The trusty V8 engine comes in all manner of configurations and sizes. Big block, dual overhead cam, supercharged, high powered, slow and sluggish, and just about everything in between. While the piston layout remains the same for almost all, the cars mated to them can possess wildly different characteristics. This couldn’t be truer than with the Bizzarrini 5300 GT, perhaps the ultimate expression of Italian design genius amalgamated with the brawn of all-American muscle.
Giotto Bizzarrini had the resume us mere mortals could only ever dream of. Working as a key engineer at Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and ISO, his mind was sent racing with the dream-like possibility that one day he could create a sports car of his own to rival the cars he worked on. It was while working at ISO that Bizzarrini launched his plethora of ideas, all built around the vision of beating Enzo and his band of Ferraris. His finest creation would be the 5300 GT Strada, a low-slung racer hiding a 5.3-litre Chevrolet V8 under its skin. ISO and Bizzarrini had everything in place to bring the fight to Enzo, but a fallout between Piero Rivolta and Bizzarrini at the end of 1965 left the ambitious project in limp mode before it had the chance to be built alongside other ISO A3/C s.
Any Bizzarini is a rare gem in itself, but this example takes it one step further and is one of just 12 from a total of 73 units of the 5300 GT built with a lightweight aluminium body and De-Dion rear suspension. These cars were one of the first to pair Italian prowess and sophistication with the brute of an American-sourced powerplant. The car spent much of its life sunning it up in Los Angeles, before leaving for the United Kingdom in 2002 where it underwent full recommissioning by specialist preparers known as Pursuit, who matched it to the exacting specification of the first ISO A3/C Corsa; a car which, unlike the Bizzarrini-badged cars, raced in early 1964. This is a small but significant detail, as it is needed to be able to gain entry to Goodwood. Much of the original parts including many interior panels and brightwork have been carefully retained, while that hearty V8 is capable of sending a mighty 448 horsepower to the rear axle.
Finished in a stunning shade of Green with a rich tan leather interior, this wonderful example is now eligible for numerous events during the racing calendar, including the Goodwood TT, the Spa Six Hours and the Masters historic racing series, where it would without doubt be a front runner in the right hands!
