Great Grifo

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In 1968, the spectacular Corvette L71, a Tri-Power version of the famous 7-liter big-block 427, was introduced for the Grifo. In the end, there were 322 Series I and 78 Series II cars built for a total of 400 Grifo Lussos. This car is a regular A3/L Series I; the chassis number identifies it as the 98th made.

Hard to find one good enough to buy

Aside from being a true high-performance car, the big appeal of these American-engined, Euro-bodied amalgams is summed up by Steve Snyder, a Southern California collector who has an affinity for Facel Vegas: "I really like the whole hybrid idea. I know that my Facel will always run, and I could probably rebuild the entire drivetrain for the cost of a major service on a Ferrari." He also explains why this nicely restored and attractively painted Iso might have garnered such big dollars: "I particularly like the Iso Grifo, but I've never found one that I felt was good enough to buy. The last Iso I looked at came from England and consisted entirely of rust holes and Bondo." So while you get fantastic styling and low maintenance costs, there is a downside.

Many '60s custom bodies are afflicted with the dreaded "tin worm." While Iso built around 422 Grifos of all varieties, Oliver Kuttner, a Virginia collector who sold this car through a broker to Prevosti and has owned many Grifos and 38 Bizzarrinis, points out that over half of the new Grifos were sold into Germany. The climate and the salted roads are not kind to rust-prone Italian coachwork, and the stringent yearly state safety inspections are even less forgiving. He estimates that 30% -- 40% of Grifos there have been junked, and many more are in dodgy condition.

So finding a good restored or restorable Iso Grifo is not easy. As one SCMer in Switzerland wrote in 2006, "I wanted to let you know that I just paid about twice your indicated price for a stunning car in near-perfect condition. I bought it through a reputable dealer in Europe. Paid $135,000& these cars are rare& a great number have surely rusted away."

Pedigree and execution define desirability

If pedigree and execution define desirability, this car has it--chassis by the esteemed ex-Ferrari development engineer Bizzarrini, body designed by Giugiaro, and built by Bertone, among the best for the quality of its bodies. Further, the restoration was done by Diomante, an ex-Iso employee who was instrumental in manufacturing the cars and later built some very fine Bizzarrinis.

What of future values? Will Grifos continue to appreciate and find a wider following? Will the European design flair, combined with inexpensive-to-maintain American power, become more popular? I'd have to say this Grifo may not seem expensive for long. Euro-Americans are the ultimate street rod, with plenty of parts to increase the already great performance relatively cheaply.

Several eclectic collectors admire Anglo/Italian/French-American customs. As Bob Lutz said in the "Etceterini Profile" of his Monteverdi 375 S, (February 2006, p. 54): "All of these...are attractive alternatives to the typical exotics of the era& I have often thought that a fascinating collection could be assembled from European cars that used American V8s. Just think of all the marques you could pick from."

Over the years, hybrids have fallen in and out of market favor. When hot, they are described as "the best of both worlds." When cold, they are derided as "stylish bodies with lumps under the hood." Given this sale result, it appears the market for hybrids is going through one of its "hot" and "hotter" phases.

Details

Years Produced: 1965-1974

Number Produced: 400 A3/L (Lusso), 22 A3/C (Corsa)

Original List Price: $13,448 in 1970

SCM Valuation: $85,000-$145,000

Tune-up Cost: $200

Distributor Caps: $20

Chassis # Location: Metal plate on top of right front shock tower

Engine # Location: Top left flange at rear of block

Club Info: IBOC, 2025 Drake Drive, Oakland, CA, 94611

Website: click to visit

Alternatives: 1964-68 Gordon-Keeble, 1959-64 Facel Vega, 1967-77 Monteverdi 375

Investment Grade: B

Provided by Sports Car Market—The Insider's Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values and Trends