Today’s featured car, seen at Silverstone Classic a couple of years ago, is a 1972 ISO Grifo Series 2 with the half hooded head lights that were first seen in 1970.

1972 saw the Grifo offered with a 7.4 litre / 454 cui Chevrolet V8 known as the CAN Am, newly introduced 5.8 litre / 351 cui Ford Boss V8 known as the IR8, or the 5.4 litre / 327 cui small block Chevrolet V8. The records lodged with the licensing authorities for this car and the absence of a large pagoda intake on the bonnet show that this car has a Bow Tie (Chevrolet) under the bonnet.

I don’t recall seeing any other car with a vented fuel cap cover before. By 1972 the oil crisis was beginning to emerge with the price of fuel rocketing tough trading conditions for manufacturers of large motorcars began to set in.

But as we shall see in the coming weeks that did not stop ISO Rivolta introducing two updated models during the course of the year in which the production of the ISO Grifo CAN Am was halted.

I am reasonably certain the rear lights of all Grifo models were sourced from the ALFA Romeo Junior / GTV parts bin, if you know this for a fact please do not hesitate to chip in below.

By all accounts the French sourced electric windows could be a little temperamental and the factory being aware of this thoughtfully provided a little crank which when inserted into small hole in the door panel would allow one to crank open or close the window as required. If only manufacturers were so thoughtful today !

The with a Giotto Bizzarrini designed chassis and Marcello Gandini, working for Bertone, body the Series I Grifos are considered classics, the 78 Series II cars with the half hidden headlights are considered timeless.

Thanks for joining me on this “Bow Tie or Oval” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Morris Pickup. Don’t forget to come back now !