Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

[Jean C.]

Will someone please refresh my memory....what is the Italian car that used Corvette FI enginges? I believe the engines were circa 1957 or 1958; however, I do not know in what year(s) the cars were manufactured. Thanks.
Best regards,
Charlie

[Mike E.]

Re: Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

Charlie--
How are things where it is warm? No spring yet in Wisconsin. I'm thinking that you are probably talking about the 3 Scaglietti Corvettes--they were 1959 models.
Because of the connections that my old 62 Gulf Oil car led me to, I've either bought or sold parts having to do with each of the three of the Scagliettis. I still have the only heater box around for a Scaglietti--but the owner of the one it was removed from has no interest in it. The old law of supply and demand!
Regards,
Mike

[Jean C.]

Re: Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

Thanks for the note Mike, we hit a high of 82F today so I reckon our short winter has left us.

Scaglietti Corvettes are not what I was looking for. The Italian cars I reference were sports cars that used the FI engine complete with Corvette aluminum valve covers, rams horn exhaust manifolds, the works. I don't recall if they had the ignition shielding installed. Several years ago I went with a fellow to look at a couple of them here in Houston. I recall they had beautiful leather interiors. I saw one of them offered in Hemmings last year; however, although the name escapes me, a perusal of the current Hemmings doesn't show a listing for something that triggers my memory.

Best regards,
Charlie

[Paul B.]

Re: Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

Bizzarrini did some cars with Corvette small blocks, under is own name, and for the ISO marque. The ISO Grifo and the Rivolta had small block Chevs, don't know if they were FI's though?
Paul

[Jean C.]

ISO it is

Thanks Paul. It was one of the ISO cars that we looked at. As I understood it at the time, one of the ISO modles was deemed to be more of a luxury car, the other a smaller performance car. I'll see what I can find on the 'net. Indeed, the cars we looked at had FI engines and I presumed at the time that they were original to the car.
Best regards,
Charlie

[Jean C.]

Re: Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

One of the many sites resulting from a Google search indicated (factual?) that the ISO Rivolta was prepared with two Corvette engine options. One was a 300hp version, the other was "340-365hp. version" that I reckon was dependent on the year in which ISO was building the car and which hp rating Corvette was installing at that time.

I do recall that the ones we looked at had the early style Rochester FI dog house config; however, the FI may have been added post delivery.

Best regards,
Charlie

[John M.]

Re: Italian sports cars with Corvette FI

Bill Mock up in Oklahoma has had one for sale for at least the last couple of years. I have seen it in several publications, but I am not sure that it has been in the Driveline. Bill is the same person that sold the "Last Stingray" to Pro Team.

Regards, John McGraw

[Paul B.]

Re: ISO it is

Glad that I could help Charlie. I know that ISO was using Chev small blocks in their cars right up into the mid seventies, I think the Lele was ISO's swan song in about that time period.
Paul