1969 ISO Grifo GL Coupe

A prominent and functional pagoda-style hood scoop was a distinguishable feature of the '7 Litri' Grifo, and a necessary tool for the hood to clear the massive powerplant. Special '7 Litri' badges on the rear pillars proudly declared what lurked beneath the bonnet. The 427 cubic-inch V8 had overhead valves and a single Rochester carburetor delivering 400 horsepower at 5,200 RPM. This particular example uses a four-speed manual gearbox to direct power to the rear wheels. There are four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes with the rear positioned inboard.

This Series I Sio Grifo was built on April 7th of 1969 and assigned chassis number 7L930.260. It was originally finished in Rosso Pelle Bianca (Red over White Leather) and fitted with a 427 CID (seven liter) Chevrolet engine, no. 1362. It is believed that it was originally owned by Henry Moore III of Connecticut, who was living in Switzerland at the time and working as a banker. He developed a relationship with Piero Rivolta, culminating in Mr. Moore assisting in establishing Iso dealerships in the US.

Shortly after acquiring the vehicle, Mr. Moore returned to the United States with the Iso Grifo, and it remained in his care until the mid-1970s, at which time the car was sold to John Mastroianni, also of Connecticut. Mr. Mastroianni used the car sparingly until 2017 when it was sold to its current Southern California owner. Upon its acquisition, the car was refreshed with a Sera Blu (Evening Blue) exterior with a Cognac leather interior trimmed by Pete Engle. Additionally, minor mechanical details were addressed by the consignor.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2021