VIN: the works Iso Grifo A3/C chassis B-0207
History of chassis B-0207
Chassis B-0207 was the first bona fide works A3/C Corsa. Prior to its arrival, Iso had campaigned chassis B-0201, but this car (the original 1963 Turin Motor Show prototype) was not a fully fledged racing variant.
B-0207 made its debut at the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours (June 20th and 21st) where it was allocated to Pierre Noblet and Edgar Berney. Frustratingly, a planned-for overdrive had not materialised which meant the car ran with too low a top gear. Despite this, B-0207 still managed to qualify 16th on the 55 car grid.
Noblet and Berney had moved into twelfth by the six hour mark and at 4am (twelve hours in) had risen to ninth. However, a two-hour pit-stop ensued which meant, by 7am, B-0207 was lying 21st. It transpired that, while carrying out a routine brake pad change, one of the pads had fallen into the caliper which meant Iso’s mechanics had to remove the entire rear axle.
Undeterred, the drivers pressed on for the remainder and steadily regained ground. B-0207 ultimately recovered to claim 14th at the end which was good enough for fourth in the over three-litre Prototype class.
Iso then entered chassis B-0207 for the Reims 12 Hour race on July 5th which started at midnight and ran until noon. Noblet / Berney qualified twelfth of the 37 starters and had moved up to eleventh by the end of the first hour. They continued to rise through the field and at 3am were in eighth. However, by 5am their race was over when a bent valve forced B-0207 into retirement.
On August 23rd, Iso entered Edgar Berney to drive B-0207 at the St. Ursanne Hillclimb. Although the 1964 event formed part of the European Touring Car Championship, the Prototype categories were not well supported and the over three-litre group proved a walkover for Berney.
One week later, the Sierre Montana-Crands Hillclimb played host to a round of the World Sportscar Championship for which Edgar Berney was again entered in B-0207. He posted tenth best time overall and claimed second in the over three-litre Prototype class behind outright winner Ludovico Scarfiotti in a works Ferrari 250 LM.
The 1964 World Sportscar Championship concluded with the Paris 1000km race at Montlhery on October 11th. For the first time, Iso had a brace of Grifos in attendance: B-0207 for Mario Casoni / Odoardo Govoni (who qualified 18th) and a brand new machine, B-0208, for Pierre Noblet / Edgar Berney (who qualified eighth).
A couple of hours in, rain began to fall heavily and the circuit soon became treacherous. Both the Grifos ultimately suffered long delays as a consequence of the very wet conditions; B-0207 ultimately crossed the line in eleventh position (third in class).
Two weeks later, the A3/C made its final appearance of the year at the Monza Trofeo Bettoia which was a support event for the European Touring Car Championship finale. B-0207 was entered for Mario Casoni who claimed second in both the one hour qualifying race on Saturday and the three hour finale on Sunday.
Because both of Iso’s brand new 1965 A3/C Corsas were subsequently wrecked at the season-opening Sebring 12 Hours, B-0207 was wheeled back out for a second campaign.
At the 1965 Le Mans Test B-0207 appeared in much the same trim as 1964; it posted eleventh quickest time in the hands of Pierre Noblet, Willy Mairesse, Regis Frassient and Jean de Mortemart.
B-0207 was back in action two weeks later for the Monza 1000km where Pierre Noblet and Mario Casoni qualified 14th on the 33 car grid.
At the ten lap mark, Noblet had moved up to ninth position and B-0207 was looking good for a strong finish. By the halfway point, the Iso was lying fifth where it ultimately finished to claim fourth in the over two-litre Prototype class.
Following its strong finish at Monza, B-0207 was wheeled out to contest the Spa 500km race on May 16th. Pierre Noblet was brought in to drive the 36 lap race single-handedly and qualified ninth out of the 27 starters.
At two thirds distance, all the cars had made their final pit stops and Noblet was lying eighth. When the chequered flag fell, B-0207 had moved up to seventh overall which was good enough for third in the over two-litre Prototype category.
B-0207’s final two outings both resulted in DNFs: at the Nurburgring 1000km it ran out of fuel at around one third distance while at the Reims 12 Hours a badly oiled clutch put it out of the race.
After its racing career ended, B-0207 spent a few years in Spain before heading to the UK in 1974. For many years it was owned and raced by well-known dealer, Brian Classic.
Notable History
Iso Rivolta
22/06/1964 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (P. Noblet / E. Berney) 14th oa, 4th P3.0+ class (#1)
05/07/1964 WSC Reims 12 Hours (P. Noblet / E. Berney) DNF valve (#2)
23/08/1964 ETC St. Ursanne Hillclimb (E. Berney) 1st in S3.0+ class (#50)
30/08/1964 WSC Sierre Montana-Crans Hillclimb (E. Berney) 13th oa, 3rd S class (#74)
11/10/1964 WSC Paris 1000km, Montlhery (M. Casoni / O. Govoni) 11th oa, 3rd P3.0+ class (#15)
25/10/1964 IND Monza Trofeo Bettoia (M. Casoni) 2nd oa, 2nd P class (#54)
11/04/1965 IND Le Mans Test (P. Noblet / R. Fraissinet / J. de Mortemart / W. Mairesse) 11th oa, 1st P5.0+ class (#5)
25/04/1965 WSC Monza 1000km (P. Noblet / M. Casoni) 5th oa, 4th P2.0+ class (#64)
16/05/1965 WSC Spa 500km (P. Noblet) 7th oa, 3rd P2.0+ class (#8)
23/05/1965 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (P. Noblet / W. Einsiedel) DNF (#17)
04/07/1965 WSC Reims 12 Hours (P. Noblet / M. Cabral) DNF (#5)
Sold to Spain
Exported to the UK in 1974
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
