My Car Quest

March 28, 2024

A Custom Exotic Italian Classic Car

by Mike –

When RM Auctions auctioned this car in August 2010 in Monterey they called it the 1965 Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona) with chassis no. IR330039.

Wow, that’s a long name – it sold for $522,500.

1965 Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

When I saw it at Canapa Design in November 2006 it was called a 1965 Iso Daytona and the asking price was $800,000. All unlabeled photos are from that visit to Canapa Design.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

Notice Phil Hill’s autograph on the passenger door in the photo below.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

On May 26, 2000 it was auctioned as a 1965 Iso Rivolta Daytona Prototype, chassis no. IR 330039, for $120,344 at the B-J/Coys, Monte Carlo auction.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

At Coys Auction in May 2000

Neri and Bonacini

This car was built by Neri and Bonacini in Modena, Italy and introduced in the August 1966 issue of Road & Track.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

This car started life as Iso Rivolta GT, chassis No. 039, that was built on July 14, 1963.

The RM auction catalog from August 2010 said this about this unique car:

– An Iso Rivolta-based period prototype
– A/k/a “Iso Daytona” or “Nembo II”
– Lightweight alloy construction by Neri & Bonacini of Modena (Nembo)
– Track-ready, fully sorted with numerous upgrades by Canepa Design
– FIA and FIVA documents included
– Began its life as an Iso Rivolta GT “stradale.” After suffering an apparent crash early on, it was acquired by exotic car dealer Carlo Bernasconi of Milan who commissioned a prototype for an Iso-based, dual purpose competition GT with the body shape to his own design, from master engineers and coachbuilders Neri & Bonacini of Modena (Nembo).
– Originally known as the “Nembo II”
– It was conceived as a prototype for a series of production cars to be marketed as the “Strale Daytona 6000GT.” The new car made its public debut at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where it was greeted with great excitement by the national audience, and featured in the August, 1966 issue of Road & Track.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

At RM Auction in August 2010

The short article in the August 1966 issue of Road & Track does not mention the name “Strale Daytona 6000GT” nor the accident nor the Iso Rivolta GT connection but the headline is NEMBO II.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

I am not aware of any period racing history for this car. While it is a stretch to call it an Iso it has the Iso badge on the hood, the Iso Griffon logo on the steering wheel and an Iso Daytona script logo on the fenders behind the front wheels.

As far as I know this car has no connection to Daytona but just like the Chevrolet Monza any name can be used on a car as long as the name is not owned by another car company. Pontiac did not mind pushing the limits with the Pontiac GTO, apparently Ferrari did not object.

Strale Daytona 6000GT Prototype (Iso Daytona)

This car is a very beautiful custom re-body of an Iso Rivolta GT. As far as I can tell, from my viewing on two occasions, the styling and craftsmanship are excellent and it is likely very fast based on the engine, the size of the car and the Iso Rivolta GT chassis designed by Giotto Bizzarrini.

This car could be recreated today for much less than the price paid at the RM auction by buying an Iso Rivolta GT and commissioning the custom work, which would include reducing the wheel base by about 10 inches.

A Custom Exotic Italian Classic Car – Part 2 is here.

Let us know what you think about this custom bodied Iso Rivolta GT in the Comments.

See all the photos in the slide show below.

Bizzarrini Logo

Iso logo

Iso Grifo logo

Comments

  1. Hello all.
    I am following this car on the side for several years now and that because if i look at the “iso s for sale” this mostly popped up as well.
    Altough i think the car is quitte tall in size it looks nice.
    Like with any classic car it is the history AND the pedegree (patina) which on the end makes one of us paying a certain price.
    The bodywork shape has looks a bit like the stunning Lamborghini 350 gt Neri and Bonacini which was dicovered some years ago.
    The shame of this car is that like many other classic cars the restauration looks so good that the most important , nl Patina is gone.
    In other words it could also be a replica, as with many cobras , 300 sl s etc.
    So all what stays is the history or paper trial .
    And since those are made up sometimes as well , specially with expensive cars, the only thing what makes the value is how much you believe in and want the car !
    So guys and girls , do not over restore a car .
    Ps , my opinion on this car , with Bizza Stradales still cheaper as this car i dont see the high value of this car but someone else probbably does as shown at the auction prices !
    Greetings on a nice sunday morning from The Maastricht classic car show in the breakfast cafe.
    Alexander

  2. CindyMeitle says

    My initial reaction upon seeing the description of the car by RM was that it should read “Stradale” and not Strale. Perhaps that’s the breakdown….isn’t it an Iso Rivolta GT Stradale???? I might be wrong, but after 20 years in this industry, you pick up a thing or two.

    • areopagitica says

      The name indeed was Strale. Some individual’s surname. I know that I had someone translate a letter to the outfit in Italy since I was looking for some sort of manifold or sump that was supposed to have been specially made for the Chrysler engine that originally was specified for this car. However, Stradale is a good guess, meaning a street version of a race car when discussing Alfas etc.

  3. ~ wow, Mike. you’ve managed to shock and amaze me once again. i would love to read the details of this cars specifications and the history of its creation. a remarkable vehicle whatever the real story actually is.

    • Scot,
      Watch this space – more on this subject will be published later this week. All will be revealed, at least all that is known.

  4. This car was never designed/approved/built by Iso Rivolta. I think that the value of the model come by the facts: it was an interesting idea of Mr. Bernasconi, built on a IR chassis, a good coachwork by Neri e Bonacini.
    Unfortunately nowadays people want go beyond the story (for money? may be…) and, in this way, an original car can be modified, over restored, and… why not… equipped with fantasy badges (as “Iso Daytona”) well done with numeric controlled machines(?!) and put everywhere.
    All this is very sad… Expecially because the original Strale (that’s correct name, that in Italian is a synonymous of “freccia”=”arrow”) is now a bit hard to be recognizable in this car.
    My words can seems a bit hard, but I use them just because of my close contact with Iso Rivolta R&D technical office.
    Flavio, Bresso (birthplace of Iso) – Milan, Italy

  5. Wow, not sure what to make of all the comments above, but all I can say is that this a beautiful car with a traceable pedigree. The dash layout is all business and love the shifter location and its intergration into the center console. The hood scoop (seems to be a topic of choice with Isos) is done right. Strale means arrow as this was where the russian “Strela” was derived from (notice the juxtaposition of the letters).

  6. I will publish more on this subject later this week. Stay tuned.

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