2015 Archived News
Black MkII GT Joins mgcostello.com
19th October, 2015
Pictures have emerged of Richard and Carole Wood fabulous, original and unmolested black MkII GT. This car has only covered 60000 miles from new and remains in remarkable condition. The Woods also made it to the Buxton Gathering in the Spring of 2015 so hopefull mgcostello.com will see them again soon.
Read the bio on the GT page.
Des Alpes Mancelles (Normandy) Gathering a triumph!
5th October, 2015
The latest Costello Gathering was held on the quiet, smooth roads of northern France and was a great success, with five German, three British and one French Costello MG enjoying the driving, lunches and dinners of Des Alpes Mancelles region of Normandy. Exquisitely planned by Pierre Damiron and Thierry Denant, the group were blessed with fine weather and empty roads as well as informative and fun visits to local chateaux, cider farms and superb restaurants. The group was also joined by Stanislaw Damiron in his father's Swallow Doretti (another very limited-run British sports car) and Lawrence Wood in his Ferrari 355GTS. Read the full report here.
The Costello Mechanic and the MGC
5th September, 2015
Steve McMullen used to work for Ken Costello in his Farnborough garage back in the early 1970s. During his tenure as a mechanic he worked on an MGC to V8 project. The car was Teal Blue. Does anyone know which MGC this might have been? Conversations with Ken suggested there were only two MGCs converted - one is Andrew Johnson's car....
'Missing' Australian Roadster makes an appearance
1st September, 2015
MG fan Bill Hughes has been in touch with mgcostello.com to state that Mk I Roadster 'MGB 271' has been spotted in New South Wales. More reports will be made once we know more details. This is the third Costello known to reside in Australia, and second (and ultra-rare) Mk I Roadster. Two further Costellos reside across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand.
New German owner for Mk II GT
14th August, 2015
Hildegaard Roehr has purchased Michael Baggs' GT, once owned by Costello fanatic David Wiggins which enjoyed a run at the Yorkshire Gathering in 2010. Hildegaard is already in contact with German Costello expert Peter Brodt andis seeking further history on her new purchase.
mgcostello.com looks forward to seeing both car and driver at future Gatherings in Europe.
Normandy Gathering - News Update
26th July, 2015
Thierry and Pierre have provided an update on the upcoming September Costello Gathering in Normandy. So far NINE Costellos have confirmed and mgcostello.com is aware of several other owners who are keen but not yet committed. Download the details from here, or email Lawrence, or Pierre Damiron for more details.
The itinerary looks mouth-watering with much driving on deserted, smnooth roads, exploring the chateaux of the region just north of Le Mans. Get your cars washed and watered and see you in Northern France in September!
Buxton Gathering Report Live!
03rd July, 2015
Thanks to David Wiggins and Harry Irvine for organising this popular nine-car Gathering in the English Derbyshire Dales and to Harry for providing the copy. mgcostello.com does however need more photograohs from the event to showcase on the site so please, if you attended and have some you'd like to share, please email Lawrence.
This event saw the introduction of Richard and Carole Wood to the Costello community and their immaculate Mk II GT, as well as the re-emergence of Roger Cook and his Mk III GT super-Costello.
Read the report here.
Kevin Savage GT for sale at Auction, July 2015
03rd July, 2015
Kevin Savage has put his GT Costello up for sale via H&H Auctions. You can navigate to the auction website here, or attend in person at the Octagon Theatre, Buxton, Derbyshire. The car will have a new black eggbox grille installed in time for the auction and will require some recommissioning. This represents a great opporunity to acquire another Costello GT.
More information here on Kevin's profile.
New Batch of Eggbox Grilles Available
16th June, 2015
Due to several restoration projects coming along swiftly, and a couple of unfortunate dings from unlucky owners, a further batch five (5) reproduction eggbox grilles are being manufactured. These are made from laser-cut aluminium, then powder-coated in matt black. They can be fitted snugly into the nose of any Costello but owners will have to source the BMLC MkI chrome surround strips separately, if required. Let Lawrence know if you would like to reserve a grille. They are 150 pounds each which includes manufacture, packing and postage. Available mid July 2015.
Upgrades for French GT
31st May, 2015
This fabulous, once-automatic, MkI GT in Paris has had some fancy new upgrades which add to power and roadholding. Read more on the profile here.
'German' Red MkI GT Back on the Road
15th May, 2015
Guido, with help from fellow German Costello grand-fromage Peter Brodt, imported this GT from Devon, UK in 2014. The car is now very close to being roadworthy once more following some light restoration. A change of fluids and filters, plus application for various permits and the car is ready for summer.
Guido also hopes to attend the Normandy La Perche Gathering in September where several other Costello owners from France, Germany and the UK will look forward to meeting him.
'New' Costello Unearthed in Yorkshire, UK
10th May, 2015
Kevin Savage has been in touch with mgcostello.com to share what is believed to be a Costello MGB MkI GT. It is thought that Ken Costello saw the car some years ago and confirmed it as one of his creations. Kevin is unable to perform the light restoration work required to make this GT fully roadworthy once more so is interested in selling to a good home.
The car is located in North Yorkshire close to the Lancashire / Cumbria borders. More information here on Kevin's profile.
'Bonhams Auction GT Arrives in Belgium
3rd May, 2015
Having successfully achieved its reserve price at the recent Bonhams Spring Auction in the UK, this excellent condition MkI GT has passed into the hands of Steven Galliaert, who lives in Hamme, Belgium. This is now the third Costello known to be burbling around the roads of Belgium.
Hopefully Steven will bring the car to the Normandy Gathering in September. More information on the car is here.
Belgian Blue Roadster is Back
08th April, 2015
Patrick van Houtryve has been in touch from Belgium as the new owner of the only known Costello in his country. This car was once owned by the Belgian Prime Minister, before Costello-fanatic Ben Mullaert purchased it and made some updates on the car. For the second time in its life this MkII roadster passed through the hands of well know classic car dealer and collector Bernard Marreyt.
Patrick is planning on attending the Normandy La Perche Gathering in September where several other Costello owners from France, Germany and the UK will look forward to meeting him.
MGCostello.com now on your mobile!
27th March, 2015
mgcostello.com gets all up to date and is now available, in a slightly abridged version on your smartphone.
Browse all the known Costello cars, read the Articles, scroll through the News and enjoy the photogrpahs of these great MGB V8 cars.
Costello Racer Sold!
16th March, 2015
Struggling with rebuild costs following a big shunt at Snetterton in late 2014, Lawrence Wood has sadly had to part with the only known actively racing Costello in the world. An enthusiastic co-racer Ollie Neaves has taken it on and hopes to campaign the car in Class C of the MGCC's BCV8 Championship in 2015.
mgcostello.com will monitor the results closely and publish updates as they come.
Updates on the French Costellos
16th March, 2015
Thanks to mgcostello.com's man in Paris, here are some updates on what we know of some of the French-based cars:
Judith Goertz's 3500GT - almost out of restoration and hopefully will be present at the Normandy Gathering in September
Jean-Louis Beaurin's GT is now sold but mgcostello.com has yet to find the new owner
Michel Loreille's heavily modified Costello racer is located near Tours in the Loire valley, but no further information is forthcoming
Aymeric Larive - imported a car from the UK but still not managed to make contact. The car is purported to be located in southern France
South African Costello Changes Hands
26th March, 2015
Fred has purchased the only known Costello on the African continent, and hopes to add the correct egg-box grille and MkII badging. He does however have some around-the-world sailing to complete before these minor upgrades are made! mgcostello.com looks forward to hearing more from Fred later in 2015 upon his return to shore.
See Fred's profile for more up to date information on his MkII GT.
Buxton Gathering, Derbyshire (UK), June 2015 - Details Updated
14th February 2015
Get your Costellos dusted off, oiled and fueled up for the first Gatherings of 2015! Based in Buxton in beautiful and rugged Derbyshire. So far there are 6 cars confirmed. Rooms are available at the Roseleigh Guest House in Buxton and these can be booked on line or by phone 01298 24904. Of course you can find alternative plentiful accommodation. Please organise and pay for your own accommodation, but let David and Harry know and see here for more details.
Normandy (Le Perche) Gathering, France, September 2015
Details Announced
15 January 2015
Now confirmed is the 11th running of the annual International Costello Gathering. Put the dates of September 26th to 27th in your diaries now! Le Perche (south Normandy, northern France) will be the location of 2015’s European get-together. This date should suit a good number of fellow Costello owners. In fact six cars and 10 guests are already confirmed. Pierre Damiron (MkII GT) will be managing this one and has provided an initial flyer to whet your appetites.
The photo on the left shows five Costellos lined up at the now defunct Reims Grand Prix pit garages, in 2008 during the last French Costello Gathering.
Costello owner recounts life living close to Costello Engineering Ltd in Kent, UK.
17 November 2014
Chris Rayner has written a love ly note to mgcostello.com reminiscing about growing up around the sound of growling V8s in rural Kent. He is on the look out for a Costello of his own; something that would look great of the roads around Basel in Switzerland where he now resides. Here is his note:
“As a 6th-form schoolboy I had a job as a garage attendant at the Texaco garage on the A21. We lived about 5 minutes walk away so it was handy working there. This was around 1970 to 1972 when I went up to University. The garage was self-service for fuel but my job was to pop out and offer to check oil and water ... and sell oil as a result.
Often in the evenings there would be a growling noise coming from the workshop next to the garage. Often there would be a banshee wail, a disappearing tail end and parallel black lines across the forecourt as this vision tore up the Farnborough bypass. Sometimes there would even be one of these lovely cars coming to rest at the pump wanting for a drink of 5 Star. As an inquisitive lad I was shown what lay beneath the bulging bonnet, and it left my eyes bulging! I was just getting into cars at the time and had acquired a 1965 998cc Austin Cooper so was learning how to work on engines.
But the beauty of this whole Costello package has remained with me ever since that time". Chris Rayner.