This rare Iso Rivolta A3/C Sanction II Car has SOLD!!
Congratulations to both the seller and the buyer.
by Michael Gulett –
This stunning car is an original 1963 Iso Rivolta GT re-bodied as an Iso Rivolta A3/C by Roberto Negri of Bottegone, Iso Restorations in Clusone, Italy. The Iso Rivolta A3/C eventually became the Bizzarrini GT 5300.
I saw this car in person in Italy last year and it is a beautiful masterpiece of craftsmanship and engineering. I had a ride in the sister car and was very impressed with the race car handling and acceleration. A perfectly balanced car that will go very fast in a straight line and very fast on a road course in the hands of a knowledgeable driver.
Only a handful of these special cars will be created – this is a unique opportunity to acquire one in as new condition that is ready to be driven, raced or shown.
Iso Rivolta A3/C – The Rebirth of a Legend
The Iso Rivolta A3/C was born in the early 1960s to be a race car designed to win at Le Mans. During 1963/64 only two of these Iso Rivolta A3/Cs were built: Chassis #201 and #202.
They had been constructed and assembled by the engineer Giotto Bizzarrini to the order of Renzo Rivolta, owner of the Iso Car Company.
The Iso Company paid all the expenses and sponsored the racing activities of Giotto Bizzarrini at that time.
The idea was to make the Iso Rivolta brand prominent at the race tracks after the success of Iso Rivolta GT the year before, when it was shown to the public for the first time. The Iso Rivolta GT is an absolutely prestigious car but it was not made for racing.
The racing version A3/C used a shortened Rivolta GT chassis. Mainly the front and the rear cross members were used in order to allow the use of the same suspension parts as the Rivolta GT.
It has a welded sheet steel tub with a fully independent suspension by double wishbones in the front and a de Dion axle in the rear. The engine-gearbox was pushed very far to the back causing the weight distribution to be changed to nearly 50/50 front to rear.
With the help of the wind tunnel a new aluminum body was designed by Bertone (Giorgetto Giugiaro) and was riveted onto the chassis. The result was this wonderful Berlinetta Iso Rivolta A3/C.
From chassis #203 to #222 the model name for these cars were changed. Sometimes they were called Iso A3, Iso Bizzarrini, Iso Grifo Stradale, or Grifo 5300.
All these names were created and used by Giotto Bizzarrini without the involvement of the Iso Company. Some of these cars took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1964 and 1965 plus other races like Sebring. After Giotto Bizzarrini and Iso Rivolta split the cars were branded the Bizzarrini GT 5300.
In 1976 Roberto Negri became the sole proprietor of all the inventory of the Iso Rivolta Company and its sole legitimate successor (see below for more details about Roberto Negri).
Among many other parts the inventory included original parts and chassis to build and assemble more cars of the Iso Rivolta A3/C racing version, identical to the Iso Rivolta A3/C versions built in 1963/64.
The cars are 100% correct and authentic, and re-manufactured according to original factory construction drawings and specifications. The body is an all-aluminum riveted masterpiece and the entire chassis is hand crafted exactly the same as in 1963/64.
All parts used are the original and absolutely period correct. The cars are hand assembled with great craftsmanship by a small crew of specialists, who had worked with the original Iso Rivolta Company.
This car for sale here is officially an Iso Rivolta A3/C and it legitimately carries the Iso Rivolta A3 emblem.
Summary of this Iso Rivolta A3/C Sanction II
Make: Iso Rivolta
Model: A3/C – Sanction II
Year: 1963
Type: Race car – legal for the street
Chassis number: IR*340086
Body: Riveted Aluminum
Exterior: White with green stripe
Interior: Red leather with gray carpet
Engine: Original Chevrolet Corvette 327 cid – 350 hp
Transmission: 4-speed manual (T-10)
2.88 differential ratio
Build date: November 5, 1963
Clean title, US documents
The condition is as new
Included are a copy of the original 1963 Iso build sheet and a written statement of authenticity signed by Piero Rivolta
The number of Iso Rivolta A3/C Sanction II cars built, or to be built, is very low – this is a unique opportunity to obtain one in as new condition that is ready to be driven, raced or shown at any Concours d’Elegance.
Roberto Negri and Bottegone, Iso Restorations
Roberto Negri worked during the late sixties and early seventies as an engineer and test driver at the Iso Rivolta Company and is now the owner of Bottegone, Iso Restorations, located in Clusone/Bergamo, Italy.
When the Iso Company went out of business in 1974 Roberto Negri became the sole proprietor of all the inventory of the Iso Rivolta Company and its sole legitimate successor.
This inventory included all the original spare parts, window glass, chassis, car bodies, construction drawings and many more items. Roberto Negri founded the company Bottegone, Iso Restorations, and since then he is the only official supplier of original Iso and Bizzarrini parts because these cars share more than 90% of the same, identical parts.
During all these years the Bottegone company, now operated by Roberto Negri and his son Federico, continued to supply parts to Iso and Bizzarrini owners throughout the world and provide repairs and maintenance of their cars.
Numerous Iso and Bizzarrini cars have been rebuilt and restored with great craftsmanship using the outstanding experience of more than 40 years, thanks to Roberto’s team of specialists – all are former employees of the original Iso Company, who work on every car with passion and profound knowledge.
Click for a larger view
All cars are 100% correct and authentically rebuilt and restored according to the original factory construction drawings and specifications. All parts are original and absolutely period correct. And the results show it.
If you see this sticker (on the right) on the window of an Iso or Bizzarrini you can be assured that this car was perfectly restored at Bottegone, Iso Restorations, the world’s most authentic Iso workshop.
More photos are in the three slide shows below.
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This car is the real deal, in so many ways. It’s being represented exactly for what it is, nothing more, nothing less. The way this car is constructed matches the way the original Iso Rivolta A3/C’s were constructed 50 years ago, and it’s being built by the same artisans that did it all that time ago. It’s a hand-built masterpiece, using original Iso Rivolta period components, in the same manner as the original cars. The advantages this car has are many: no hidden rust; no stories; no worn out parts; everything except the chassis is brand-new and correct: period papers showing the car to be 50 years old (which it is, as a rebodied Iso Rivolta–which is what the originals were based on); superior craftsmanship; incredible looks; phenomenal handling and acceleration. In other words, the best of EVERYTHING!!!
It takes a knowledgeable buyer to appreciate just how special this car is. Go to http://www.isorestorations.com to see the process by which it was hand built, it’s amazing. Unlike some “continuation” cars that have nothing whatsoever to do with the original cars, this car isn’t like that at all. It’s not just an old serial number that was sitting around unused, and then “attached” to a brand-new car. It’s not a recreation pretending to be an older car. It simply is a new Iso Rivolta A3/C (racing) car, constructed on, and in the same way in which the originals were built, on a period 1963-1964 original Iso Rivolta GT chassis, rebodied as an A3C. The engine is period correct, as are all the important parts.
If you want a GREAT car, built by the Iso team in Italy that built the originals, there’s no other place to go! Wish I had the money to buy it myself!
Very few items are hand made these days and the term high quality and rare are tossed around a lot, but this Iso A3C is the exception. These cars are hand made by the same artisans that built them back in the sixties and they are built to the highest quality standards. All of the materials used to build them are hand picked. The result is a stunning Italian hand crafted car that looks, drives and sounds fantastic yet has affordable maintainability. I have spoke to a number of people that have driven in this car and the word “breathtaking” is used often. There are very few things that I would lust after but this has to be one of them. I think Roberto Negri’s A3C checks all the boxes.
This A3C will be the only one anyway for sale in public.
The other four of the five planned ISO Rivolta A3/C
have already been sold to private collectors.
I don’t think that isorestorations is completing any
more of these special A3/C.
I remember seeing one of these when, as a car-mad schoolboy, I paid a visit to the Earls Court motor show sometime in the 60’s. There was a red Iso Grifo A3C in the car park and at that time I don’t think that I’d ever seen anything quite so beautiful with its trademark riveted bodywork. I haven’t see one since until I stumbled on isorestorations website. Forza Iso Grifo!
est elle encore a vendre
(is it still for sale)
Yes.