someone please bring to light any period photograph of the so called 'Drogo Iso Rivolta Breadvan - 1965'
I bet, no one could ever do. I think that car is as false as a 147,5€ bankote with the face of Cleopatra...
You're right - no period shots out there!
Below is the spiel about this car.
Of course there are plenty of instances of people claiming cars are something they're not, but having spent what must have been a very great deal of money making this car, why claim something that could easily be checked by any historian worth his salt?!
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This 1965 Iso Rivolta wears an custom aluminum body in the style of the famous Ferrari GTO breadvan. The Ferrari was bodied by Piero Drogo and others including Bizzarrini, and the seller of this car claims that the body was “reputedly” made in 1965 by Drogo. Find it headed to auction at the awesome Silverstone Classic Sale on July 21st in the UK. Special thanks to BaT reader Kyle K. for this submission!
No racing history is itemized in the listing, but the car is said to have been used in numerous Italian hillclimbs. That seems odd as if it was really built in 1965, it would have most likely been for motorsport purposes and well photographed. Also, hillclimbs wouldn’t usually achieve speeds where the kamm-tail design was supposed to offer advantages.
The condition of the car looks amazing, with a clean race-spec interior and a spartan dash that integrates several of the factory dials. Race buckets, belts, and a very small steering wheel likely make this one a handfull on public roads.
THe front end design is equally interesting, with clear GTO cues as well as some Bizzarrini lines as well. It seems like the rear ride height needs to be lowered about 2 inches to give the car the right attitude to match the 650 horsepower engine.
This is a very odd car, but one that we’d love to see on the racetrack. Even if it was never seen in competition back in the day, it would make an interesting conversation pice in the paddock. Standard body Rivoltas always look a bit bulky in race trim, so this might be one of the better RIvolta race cars out there.
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And from the Silverstone Auctions site:
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Registration: NA
Chassis Number: IR460368
Engine Number: Not Specified
Number of cylinders: 8
CC: 5700
Year of Manufacture: 1965
Estimate (£): 55,000 - 75,000
In 1962 Giotto Bizzarrini was hired by Count Giovanni Volpi, owner of Scuderia Serenissima, to uprate a Ferrari 250 GT SWB to GTO Specification. Ferrari had refused to sell Volpi a GTO. At the time, several Ferrari 250 GT SWB cars were developed by Bizzarrini, Drogo, Neri and Bonacini, some to GTO specification, and all had distinctive bodies with similar shapes.
Bizzarrini applied all the ideas from the GTO and developed, with Piero Drogo of Carrozzeria Sports Cars in Modena, an aerodynamically advanced body, even lower than the GTO with the roof line dramatically extended to the rear end, then abruptly truncated following the Kamm aerodynamic theory. The car was completed in just 14 days and chassis number #2819GT, known as the Ferrari Breadvan, is still raced in vintage sports car events today.
At least another two 250 GT series cars were developed by Bizzarrini, Piero Drogo, and team-mates Neri and Bonacini to GTO specification and received distinctive bodies with similar advanced shapes.
This car is based on the chassis and running gear of an Iso Rivolta. It is believed to have been built in 1965 using an alloy body reputedly designed and made by Drogo in the classic Breadvan shape. Fitted with a 450bhp V8 Chevrolet engine and set up for competition use, this Iso would be extremely competitive in historic racing.
Over the years the car has been predominantly used in Italian hill climb events and in small regional races. When discovered by the last owner, the engine was rebuilt and the car restored. It was then used on the Tour Britannia and other rallies in Europe. Recently brought back from Pisa, the vendor reports that: "the car is mechanically in excellent condition, starts easily, is tremendously powerful and sounds amazing!" Supplied with EU registration papers, this all aluminium bodied Iso is a fine testament to the Ferrari Breadvan and could even house a Ferrari engine and running gear, if a suitable 250 donor could be found.
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