Oops I boobed!
Of course, the Rivolto and Grifo were actually two different cars, although
they shared the same chassis, engine (up to about 68 when the Grifo got a 7
litre engine) and running gear. The chassis of the Grifo was shortened, but
essentially the same. It was a real "fastback" supercar, with performance on
a par with any other car in the world and not really beaten until the
Lamborghini Muira came along in about 1970, but the Muira only carried 2
people (or one large Italian Tenor) albeit at 185 MPH, the Grifo was a full
four seater.
I guess the closest would have been the Aston Martin DBS V8 or the Ferrari
365 GTB4, but the latter car was a lot slower than the Grifo, which was good
for about 170 MPH in 7 litre form. The DBS could crack about 173 in full
tune and light weight on 5.3 litres.(More impressively, it could hit 100 in
12 seconds and do 0 - 100 -0 in 18 seconds, within 1/4 mile. I did it just
once, as a passenger, down Zoeller St, a 50 kmh area, in Concorde NSW, and
got religion!)
I am not aware of a Grifo in NZ, but if you find one, for Gods sake let me
know where it is!
Regards
Eric
Rivolto Grifo
-
Simon Lord
- See my 5 and raise you.
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:09 pm
- Location: Albany
Rivolto Grifo
Sorry, Eric - as a Miura fan I have to point out that the Miura was launched
at the Geneva show in 1966 and in the showrooms a year later. They claimed
186mph top speed but on the original the nose had a tendency to lift over
125mph, which must have dampened the driver's enthusiasm somewhat. The 1970
model was the P400S with 370bhp (the original was 'only' 350bhp). I have only
seen two of these beautiful cars in my life, both in showrooms - the first was
an ex-Rod Stewart car in orange (he had six, apparently) and I was surprised
to see that it had a tear in the headlining. I mentioned this to the salesman,
and he grinned and said 'That's a selling point - we're going to tell people
it was made by Britt Ekland's heel!'. The second one I saw was a few years
later when I was buying my first house and I seriously debated which would be
the better investment. I got it wrong and bought the house...
Can't understand why all the kit car manufacturers copies the hideous Countach
and not the gorgeous Miura. Like many others, I was turned on to the Miura by
the opening of The Italian Job. I watched the remake of the film on a plane to
Singapore recently and my wife kept prodding me because I was snorting in
disgust. The Americans just don't do wit very well, do they? Still, to keep
this message even vaguely relevant to the club's interests, a Miura is about
the only thing I'd give up my MX5 for...
Re the Iso Rivolta, I have a Matchbox model of the Grifo sitting in a box at
my mother's house in Scotland. When I was back in April I discovered a large
box pushed to the back of the cupboard in what had been my old room and opened
it in interest - discovered all my old Corgi and Matchbox cars from the 60's.
Sad anally-retentive little child that I was, I had kept them all in their
original boxes. Seems I have the last laugh as they are now worth quite a bit
- especially things like the original James Bond Aston Martin and the
Batmobile...
Simon
97 SR Ltd
at the Geneva show in 1966 and in the showrooms a year later. They claimed
186mph top speed but on the original the nose had a tendency to lift over
125mph, which must have dampened the driver's enthusiasm somewhat. The 1970
model was the P400S with 370bhp (the original was 'only' 350bhp). I have only
seen two of these beautiful cars in my life, both in showrooms - the first was
an ex-Rod Stewart car in orange (he had six, apparently) and I was surprised
to see that it had a tear in the headlining. I mentioned this to the salesman,
and he grinned and said 'That's a selling point - we're going to tell people
it was made by Britt Ekland's heel!'. The second one I saw was a few years
later when I was buying my first house and I seriously debated which would be
the better investment. I got it wrong and bought the house...
Can't understand why all the kit car manufacturers copies the hideous Countach
and not the gorgeous Miura. Like many others, I was turned on to the Miura by
the opening of The Italian Job. I watched the remake of the film on a plane to
Singapore recently and my wife kept prodding me because I was snorting in
disgust. The Americans just don't do wit very well, do they? Still, to keep
this message even vaguely relevant to the club's interests, a Miura is about
the only thing I'd give up my MX5 for...
Re the Iso Rivolta, I have a Matchbox model of the Grifo sitting in a box at
my mother's house in Scotland. When I was back in April I discovered a large
box pushed to the back of the cupboard in what had been my old room and opened
it in interest - discovered all my old Corgi and Matchbox cars from the 60's.
Sad anally-retentive little child that I was, I had kept them all in their
original boxes. Seems I have the last laugh as they are now worth quite a bit
- especially things like the original James Bond Aston Martin and the
Batmobile...
Simon
97 SR Ltd
97 SR Ltd (sparkle green)
Email: simon@franchise.co.nz
Email: simon@franchise.co.nz
-
Simon Lord
- See my 5 and raise you.
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 1:09 pm
- Location: Albany
Rivolto Grifo
Sorry, Eric - as a Miura fan I have to point out that the Miura was launched
at the Geneva show in 1966 and in the showrooms a year later. They claimed
186mph top speed but on the original the nose had a tendency to lift over
125mph, which must have dampened the driver's enthusiasm somewhat. The 1970
model was the P400S with 370bhp (the original was 'only' 350bhp). I have only
seen two of these beautiful cars in my life, both in showrooms - the first was
an ex-Rod Stewart car in orange (he had six, apparently) and I was surprised
to see that it had a tear in the headlining. I mentioned this to the salesman,
and he grinned and said 'That's a selling point - we're going to tell people
it was made by Britt Ekland's heel!'. The second one I saw was a few years
later when I was buying my first house and I seriously debated which would be
the better investment. I got it wrong and bought the house...
Can't understand why all the kit car manufacturers copies the hideous Countach
and not the gorgeous Miura. Like many others, I was turned on to the Miura by
the opening of The Italian Job. I watched the remake of the film on a plane to
Singapore recently and my wife kept prodding me because I was snorting in
disgust. The Americans just don't do wit very well, do they? Still, to keep
this message even vaguely relevant to the club's interests, a Miura is about
the only thing I'd give up my MX5 for...
Re the Iso Rivolta, I have a Matchbox model of the Grifo sitting in a box at
my mother's house in Scotland. When I was back in April I discovered a large
box pushed to the back of the cupboard in what had been my old room and opened
it in interest - discovered all my old Corgi and Matchbox cars from the 60's.
Sad anally-retentive little child that I was, I had kept them all in their
original boxes. Seems I have the last laugh as they are now worth quite a bit
- especially things like the original James Bond Aston Martin and the
Batmobile...
Simon
97 SR Ltd
at the Geneva show in 1966 and in the showrooms a year later. They claimed
186mph top speed but on the original the nose had a tendency to lift over
125mph, which must have dampened the driver's enthusiasm somewhat. The 1970
model was the P400S with 370bhp (the original was 'only' 350bhp). I have only
seen two of these beautiful cars in my life, both in showrooms - the first was
an ex-Rod Stewart car in orange (he had six, apparently) and I was surprised
to see that it had a tear in the headlining. I mentioned this to the salesman,
and he grinned and said 'That's a selling point - we're going to tell people
it was made by Britt Ekland's heel!'. The second one I saw was a few years
later when I was buying my first house and I seriously debated which would be
the better investment. I got it wrong and bought the house...
Can't understand why all the kit car manufacturers copies the hideous Countach
and not the gorgeous Miura. Like many others, I was turned on to the Miura by
the opening of The Italian Job. I watched the remake of the film on a plane to
Singapore recently and my wife kept prodding me because I was snorting in
disgust. The Americans just don't do wit very well, do they? Still, to keep
this message even vaguely relevant to the club's interests, a Miura is about
the only thing I'd give up my MX5 for...
Re the Iso Rivolta, I have a Matchbox model of the Grifo sitting in a box at
my mother's house in Scotland. When I was back in April I discovered a large
box pushed to the back of the cupboard in what had been my old room and opened
it in interest - discovered all my old Corgi and Matchbox cars from the 60's.
Sad anally-retentive little child that I was, I had kept them all in their
original boxes. Seems I have the last laugh as they are now worth quite a bit
- especially things like the original James Bond Aston Martin and the
Batmobile...
Simon
97 SR Ltd
97 SR Ltd (sparkle green)
Email: simon@franchise.co.nz
Email: simon@franchise.co.nz
-
MC
Rivolto Grifo
Hi All
This is really an interesting topic, and sitting here with me is Ray Smith,
who some of you know, and he grinned at this topic, he says in 1968 the late
great Mike Hailwood owned one of the Iso Grifo's and he remembers sitting
alongside another late great world champion Bill Ivy who at the same time
owned a Maserati Ghibli, Bill called it the "Gobbler" they were chasing
each other into and through the town of Hockenheim Mike tried to pass Bill
at 130mph when Mike hit the wall, the Maserati had the better top Speed Ray
says,
and he went on to say they were doing 170-180mph approaching Hockenheim
Town, scary stuff
MC
This is really an interesting topic, and sitting here with me is Ray Smith,
who some of you know, and he grinned at this topic, he says in 1968 the late
great Mike Hailwood owned one of the Iso Grifo's and he remembers sitting
alongside another late great world champion Bill Ivy who at the same time
owned a Maserati Ghibli, Bill called it the "Gobbler" they were chasing
each other into and through the town of Hockenheim Mike tried to pass Bill
at 130mph when Mike hit the wall, the Maserati had the better top Speed Ray
says,
and he went on to say they were doing 170-180mph approaching Hockenheim
Town, scary stuff
MC
-
MC
Rivolto Grifo
Hi All
This is really an interesting topic, and sitting here with me is Ray Smith,
who some of you know, and he grinned at this topic, he says in 1968 the late
great Mike Hailwood owned one of the Iso Grifo's and he remembers sitting
alongside another late great world champion Bill Ivy who at the same time
owned a Maserati Ghibli, Bill called it the "Gobbler" they were chasing
each other into and through the town of Hockenheim Mike tried to pass Bill
at 130mph when Mike hit the wall, the Maserati had the better top Speed Ray
says,
and he went on to say they were doing 170-180mph approaching Hockenheim
Town, scary stuff
MC
This is really an interesting topic, and sitting here with me is Ray Smith,
who some of you know, and he grinned at this topic, he says in 1968 the late
great Mike Hailwood owned one of the Iso Grifo's and he remembers sitting
alongside another late great world champion Bill Ivy who at the same time
owned a Maserati Ghibli, Bill called it the "Gobbler" they were chasing
each other into and through the town of Hockenheim Mike tried to pass Bill
at 130mph when Mike hit the wall, the Maserati had the better top Speed Ray
says,
and he went on to say they were doing 170-180mph approaching Hockenheim
Town, scary stuff
MC
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