1973 Iso Grifo IR-8 Series II
Presentation
This Iso Grifo was constructed on July 17, 1973 as one of 78 Series II examples produced between 1970 and 1974, and one of an estimated 34 IR-8 examples built with power from a Ford 351ci Cleveland V8. Chassis 340408 was delivered new in Belgium via importer Van Den Abbeele in Dendermonde, who purchased the vehicle back from its first owner in the late 1970s. The car spent nearly five decades as part of their private collection, during which time it underwent a color change to yellow prior to winning the Yellow Fever category at the Antwerp Concours d’Elegance in 2015, and it was displayed later that year as part of an exhibit at Autoworld in Brussels. A multi-year refurbishment project was initiated in the early 2020s, and work involved stripping the bodywork to bare metal, mounting the car to a rotisserie, and repainting it in its factory shade of Azzurro Metallizzato. The engine, three-speed automatic transmission, and Salisbury limited-slip differential were also overhauled, as were the suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. It rides on 15″ Campagnolo magnesium wheels and is further equipped with power-assisted steering, a De Dion rear end, and a “pagoda” hood scoop. Inside, bucket seats trimmed in Chiaccio leather are accompanied by a Nardi steering wheel, air conditioning, power windows, and a cassette stereo. Acquired by the current owner in 2026, this Grifo IR-8 is now offered on dealer consignment by a BaT Local Partner in Malle, Belgium, with a copy of its build sheet, refurbishment photos, and Belgian registration.
Development of the Grifo began in 1963 via a reprise of the partnership between Iso, Giotto Bizzarrini, and Giorgetto Giugiaro that had produced the Iso Rivolta IR 300 earlier in the decade. Following a split between Iso and Bizzarrini, the Grifo GL fastback coupe entered production in 1965 with power from a small-block Chevrolet V8. Second-series revisions included a sloping nose profile with partially concealed quadruple headlights under popup doors, and the IR-8 featured a raised “pagoda” hood scoop to accommodate the Ford Cleveland V8.
This example left the factory in Azzurro Metallizzato, and it was repainted yellow in the 1980s. It was later stripped to bare metal and mounted to a rotisserie as part of the aforementioned refurbishment completed in the 2020s, where it received bodywork prior to being refinished in its original shade of light blue. Bodywork is constructed of steel with an aluminum hood, and Giugiaro-penned fastback styling features a panoramic rear window with a wiper. Further exterior details include a raked windshield, horizontal sail-panel vents, and louvered vents rearward of each wheel.
The 15″ Campagnolo magnesium wheels were refinished in silver during the project and feature bright hubcaps and lug covers. Pirelli Cinturato tires are mounted all around, including on a matching spare wheel stored in the trunk compartment. The car is equipped with power-assisted steering, and stopping is handled by servo-assisted hydraulic disc brakes with the rear units mounted inboard.
The seller tells us that the cabin retains its factory pleated Chiaccio leather over the bucket seats, door panels, console, and rear shelf. Beige carpeting covers the floors, and additional appointments include a locking glovebox and console compartment as well as a polished gear selector, a wooden parking brake handle, air conditioning, power windows, and a Philips cassette stereo.
The leather-wrapped Nardi steering wheel sits ahead of a wood dash fascia housing Veglia Borletti instrumentation including a 320-km/h speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, a clock, and gauges monitoring fuel level, oil temperature, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 50k kilometers (~31k miles), approximately 100 of which have been added under current ownership.
Seller Video
Bids & Comments
Jclay23 21
Nov 9, 2026 · 17:14
Beautiful car. I will never forget, I was 15 yrs old in the early '80s and had the chance to be part of a concert band tour of Europe one summer. We were in a small German town when I heard what sounded like a V-8 rumble and realized it was coming from this really cool looking maroon car with a crazy hood. I'd never seen anything like it and had no idea what it was. Fast forward about 40 years, with occasional thoughts of that mystery car throughout the years and I see a picture that reminded me of that night in Germany. I did a bit more research and sure enough the mystery was solved! It was an Iso Grifo with the penthouse hood. Now the subject of my car fantasies has an identity. I doubt I will ever be able to have one, but that car one evening in Germany sure made an impression on an American teen! Beautifull car. GLWTA
speed8classics (The Seller)
Nov 9, 2026 · 04:43
Dear Clients,
the engine is the original matching numbers engine of this car! The engine was completely rebuild with new pistons, valves, chain, oilpump, camschaft, balancing....at a cost of around 10k!! The car was sold by the main dealer for Belgium to the first owner who used it for 7 years and drove 45000km! Then bought back by the dealer Van den Abbeele and kept in their private collection since 1977! This is the best and most original Grifo I have ever seen!!! Good luck bidding!
the engine is the original matching numbers engine of this car! The engine was completely rebuild with new pistons, valves, chain, oilpump, camschaft, balancing....at a cost of around 10k!! The car was sold by the main dealer for Belgium to the first owner who used it for 7 years and drove 45000km! Then bought back by the dealer Van den Abbeele and kept in their private collection since 1977! This is the best and most original Grifo I have ever seen!!! Good luck bidding!
Nov 8, 2026 · 19:26
Thank you Daniel Jones for your insight on the specs - '73 not a prime year for American engine output - would have assumed Iso would have specced (dat a word?) or massaged the engine for better output. Original wheel or Bizza GT wheel suits the car, 1988 Nardi is super lame and ruins the cockpit. Always loved the contrast of the penthouse with the body lines...Stunning color combo almost excuses the two pedals.
Nov 8, 2026 · 15:45
@austinhealer The engine block should carry a casting code of D2AE-CA. D2AE blocks could be drilled with either 2 or 4 bolt main caps but, when equipped with 4V heads, they were 4 bolt main. The dot doesn't signify anything and this engine would have come with D3ZE open chamber 4V heads. BTW, 4V refers to 4 venturis in the carburetor, not 4 valves per cylinder. The open chamber 4V heads used in 1972 were fitted with the larger diameter valves (2.19" intake and 1.71" exhaust). In 1973, D3ZE open chamber heads were fitted with smaller 2.05" and 1.65" diameter valves shared by the 2V heads. When Ford switched to the low compression open chamber heads, they made several changes in an attempt to offset the compression loss. The changes included a spread bore intake manifold with a larger (750 versus 600) CFM Motorcraft 4300D spread bore carburetor and a more aggressive camshaft with Cobra Jet timing events but, for emissions purposes, the cam was installed 4 degrees retarded and the dual point distributor received a lazy ignition curve. Back in the day, Ford offered a kit that replaced the nylon-coated aluminum timing gear (seen in picture 348) with an iron one that advanced the cam 4 degrees, along with a set of springs and weights for a faster distributor curve. In 1972, the pistons were flat top for a nominal compression ratio of 8.6:1 or 8.8:1. In 1973, dished pistons (also shown in picture 348) dropped the compression to 7.9:1 and power to an SAE net 248 HP (versus 266 in 1972). Even with the smaller valves, the large port heads flow pretty well but need higher octane fuel for the same compression ratio. BTW, the umbrella seals shown in picture 346 are notorious for cracking apart and falling into the oil pan, then getting sucked through the bypass hole in the oil pickup screen. This momentarily locks up the pump, usually shearing the distributor gear locating pin.
Nov 8, 2026 · 13:19
@Daniel_Jones correct me if I am wrong but the heads are 4v type with a dot meaning they are a closed chamber high compression spec. As for whether the engine is a 4 bolt main Boss block, the only way to know for sure is to pull the starter and check the casting numbers
Nov 8, 2026 · 09:32
@speed8classics Were the pistons and valves shown in picture 348 cleaned and reinstalled during the rebuild?
speed8classics (The Seller)
Nov 8, 2026 · 05:11
Dear Clients , yes we have videos of the car running and driving...;excuses we forgot to add them to the file. They will be online soon!!
Nov 8, 2026 · 01:26
@Maurice_Mentens I was fortunate enough to own #412 in London for a number of years, and drove it on many memorable long journeys. If my memory serves me correctly, when it was then subsequently re restored in the USA, it was discovered that it had been rebuilt from an earlier chassis number.. Anyways, this car looks spectacular, and I wish I had the funds to buy it.. GLWTS
Nov 7, 2026 · 06:41
Do you have a video of this car running?
Nino412P
Bid
Nov 6, 2026 · 05:35
Bid in the amount of $60,000
Nov 5, 2026 · 17:41
Fantastic series of photos showing what a quality restoration entails, the end result speaks for itself. Best of luck
Nov 5, 2026 · 17:18
@snafuracer My first Matchbox car was a blue Iso. I've been in love with them ever since, especially once I learned their story.
Nov 5, 2026 · 05:30
The leather color is ghiaccio ("ice"), not chiaccio.
Nov 5, 2026 · 04:17
I remember seeing chassis 408 last in Belgium when it was still yellow and to the trained eye (I specialize in restoring these) it needed a lot of help. To be expected as they were driven hard and put away wet (Belgium!) with often no knowledgeable service shop available. Especially the sheet metal work (ZERO rust protection from the factory) can get very elaborate as every panel or bracket needs to be hand fabricated. So it's no surprise that these Grifos mostly get sold in "tired" condition when a long time owner finds out how expensive they are to restore. The point I want to make is that through these pictures it looks like the owner of 408 decided to take on a correct restoration from the ground up with no corners cut. I like their eye for detail, great examples are the correct seat leather perforation and how they went through the hassle of fabricating exhaust mufflers in the original, factory style. Sure I can nag on a few details but that is all they are; details. Also, close to the end of production (Chassis 412 was the last one before the bankruptcy of Iso S.p.A.) they made a handful of Grifos with the chrome door glass surround, which made them water tight and easier to work. This is one of these rare versions. Only seldom do these show up in auctions in this condition, cars at this level mostly get traded off auction. So this looks like it could be a great opportunity for someone who is looking for a real good Series II Grifo. I wonder where this one ends up...
paulstanco
Bid
Nov 5, 2026 · 04:03
Bid in the amount of $50,000
2Be
Bid
Nov 5, 2026 · 03:21
Bid in the amount of $11,000
Nov 4, 2026 · 22:25
Two things I'm a huge fan of: Euro-American hybrids and sleepy-eye pop-up headlamp shades.
Nov 4, 2026 · 20:39
When I come back as the successful owner of a nationwide network of brain surgery clinics for rocket scientists, THIS is what I would trade my 2014 Maserati Ghibli in for.
Nov 4, 2026 · 19:01
I have always thought the Iso Grifo IR-8 S2 has such a Maserati Mistral siloutte.
Nov 4, 2026 · 17:28
LS and T56 swap. I said what I said.
Nov 4, 2026 · 14:02
The pagoda or penthouse or whatever they called it ruins Giugiaro's beautiful lines. They should have stuck with the Chevy engine. IMHO.
Nov 4, 2026 · 12:51
@Jack659831 The transmission pan shape suggests the 3 speed automatic transmission is a C6. The FMX transmission has a more rectangular transmission pan. Also, the engine is not a Boss 351. The Boss 351 was a one year only (1971) high performance, high compression, forged piston, solid lifter version with 4 bolt mains that was never paired with an automatic transmission. The engine in this Iso is a low compression version with D3ZE open chamber 4V heads (but fitted with 2V diameter valves), cast dished pistons and a cast iron intake with Motorcraft 4300D carburetor. @ninavich the camshaft installed in this version was a hydraulic lifter camshaft sharing timing events with the one used in the 428CJ. Also, it was installed 4 degrees retarded for emissions purposes. As installed in a Mustang of the same year, the engine was rated at 248 HP SAE net. Besides the Boss 351, the only 351C that came with a solid lifter camshaft was the 1972-only HO version. It was essentially a lower compression Boss 351 with forged flat top pistons and revised solid lifter camshaft.
Nov 4, 2026 · 11:58
I had a toy one when I was a kid. Never got over the beauty of it! Still stops me in my tracks!
Nov 4, 2026 · 11:31
Bid in the amount of $10,000
Nov 4, 2026 · 11:31
What a downer to see the slush box
Nov 4, 2026 · 10:50
In a world awash in Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis, be an Iso Grifo.
Nov 4, 2026 · 10:22
Unfortunately, the "Boss 351" engine in the Grifo only had 8.6 compression and open chamber heads. it did, however retain the solid lifter cam.
speed8classics (The Seller)
Nov 4, 2026 · 08:53
Dear Clients, we are happy to assist with shipping worldwide and will deliver the car as a free service to the shipper! Best regards, Koen Heuts
Speed 8 Classics
Speed 8 Classics
Nov 3, 2026 · 21:57
I had no idea that my favorite Matchbox car was in real-life production in the same year I got my drivers license! I could have asked my parents for a high-school graduation present…
Although I think the original versions are the most pure, this later model is still spectacularly beautiful. Thanks for bringing it here for us to admire (and bid of course).
Although I think the original versions are the most pure, this later model is still spectacularly beautiful. Thanks for bringing it here for us to admire (and bid of course).
Nov 3, 2026 · 20:38
Like several here I also had one of these Matchbox cars as a kid and always loved them. I was driving by a backstreet auto shop in St Petersburg FL a few years ago and saw one sticking out the garage door so stopped and went to look. The mechanic was surely impressed that I knew what it was and invited me in to look it over :) One of those 60’s GT classics whose beauty never fades. Will enjoy watching.
Nov 3, 2026 · 19:10
I wish this was in the USA!
Nov 3, 2026 · 18:56
It's a beautiful Grifo! Just to set the record straight, the hood scoop used to clear the height of the taller Ford engine (and big block Corvette engine as well) was referred to by its designer, Marcello Gandini, as a "Penthouse" hood, and never a "pagoda," which is commonly used to describe a M-B SL (230, 250, 280). Iso never called it a pagoda. Gandini was also responsible for the Series II headlight treatment, as well as the Targa roof option on the Grifo. The basic shape of the Grifo, Series I and II, otherwise belongs exclusively to Giugiaro.
Nov 3, 2026 · 18:25
@Gilinski an Iso, having a Ford SB and running gear, should be very easy to service. For those major kinds of parts, you can probably go to your FLAPS, and find them quickly. However, for small unique and trim parts, it will be a challenge; the answer to which is Jim Simpson @O.D.D. Parts in Sonoma, California. You can thank me anytime. s
Nov 3, 2026 · 18:19
I’ve always loved these. Is that “C6”? Along with that “Boss 351”? GLWTA
Nov 3, 2026 · 17:46
So gorgeous. How hard are parts to come by? What's it like to service these creatures?
Nov 3, 2026 · 17:37
Oh, WOW, this glorious Grifo IR-8 is breathtakingly beautiful, rare as can be, and cool AF. And surely this has to be the coolest thing to emerge from Belgium in 2026? GLWTA!
Nov 3, 2026 · 17:36
Too funny I also had the Matchbox Iso it was dark blue. One of my favorites. GLWTS.
Nov 3, 2026 · 17:22
My favorite car ever since I had the Matchbox car, and I think it was even a similar shade of blue.
Nov 3, 2026 · 17:14
Awesome beast; terrible name
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