012, before refinishing the rare Drogo body and rebuilding the motor to his latest specifications with upgrades including the addition of four Weber carburetors.

After completing restoration in 2013, the A3/ C was purchased by a well-known California based collector, who then showed the freshly restored car at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. Upon close inspection, Diomante has exercised characteristic skill in his restoration, leaving the car in stunning condition, and equally prepared for further vintage racing use. Now equipped with drilled competition pedals, the Diomante intake manifold, and 4-point racing harnesses.

Included in the sale of B0213 are many historical documents, including an original copy of the April 1965 issue of Auto Motor und Sport, an original service and owners handbook, the Diomante record of restoration and various documentation from the 1993 sale from de Siebenthal.

To find out more or arrange a viewing of this car please contact one of our sales team or visit our website.

This advert has now been removed through sale or otherwise.
Please see the list below for similar live adverts.

Similar Adverts

- Pre-series Iso Grifo - Sample vehicle for the series - Villa d' Este participant, Masterpieces participant - Perfectly restored - Color combination as at delivery - German first delivery via Auto Becker Düsseldorf Vehicle history: Engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, a former Ferrari employee who had left the Commendatore ...

79,910
27 Mar 2024
Germany
50
Picture of 1972 Iso Grifo Series II Automatic - For Sale

- 1972 Iso Grifo Series 2 - One of only five RHD Series 2 Grifos - Fully restored to concours condition over 19 years - Class winner at 2019 Chantilly Arts et Elegance - Huge history file and discreetly signed by Piero Rivolta and Giotto Bizzarrini To call the restoration of this 1972 Iso Grifo a labour of love ...

67,746
8 Mar 2024
Gloucestershire
Premium Dealer (see stock)

This particular ISO Rivolta original right-hand drive Lele Sport has been in the current ownership Lele enthusiast for the past large number of years and comes with a very large carefully documented history file which shows how rare this car really is. Due to the very extensive metal fabrication work that was carried ...

34,880
7 Mar 2024
Buckinghamshire
Verified Dealer (see stock)

One of very rare 356 SC ex Police car from 1965 ivory black leather. This incredible 356 was part of the small police Porsche handle. It was used for highway hunting at the time for the superintendent. The Porsche birth certificate attest to this and also indicates the options and engines specially prepared for the ...

7 Mar 2024
France
38
Picture of Iso Grifo 350GL 1967 - For Sale

Iso Grifo was always a very rare Italian sportscar. There were only 413 cars built in total. And unlike the racier Bizzarrini sibling, not many have been duplicated. Personally I think it is one of the coolest Grand Touring cars built in this period. Exterior: The Iso Grifo for sale here was painted around 20 years ...

9,999
5 Mar 2024
Sweden
Premium Dealer (see stock)

- German first delivery - Coachwork by Bertone - Factory color scheme in yellow with black leather - Elaborately restored at specialist workshops - Rare sought after 7-liter version of the first series Vehicle History: Built on April 21, 1969 and finished in the color "Giallo" with black leather interior, the ...

86,718
4 Mar 2024
Germany

Very rare Iso Lele Sport project for sale, repaired accident damage right front, rustfree and very original car, car is complete all parts included! Ford 351C engine with ZF 5 speed manual gearbox! Original European delivered car!

10,705
16 Feb 2024
Belgium