From Auto Italia, 2022: When Iso Is A Good Thing!

-


According to Google Lens, this is an Iso Rivolta Lele.  Further Googling revealed that early versions were powered by a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet V8, which was a very Iso formula shared by the Grifo and the larger Fidia.  Everybody's favourite font of knowledge further explained that the Lele was named in honour of the founder's son's wife - Rachelle - it was produced between 1969 and 1974 and that it was styled by Gandini - he of X1/9 fame - who was working for Bertone at the time.






Spot the Fiat 124 AC taillights?  The CC did!


The red car below is also a Lele, although I'm not sure if it's an earlier or later version compared to the example above.  If it is a later edition, it's likely to be Ford Windsor V8-powered, as Iso cracked the sads with GM when they started demanding up-front payment for their engines, resulting in a switch to Blue Oval donks.  

The GM versus Ford engine thing is also a nice segue to introduce the striking Pantera parked alongside the red Lele, as De Tomaso also sourced their 351 cu V8s from Ford.  Using US-sourced V8s was actually quite popular amongst Italian car-makers, with brands like Bizzarrini also packing American heat and the almost never heard of Nardi Silver Ray being powered by a massive Plymouth 413 cu behemoth!  









U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Photos by the Canberra Correspondent.



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EJ or EH Holden? (Up-dated December, 2022)

-
Image
EJ or the later EH? Several years ago, I posed the question:  Can somebody please explain the difference between an EJ and an EH Holden ute or van?  The response at the time wasn't overwhelming, so I did a bit of Googling and ferreting through my photos and came up with my own rough guide to EJ and EH identification.  Sedans and wagons are easy to tell apart ;  the EH's vertical rectangular tail lights are a dead give-away.  However, the workhorse versions of both models share the rear-end treatment of the earlier EJ, making it harder to identify one from the other.    No super obvious hints here. Or here ...  . It turns out that the main clues are in the placement of the front   H O L D E N   lettering and GMH lion emblems, the style of the radiator grille and the width of the vents in front of the windscreen, with all EJs - sedans, wagons, utes and vans - having one combination and the EH line-up having th...
Read more

An Electric Fiat X1/9

-
Image
For several years, there have been whispers that an electric X had been constructed in Tasmania's south.  However, no one seemed to know much about the car and how it had been built. That's not to say that it was some kind of skunkworks project; it seems to have simply been an under-the-radar affair, quietly put together by a bloke in his shed.  It was actually so U-T-R that I'd seen it at least twice without me realising that it'd been electrified. The car's since been sold but this is what I could glean from its current owner:  - It's a 1980 model and, as such, was delivered to Australia as a "Series 1.5," meaning that it originally had the Series 1's 1300 cc / four-speed in a Series 2 body with impact-absorbing bumpers and the higher engine compartment lid, as well as the latter's interior; - The motor is a 120 volt DC unit from US company Advanced Motors and Drives, rated at 10 HP / 7.355 kW ( http://evalbum.com/advdc , accessed 03 JUN 24);...
Read more

Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

-
Image
  Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart.  It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard.  Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags.  And a hubcap went missing.  And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it.  And a mudguard got dented.  And rust set in.   I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla.  Somebody please save it before it's too late.  Nanna needs you to do it. Hello, reader! I've noticed that this seems to be a particularly popular post.  Something to do with Google's algorithms, I guess ... .  But it's not my best piece!  Sure, it's ok, but there are so, so many more interesting classic, sports and performance cars on this site - as wel...
Read more