Thierry Denant - Paris, France. 3500cc Mk I GT, LHD.
Thierry purchased his 1972 Costello Mk I GT in May 2004 from Quebec in Canada and had it shipped home to France. For him, the car had the advantage of being an original and very rare LHD example, which had been exported new to Canada with a US specification body. He points out that the car is often wrongly described as a 'Canadian Costello' on Google.
This car was re-worked in 1972, presumably from new, because the serial number period (April 1972) and the technical description by Costello Engineering (May 1972) matches. The first owner was a military officer based in Canada. He therefore had the work done on a North American specification MGB, which has resulted in the only original LHD Costello. This was also the only Costello fitted from new with an automatic transmission (a Borg Warner T35, as optional on the MGC).
The car was originally white and had a full body restoration during the early 90's, when it was re-sprayed in light blue, as it still is today. As a result of having to go through the long-winded administrative process of getting the car registered locally, Thierry has a letter signed by Ken Costello affirming that this car is an original, as well as some letters exchanged between Ken and some friends in Canada.
The car has the standard US 1972/1973 dashboard, interior and trim. One major change was to remove the automatic transmission, which was in poor condition, replacing it with a reconditioned Rover SD1 5- speed gearbox. Thierry says that this totally transformed the car's performance, adding enormously to the pleasure of driving it, but he has kept the automatic transmission for the sake of history. Front telescopic dampers now improve road holding and a more modern fan assists cooling.
Apart from this, the car is has fully original features, and is driving very well. It was the subject of an admiring article in the French magazine AutoRetro, issue #296 in 2006. Thierry is sure that the coverage helped raise awareness of Costellos on the French side of the Channel, as this was when he discovered both Jean Louis Beaurin and Stephane Vanoverschelde. Perhaps he's right about Gallic Costello awareness - with the sale of Gerry Wadman's car to another enthusiast in France in January 2010, there are now more Costellos in France than in any other country outside the UK.
Ken Costello - Kent, UK. 3500cc Mk II GT.
It has been unusual for Ken to drive one of his own creations for very long. They have either been "work in progress" in between other engineering jobs - or, if finished, he has been persuaded to sell them.
But here he is with his latest creation, a chrome-bumper, black GT. He claims he will be keeping this one! He has built it to original 1972 SU-carburetted specification (for old times' sake) with a special low-profile inlet manifold that allows the retention of a standard bonnet, since the moulds for the 'power bulge' alternative are long gone.
He has now fitted the newly reproduced eggbox grille and one of the new badges - both of which met with Ken's approval. When finally fettled, the car will also feature some braking and suspension upgrades, and, knowing Ken, who knows what else?
Of the 225 cars built by Ken and his team, about 190 were GTs, in either Mk I or Mk II guise. The Mk I is instantly recognisable by its bonnet bulge, or if still with original engine, the swan-neck inlet manifold with twin-SU carburettors. The Mk II was usually fitted with a rear-facing Weber carburettor which eliminated the need for a bonnet bulge. The Mk II is by far the most common of the two types of GT.
There are other versions of the Costello GT - such the MGC V8 (only 2 were built by Costello of which Andrew Johnson's one is detailed below) and Roger Cook's unique 5-litre, eight-port injected model. More pictures of each car can be found in the Gallery.
Roger Cook - Somerset, UK. 5000cc Mk III fuel-injected.
Roger and Ken have been friends for nearly forty years. They first met when Roger made a BBC Radio 4 Checkpoint programme about how the then British Leyland, having themselves abandoned the idea of a V8-engined MGB, shamelessly copied the way Ken had done it and then effectively put him out of business. As a gesture of support - and because he rather fancied one anyway - Roger bought one of the very last Mk IIs Ken built. Finished in "New Racing Green", it was fitted with a 200 bhp 1963 Buick Skylark engine that he had imported from Belgium and subsequently reconditioned. The car was also equipped with a Carter 4-barrel carburettor, Wolfrace 'Slot Mag' 6x14 wheels shod with Avon 195/14 HR 60 tyres - and was further upgraded with SD1 4-piston front brake calipers and Koni telescopic dampers all round. Foolishly, he part exchanged it three years later against a very temperamental Weslake-engined RS 2600 Capri. He never forgot that first Costello though. Read more about this car in the Unique GT page. We'll leave the story of the second one to Ken himself:
RC 193 began life as a low mileage standard MG BGT, registration number PGP 344V, before undergoing a complete Costello rebuild in 1990 - using new parts from the original 1972 production run - and was converted from rubber to chrome bumper specification. The original 3.5 litre engine was also completely rebuilt as a fuel injected 4.2 litre unit by Oblic Engineers, using a bespoke Costello inlet manifold and plenum chamber. The car was then fitted with a five-speed Costello gearbox; a Quaife limited slip differential and an uprated front anti-roll bar. It was amongst the ten Mk III cars built to individual order since full production ceased - after some 225 vehicles - in the early seventies.
Since then, Costello Engineering has continued to offer a small range of carefully engineered MGB/V8 upgrade components. My policy has always been one of continuous development in the areas of safety, fuel efficiency and overall performance - and this car was the first to be fitted with fuel injection. Underneath, it had the first production version of the Costello alloy wishbone front suspension, along with tubular gas-filled dampers all round. Also fitted were four-piston SD1 front brake callipers and ventilated AP discs, rear disc brakes, anti-tramp bars, a Panhard rod and specially-made 6 x 15" centre-lock Revolution wheels. The completed vehicle was the subject of several favourable magazine reviews and was featured in David Knowles' book, MGB V8 - Twenty-One Years On. The car has thereafter carried the cherished registration number RC 193, and was personally maintained and developed by me for some years.
In 1999, the car was temporarily loaned - for display purposes only - to a major London MG specialist that had undertaken to market Costello products. Shortly afterwards however, the company went into liquidation virtually overnight and the car disappeared. When it was eventually traced and recovered, it was in a very sorry state. So, in the summer of 2002, at just 8,700 recorded miles from the original rebuild and after several years off the road, RC 193 was re-bodied into the modified and restored shell of NVL 762K. All the original running gear, accessories and trim were refurbished and re-used, but the vehicle was fitted with a new 5.0 litre engine (retaining the original number) from Ian Richardson of Wildcat Engineering, together with a special low profile, eight-port injection system. At this point, a heavier-duty gearbox and a long-range alloy fuel tank were installed and the front brakes were further upgraded to larger
ventilated discs with alloy four-piston calipers. The car was also fitted with an RV8 dashboard and a louvered RV8 bonnet, and subsequently with the then newly-developed Frontline/Costello 5-link, coil sprung rear suspension system.
Laurie Way - Berkshire, UK. 3500cc Sebring-bodied Mk I GT.
When previous owner Andrew Tasker took ownership of what was then a non-running car in 1985, he was not aware of its provenance as a Costello. A conversation with Dave Vale at V8 Conversions of Farnborough in Kent raised the possibility and Dave - who once worked with Ken - was later able to identify it as one of the original Mk I cars. Some reminiscing led Andrew to this web site.
Andrew's GT was registered LTD828K, sporting a dark blue finish with Dunlop V8 wheels, chrome bumpers, twin SU carburettors, oval air-box, four speed gearbox with modified overdrive, a 3.07:1 final drive ratio, domed fibreglass bonnet and a V8 Costello badge on the tail gate - all key identifying characteristics of the real thing.
Andrew had the sills replaced by Former Glory, the differential rebuilt, new springs, shocks and kingpins fitted, together with an upgraded oil cooler, new wheel bearings, Luminition ignition and re-chromed bumpers. Sadly, by now the eggbox grille was missing.
Dave Vale told Andrew that Costello Engineering were going to commission some more egg box grilles but when it became clear that production would end, it was decided not to order any more. The last few cars were delivered without them. They had not made or sold any more Costello V8 badges as these only went on 'genuine' cars. Dave also remembers fitting a front spoiler to several Costellos, but couldn't remember if it that included LTD828K (Probably Thierry Denant's automatic LHD car - LW).
Andrew's car had the correct 140mph Smiths speedometer fitted and Dave showed him where Costello had reshaped the inner wings to give clearance for the exhaust headers. Andrew recalls seeing the full 140 on the speedo one quiet evening on the M69, but because it had never been calibrated, the accuracy of the instrument couldn't be vouched for. Apart from the wind noise though, he says the car seemed quite settled and well planted on the road. It was run as daily transport for several years and a full restoration was later begun, but personal circumstances forced a private sale in 1994.
Present owner Laurie Way now takes up the story. He was browsing through the June edition of Enjoying MG and saw Lawrence Wood's letter: 'Calling All Costellos'. He contacted Lawrence direct, identifying himself as the current owner of LTD 828K, which at the time was flagged up in the "Where Are They Now" section of this website.
Having already restored a 1959 MGA, Laurie had purchased the Costello in 1999 as a part-finished project. The car was totally stripped down with no interior, engine, doors, front wings or suspension fitted - and had to be trailered home and pushed into the garage like a wheelbarrow. The only modification Laurie could see was a cut-out to take a larger radiator. He knows differently now, but he was unconvinced it was a Costello at the time.
As the photographs show, Laurie's car has undergone a major restoration involving a Sebring style body. The replacement Rover V8 power plant originated from a single-seater sprint hill climb car, equipped with Peter Burgess heads and fuel injection - all machined to go under a standard MGC louvered bonnet. He also fitted 15x8 Minilites. More pictures are to be found in the Gallery page, including two taken by Andrew in the late 1980s (spot the Austin Princess in the background) before its extraordinary makeover.
Chris Ward - Cornwall, UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Chris got in touch in 2009 to say that his Racing Green Mk I GT, FYL344J - recently featured in our Where Are They Now page - is still up and running, in robust health and excellent condition. He has owned the car for about 10 years, having bought her in Padstow from ex-RAF Nimrod pilot Paul Denton. It came with the original Costello Engineering invoices. See the article
Apart from a Moss 'coil over damper' front suspension upgrade and Koni telescopic dampers fitted at the rear, the car is pretty much original Costello, and still on standard-issue SU carburettors. A full restoration had been completed in the early 90s.
The car is still based in Cornwall, but some further changes have been necessary under Chris' ownership. The first has been the fitting of a stainless steel copy of the old radiator header tank (ditto, in brass - Lawrence and Alan Worth!), which had become wafer-thin due to corrosion. After the old tank had finally split beyond repair, the consequent overheating bubbled the paint on the fibreglass Costello bonnet, so Chris is using the opportunity to have the whole car re-sprayed.
The old paint is mainly sound, but rather bleached by the Cornish sun. New pictures will be forthcoming when the job is complete. More recently, a high capacity oil pump was fitted and a competition clutch assembly was installed after the old thrust bearing had failed.
Update June 2010: Chris's Costello has been sitting at a friend's workshop for over twelve months awaiting expert attention. However, having viewed it in mid June he is please to state that the car is "absolutely stunning", in correct MG British Racing Green. The windscreens are out, all chromework is stripped and is now almost back together. Chris has also invested in an authentic reproductino eggbox grille - we cannot wait to see the photos! - Lawrence.
David Wiggins - Staffordshire, UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
David's 1971 GT has been rebuilt by the Staffordshire MG specialist Paul Depper, who had originally planned to restore it for himself, having known and serviced the car for some years in its previous ownership. David, who lives locally, was looking for a factory V8 or an MGC and spotted what he thought, from the bonnet profile, was an example of the latter in Paul's yard. When he found out it was really a Costello, he twisted Paul's arm to sell it, finally changed hands in July 2009. David actually remembers reading the first Costello road test in his father's copy of Autocar and had been a fan ever since!
First registered in December 1971, the car was originally black, then orange, and is now 'Flame Red'. It has had no less than 13 previous owners over the last 38 years. ** See update
As purchased from Paul Depper, the car had reverted to a standard MG grille, so David has acquired one of the reproduction eggbox units which should bring the car back closer to its original appearance. It will now also sport a new Costello badge on the rear panel, the original having been 'removed' some time ago. The bonnet, however, is unoriginal MGC and the standard-fit Dunlop wheels had long been changed for period Minilites - probably when the car was built. Much more recently, a front spoiler has been fitted and the interior trim and Webasto roof are being refurbished.
The car has a Rover 3528cc engine, which is fitted with a Weber 40 DCOE carburettor, together with Costello inlet and exhaust manifolds. It is in fine fettle - which is more than can be said for the original gearbox, on which the overdrive had failed.
Update September 2010: This car is now on the road! Some changes since its first entry on this site include little keg filters on top of the rocker covers, new oil cooler pipes, the sunroof has a whole new ash frame and new fabric. Bumpers are now re-chromed. The new eggbox grille looks great too. David celebrated his car's new-found freedom by attending the Yorkshire Gathering in September 2010.
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Peter Hollis - Knysna, South Africa. 3500cc Mk II GT.
Peter stumbled upon the mgcostello.com site whilst researching Ken Costello, having acquired one of the very few Costello MGs located outside of Europe. He has owned his 1972 V8 GT since early 2007 and thoroughly enjoys driving it. A full history of the car is proving to be a little difficult to come by, but Peter is at least aware of the following:
It was initially purchased by a doctor in the south of England and delivered immediately to Ken Costello for the full treatment. It spent a while in England, and was later shipped to South Africa. Sold to a Cape Town based lawyer, the car was barely used and left in storage for quite some time. The lawyer then passed away, leaving the car to his son. Sadly, the son showed less interest in the car than had his late father and eventually sold it to a classic car restorer in Knysna. The car then underwent a full nut-and-bolt restoration, including a colour change from white to red, but the engine was left unchanged. Peter acquired the car in early 2007.
The rather tired engine was subsequently replaced with another, high-compression 3.5 litre V8 - a job which included transferring across all the Costello parts. Peter intends to rebuild the original engine, later re-installing it in the car to maintain originality. The unit has the tubular manifolds, rear facing DCOE-40 Weber on a 90-degree manifold, remote oil filter and a special starter motor. It now also has Frontline Costello front steering wedges to lighten the steering and wears 15" Minilites.
The car is still based in Knysna, South Africa, and is used regularly on club runs.
Jean-Louis Beaurin - Paris, France. 3500cc Mk I GT (Currently FOR SALE)
Jean-Louis' Mallard Green GT is one of six Costellos in France. He purchased this gorgeous looking example from Stephane Vanoverschelde, who is currently restoring another Costello GT in France.
The car was registered on June 21st 1972 and re-worked by Costello Engineering in July 1972 - which makes it a Mk I example. It was originally purchased by Jeremy Nickson of Seymour Street, London SW1, and sold on to Greig Callaghan of Hammersmith, London in October 1974. It was sold again to Michael Newcombe (London) in September 1984 and re-sold in June 1988 to Ian MacDonald in Hertfordshire.
Stephane then purchased the car and returned with it to Etalondes in France where it subsequently passed into Jean-Louis' hands. Jean-Louis now enjoys regular outings in company with Thierry Denant's automatic Costello GT and, as the pictures in the Gallery testify, the car is in superb original condition, complete with original receipts from Costello Engineering, a bill of sale from the dealership, and a full service history.
Peter Brodt - Frankfurt, Germany. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Peter was on the look-out for a factory V8. Having owned a MGC roadster already, his car of choice had to be a Coupe GT with at least as much power as his MGC Roadster. Thumbing through the classic car pages he found this 1971 Costello GT for sale on the Isle of Wight and decided to travel to England to take a look.
Unfortunately, Peter and his friends missed their ferry, arrived late in the UK and were immediately caught up in snail-slow Saturday traffic. By the time they got to the Isle of Wight, the car's owner (Andy Dear) had been waiting most of the afternoon in the rain! However, Andy was very understanding and Peter purchased the car there and then. He successfully drove the car back home to Wiesbaden in Germany - some 1200km in all. This represents the annual mileage of the car over the last 10 years!
Peter is now the very proud owner of a genuine and beautifully maintained Costello GT. It bears most of the usual Costello hallmarks, including the eggbox grille and Dunlop wheels, but the original Mk I SU HIF-6 carburettors and intake manifold have recently been changed to a Weber/Edelbrock 500cfm carburettor on an Edelbrock Performer manifold. There is still some work to be done to the car, but with his retirement looming, Peter expects it will be a lot of fun and very rewarding.
Peter wishes to express his gratitude to Jane and Andy Dear for organizing the viewing and their understanding that selling and buying a car is always a matter of agreeing on a compromise solution - and sometimes a little patience as well.
John Burgess - UK. 3500cc Mk II GT.
John purchased his Harvest Gold Costello GT (DLP706J) with only 9,000 miles on the clock from its original owner back in 1977. The car has still only done about 60,000 miles and John's proud boast is that has never been welded or pranged.
It is equipped with a Rover P5B engine with Mike The Pipe style manifolds and a Rochester carburettor - presumably a later replacement for the SU originals. Overdrive has been disabled in third gear and the car has Ken's choice of a 3.07:1 final drive ratio. An MGC bonnet has replaced the original fibreglass item which was apparently damaged at some stage - and unfortunately the Costello badges have been removed, as the previous owner, having paid a premium for Costello Engineering's good work, claimed he did not want to advertise what was under the bonnet.
John is very fond of his car, but it's been off the road for some years as he has no real need for a second vehicle. It is garaged in the dry, so has been saved from rust. We hope to see some pictures of the car here soon and we will encourage John to get his very special classic back on the road where it belongs.
Aymeric Larive - Northern France. 3500cc Mk I GT.
This car is featured in an Enjoying MG article from 1993. This Costello was previously owned by Mark Vine from Chelmsford, who uprated the front brakes, suspension and cooling system. It is an early Mk I, fitted with Dunlop wheels and a Rover V8 in P6 specification beneath the characteristic Costello bonnet. More details are expected shortly. Meanwhile, you can view further pictures of this car in the Gallery.
Michael Pearce - UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
This car is featured in another Enjoying MG article, as above, this time from 2000. Michael's green GT is an early Mk I example, initially registered to Ken himself in 1971. He first saw it advertised for sale on a sign in its own back window. Intrigued, he took the trouble to find out what it was and finally bought it after what he describes as 'protracted and complex' negotiations.
The car proved to be original, fitted with a Rover P6 engine under its bulging glass fibre bonnet, but was in need of considerable restoration. He entrusted the structural work to Motorspeed of Chichester, but decided to do the rest himself.
With this in mind, he enrolled in a classic car restoration course which taught him everything he needed to know - from welding to paint preparation and spraying. He was obviously taught well, because the car now drives well and looks very smart indeed. He has tried to keep the car as original as possible, retaining all the expected Costello features, but the tatty Rostyles it wore at purchase have been changed for MGOC Oasis 15" wheels on rather more modern rubber. Further details are due shortly, but in the meantime, more pictures of this car can be found in the Gallery.
Mike Holman - Hampshire, UK. 3900cc Mk I GT.
This car is featured in the 'Mister V8' and 'V8 Showdown' articles, during the preparation for which Mike had the pleasure of meeting Ken himself. (There's Ken, beaming from the driver's seat - top right). Mike has owned his 1972 Harvest Gold GT since November 1979. He had always fancied an MGB GT V8 because it was 'a very good looking car' and when he saw a Costello V8 advertised in Bracknell, not far from his home in Reading, he went to look at it. It looked even better in the metal with its black Everflex roof and Webasto sun roof, so he bought it on the spot - unaware of the significance of the Costello name. He thought the big 'V' badge on the rear panel might indicate it was a factory special edition. He knows better now and is very glad he bought a Costello because it's 'much more interesting' than the Leyland version. His car still sports the eggbox grille, standard MGB bonnet and the rear-facing Weber 40 DCOE carburettor, which makes it a late Mk I.
During his tenure it has had its gearbox rebuilt with the overdrive in third made operational again - so he's 'very careful' with it (ditto!, LW), as befits what he now calls a 'high days and holidays' car. More recently, the original Buick-based engine gave up the ghost and has been replaced with a much later 3.9 litre version in standard tune. The car had been deprived of its original wheels before Mike bought it and now wears 5-spoke 6 x 14 Revolutions with 185/60 HR 14 tyres. You can see more pictures of his pride and joy in the Gallery.
Andrew Johnson - Rutland, UK. 3500cc MGC GT.
Andrew owns one of only two MGC GT Costellos built by Ken and his team. It was bought from a dealer in Erith, Kent in 1981. It was originally painted in Snowberry White but had been re-sprayed in Aston Martin Dubonnet Rosso when he bought it. It now wears a more subtle shade of Graphite Grey metallic.
At the time of purchase, Andrew was a member of both the MGOC and MGCC and had owned several MG's including two B roadsters, a GT and a Midget. The MGC Costello was in a 'not quite roadworthy' state when he bought it, and Andrew initially had plans to restore it himself. He was told that it was one of a rare pair, but was never able to establish whether this was true. Happily, it is (or was) a genuine original Costello.
It has the classic single side-draft Weber inlet manifold with a 45 DCOE (as opposed to the usual 40 DCOE) on an Oselli-uprated Rover V8 engine mated to a Rover SD1 5-speed gearbox. Suspension is by MGC torsion bars at the front and IN 1987 Andrew had a modified Jaguar independent suspension grafted on at the rear*. This rather radical process also involved relocating the battery under the bonnet, while the bespoke fuel tank and the spare wheel swapped places. The hubs are Jaguar all round with discs on all four wheels and the wheels are 15" E-Type wires. The bonnet is standard MGC and the car has the Mk I V8 Costello badge on the rear.
*Note: This "Jaguarisation" of the rear suspension was something that Ken considered, but never recommended. Read why in the TechTalk with Ken section - LW.
Plans for restoration stalled during the 1980s due to shortage of funds and the difficulty of finding a reputable workshop which could carry out the work correctly and sympathetically. This led to the car being dry stored for almost 10 years through the 1990's. In 2003, some work began on the car, using the services of a local MG specialist. However, by this time Mrs Johnson was becoming 'somewhat weary' of the project and finding finance for the project became ever more of a challenge. However, at the beginning of 2009, Andrew took the plunge and made the decision to complete the restoration this year, despite any resulting lack of popularity with his family! Hall's Garage of Bourne made great progress and the car passed its MOT test with flying colours and produced some very acceptable results on the rolling road too.
Now at long last, and after some final fettling, this rare beast is back on the road and Andrew is having his first serious drive since 1981! There are more images of the car in the Gallery. It looks terrific and we hope Mrs Johnson is duly impressed.
Brian Davey - Cornwall, UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Brian has owned his Costello GT for some two decades and a full restoration has now been completed, with much of the early work being done by Brian himself. The engine and gearbox were fully rebuilt by Peter Collis of Devon Classic Cars and Brian says he was very impressed with the work done there. So, having decided that discretion was the better part of valour and that 'there was an awful lot of work still to do', he took the whole car back to Peter for the job to be professionally finished.
The GT now wears a new coat of paint in a striking shade of Tahiti blue and has had its brakes, suspension and all other mechanical parts reconditioned. It had already been fully re-trimmed in beige leather. Its first public outing was to the recent Bristol Classic Car show, where it took pride of place on the restorer's stand and attracted a good deal of admiring attention. Brian confesses to being 'very excited' about getting behind the wheel again, which is not surprising after 20 years.
The car is a 1972 model, and Brian was assured by Peter, who has been involved with MGs for some 40 years, having won championships with his self-built racing B, that his car really is an original Costello GT, and we agree. The evidence is there; the distinctive eggbox grille and bonnet, P6 engine, tubular exhaust manifolds and all the expected Costello features. It once had the original V-eight Costello badge too, but sadly, that was stolen some time ago whilst the car was parked unattended by the roadside. He purchased a Mk II replacement badge, but has since been lucky enough to find an original Mk I version which has now taken its rightful place on the rear hatch.
Brian is obviously a bit of a detective, since he has now also traced another local Costello, EBC 300L, which he last saw 14 years ago in Exeter, Devon. Brian took some photos of the car and the engine bay at the time, all of which have proved useful for reference purposes during his restoration project.
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Alistair Rew - Northamptonshire, UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Alistair was alerted to mgcostello.com after having read the MGBGT V8 article in the April 2010 edition of Classic and Sportscar. PJM 626L is a black MGB GT, first registered 1 Aug 1972. Alistair is the third owner, having purchased the car from Richard Mole in East Yorkshire in June 1999. Richard had previously acquired the it from a BL dealer in Windermere, Cumbria who had arranged for Costello Engineering to perform the Mk I V8 makeover.
Alistair jointly bought the car with his father Robin, after it had languished unused for a decade or so - the tax disc was from 1984 - so it hadn't run much! Robin, a retired motor engineer and long-term Reliant specialist, channelled some of his energies into rejuvenating the mechanicals. He extracted engine and completely stripped it. Then, having puzzled over why it differed from the usual Rover lumps, established that it was actually a Buick block. It came with a standard crank and bearings, is bored to +.020" and the pistons and bores were as new; though he did replace the camshaft, lifters and timing chain. Front suspension and cross member were worked on, bushes replaced, and the gearbox, which appears to be an MGC unit with Laycock overdrive was overhauled.
The radiator has been changed and an improved exhaust system with tubular manifolds installed. Engine starting is now much easier, since a Red Top 40 racing battery was substituted for the original pair of 6v units. The engine still runs on the original SUs, and the car drives very nicely. Overall, the GT is in good original condition, right down to the original seats and radio, having done only 45k since leaving Costello workshops.
Alistair does not use the car as much as he would like - it has been perfect for a couple of classic jaunts - but its Morgan Three-Wheeler stable-mates currently tend to absorb most of his time.
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Stephane Vanoverschelde - Etalondes, France. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Stephane bought his first MGB at the age of 26. Since then he has owned two more MGB roadsters, one MGB GT and two MGAs. The front cover of the French magazine AutoRetro that persuaded Stephane to embark upon a search for an MGB GT V8 Costello in 2006 can be seen in the Articles section. He finally found a green Costello GT on eBay, which he later sold to Jean-Louis Beaurin.
That car was in very good condition with many original parts, and despite it being an un-restored Mk I example, was driving very well indeed. His decision to sell this car to Jean-Louis was made after seeing (again on eBay in August 2007) another Mk I Costello GT, in blue. This car was more of a challenge; it needed a complete restoration, a process which began in August 2008. The car remains as RHD to maintain originality, despite being based in Northern France.
By May 2009, the mechanics were fully rebuilt and Stephane has retained the original V8 Rover power plant. The body shell is now complete, and was back on the road in time for the Champagne Gathering in France, May 2010.
Stephane would like to thank Thierry Denant (the owner of the only original LHD GT Costello) who authored the AutoRetro article and loaned his car to Stephane for a time. And last but not least, thanks to two important friends who helped him to rebuild his second Mk I Costello. They are Eric Dupont and Yves Mascotto (two madmen, apparently) without whom it would have been impossible to undertake the restoration. The finished vehicle is now in resplendent Old English White.
Alun Evans - UK. 3500cc Mk I GT.
Alun found this website whilst searching online for a replacement starter motor for his prize-winning GT V8 Costello, and says he was 'so glad that someone has at last seen that these amazing cars deserve proper recognition in their own right.'
His 1972 car, KML 945K, was refurbished to concours standard around 13 years ago by well known MG enthusiast, Bob Chuter in Kent (see the 'Hidden Talent' article). It won no less than 13 concours first prizes between 1995 and 1997, the last being at the MG day at Silverstone in 1997. One of the competitions actually included Ken Costello as a judge.
Alun first heard about the car when he read articles by Bob about the rebuild in Classic Cars and MG Owners Club magazines. He was actually interviewed regarding his suitability as an owner (Bob had refused to sell it to several other prospective buyers) and Alun was duly permitted to purchase the GT on condition that it was not to be exhibited at concours shows. Bob was now completing an MGB Roadster and didn't want the Costello there as competition!
