Master Mechanics: Il Bottegone ISO Restorations. The Negri family business, Il Bottegone ISO Restoration, has defined itself as the last word in the restoration, preservation, and recreation of ISO sports cars, but the father and son workshop also produces something intangible. Their work keeps the interest alive and guards the history from ever becoming ancient—Il Bottegone’s reputation as the definitive source among ISO owners and enthusiasts has been well earned.
When Roberto Negri bought the leftover stock from Iso during the company’s bankruptcy in the mid 1970s after the Oil Crisis, he wasn’t planning to open a restoration shop. A favor for a friend—some work on an Iso Lele—turned into another one, and the snowball effect took over from there, turning Roberto’s obvious passion for this particular marque into a business that those like him have come to rely on.
Though it was mostly unintentional, the business also owes itself to destiny, or at least to provenance, seeing as Roberto was an engineer and test driver for ISO Rivolta in the 1970s before becoming one of its torchbearers today. Negri’s own heir, his son Federico, is also part of the business, proving that legacies can last longer than companies.
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