by Mike –
According to my sources in Germany the Iso Grifo No. 001 – “A Very Important And Rare Car” sold by Coys a few days ago in Essen, Germany has been seized by the German authorities.
Below is the text of an email sent to the German Coys Head, Mr. Haag, by dated 24 March 2014 written by Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Elsenbach who sent this message to me with permission to publish it here. He is not the source who told me the car had been seized.
Subject: Enquiry: 122 – 1966 Iso Griffo Lusso – B740001
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In my role as technical head of the German Iso Bizzarrini Club e.V. and FIVA ID auditor I would like to inform you that the number of your Iso Grifo (B 740001) is not true.
This number belongs to a Iso S4, a four door sedan car. The 001 was the first production car of the Iso S4. I own the second car (B 740002).
The VIN is not on the right place and was stamped in the wrong way. The plate with the engine number is wrong, too. I think that somebody use the papers from the 001 for this Grifo without papers.
On Thursday I will be in Essen. If you are interested in a check at your location please tell me.
Please note: Every FIVA ID applications for an Iso Bizzarrini not only in Germany are going over my table. A friend bought all rights from VGM with regard to Bizzarrini cars as well. We will stop and highlight all remakes.
Best regards, Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Elsenbach
Coys did not respnd to this email like they did not respond to other emails on the same subject days before the auction.
The Coys lisitng for this Iso Grifo is here.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
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Hopefully Coy’s has not paid the seller yet so they can do the right thing and refund the buyer his money. promptly.
If Coys were inclined to do the right thing this would have never happened. Coys should have reported this car to the authorities.
ISO von Auktion ist frei gegeben.. keine Beanstandungen…. Für verschiedene Leute werden die falschen Behauptungen ein Nachspiel haben. Selten so viele vorlaute und unwissende Autoexperten erlebt
TRANSLATION
Iso from auction has been released…no objections…For several people the false statements will have consequences. Rarely saw so many impertinent / cheeky and ignorant auto experts.
Sie scheinen mehr über dieses Fahrzeug, seine Herkunft und die Umstände des Verkauf durch Coys zu wissen. Können Sie uns mehr erzählen? Wir veröffentlichen gerne Ihre Stellungnahme.
TRANSLATION
You seem to know more about this car, its provenance, and the circumstances of its sale through Coys. Can you tell us more? We will gladly publish your statement.
….regular occurrence in the world of rare commodities…….bottom line……..GREED!!!!
Very disappointing and concerning that a “supposedly” top flight and well recognised Auction House chose to ignore the various well intentioned warnings sent to them regarding this particular car, BEFORE the auction and again as advised from Prof. Elsenbach, a very legitimate Authority on Iso. It makes me very concerned to see this behavioural attitude coming from such a well known name, and I wonder how many times this may have happened previously!!? I also question their lack of concern over the obviously false I.D. plate attached to the car that is patently a “cobble” up, and patently visible as such , whatever happened to INTEGRITY, or did $$$ replace it?
This is not the first time this has happened: https://mycarquest.com/2011/02/is-this-a-real-bizzarrini.html
~ I think it will be safe to presume that your effort, Mike Gulett, was extremely influential in bringing the facts to light.
Well done. vote of thanks, SC
Thank you Scot. More than one of the readers of My Car Quest took appropriate action.
As I have said before I depend on the kindness of sources. If anyone out there knows of anything else like this – let me know!
Nice to see some action taken, what is more interesting to me is the comment made by Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Elsenbach
“A friend bought all rights from VGM with regard to Bizzarrini cars as well. We will stop and highlight all remakes”
VGM used to hold all the rights to the Bizzarrini trademarks but went bankrupt and if the Dr. is serious about stopping remakes some real $#it is going to hit the fan regarding Bizzarrini’s because there are a lot of remakes out there.
Well done, Mike! Another fraud exposed!
I know Mr elsenbach as I sold my bizzarrini to him a number of years ago and I was not aware that he was coming to see the car nor have seen this email to Coys.
If he wanted to say something I was there and Jörg knows I work for Coys and should have asked for me so this could have been prevented.
Would have better for all parties.
Nik H
Regarding the details of the sale of an Iso Griffo which was described in its documentation and paperwork as being chassis 001, Coys confirm that despite incorrect comments being circulated by parties who were not in attendance at the event, the transaction for this car has not taken place and the matter of the car is now being handled in Germany where the event took place.
COYS has this to say on the matter:
“The case of historic motorcars due to the nature of their age where some confusion arises about their history is commonplace throughout the world and in this particular instance upon the acknowledgement of claims being made of an alternative car with the same chassis number the matter was handled in an entirely appropriate manner and the sale has not proceeded.
This situation, although unfortunate, is simply no more complicated than that.
C.Routledge
COYS”
This has nothing to do with the authenticity of the car but it amazes me that they would put those yellow spark plug wires and two dollar plastic fuel filter on this car!
It’s also missing the Griffon Emblem in the front !!
wasn’t it COYS that went into liquidation in 2004 with a number of sellers of cars at one of their auctions not getting paid and not getting their cars ?