2019 News Archives
6th October 2019
Runswick Bay Kimber Run report up!
Read Richard's notes here. Thanks to everyone who made the great effort to get to the North of England, especially those over from Germany.
30 September 2019
Runswick Bay Kimber Run an outstanding success!
...as so says the local media, all those who attended and several dozen locals who were lucky enough to see more than 8 MG Costellos gathered on the shores of the fishing village where Cecil Kimber spent many a summer.
Local press cutting here shows the reaction. Full report and page coming very soon....
Many thanks to Richard Fairclough for - once again - putting this event together and organising some challenging and beautiful drives across the local landscape in North Yorkshire.
05 August 2019
MkI GT back on the road after thorough restoration
Paul Stirling has invested much time, grease and money in getting his fabulous GT back on the roads of the UK. As the picture here testifies his hard work has paid off, rewarding him with recent drives along the North Coast of Scotland, making the most of the good summer weather.
01 August 2019
MkI Roadster Re-emerges For Sale - with a Mazda Gearbox
The original Roadster which started the fascination in the Costello marque - BML 512H - is back on the market with Percival Classic Cars.
Once owned by long-time Costello fan Lawrence Wood (also founder of mgcostello.com) 'BML' disappeared from this site's view after being sold a few years ago. Now on the market once more with renewed paint, refreshed panels and...a Mazda gearbox! This is inline with Frontline Engineering's transmission of choice in their Abingdon and LE50 models, though it does detract from the originality of the Costello version it likely makes for more snappy drive.
22nd July 2019
Barn-find Costello now on website.
Read more about this remarkable find and its pans for the future on the GTs page.
10th July 2019
Barn-find Costello sees daylight for first time since 25 years!
A remarkable time capsule has seen daylight for the first time since 1994, having emerged from a garage in Gloucestershire, UK - a MkII Costello GT with only 42000 miles on the clock.
The owner has only recently passed away, having bought the car in early 1974 and subsequently having it modified by Costello Engineering in March the same year. Driven only sparingly over the years it was stored in the early 1990s following some light restoration and a respray to its current coat of British Racing Green. The original colour was Citron Yellow.
Following the owner's passing family friends were called into broker a sale. A feeding frenzy of ever-increasing offers - including one from your illustrious editor and a well-known classic car dealer - resulted in a content widow, and one happy new owner. The latter has been in contact with mgcostello.com and has wasted no time in acquiring a Certificate of Authentication, also granting us access to his photos and restoration plans.
With cobwebs, a family of mice, seized engine and brakes, there is much commissioning to do. Stay tuned for more updates as this time warp Costello breathes new life into its rear-facing Webers and hopefully joins more Costello MGs on the road soon.
04 June 2019
Runswick Bay Kimber Run - Dates Agreed
The first MG Costello Gathering in years will convene in North Yorkshire, Runswick Bay, throughout the 13th September with a full day's driving on the 14th (Saturday). Richard Fairclough is keen to invite all owners of Costellos to bring their charges and enjoy fine driving, fine fare and the highest hospitality for the whole weekend. Get in touch if you can make it.
To date, six Costellos are confirmed. If you'd like to join the group but your car is not road-ready you are more than welcome! Just bring something interesting :)
01 May 2019
ER Classics sell MkII GT - New Certificate of Authenticity Issued
Hans Tabak's MkII GT was sold very quickly indeed for a strong but fair price in Holland last week. The car was missing a Certificate of Authenticity - as the car is well known to mgcostello.com as an original car a Certificate was duly issued, adding to the fine history of the vehicle.
There are four Certificates left should you require one for your car. Let Lawrence know if you would like one. You will of course need to prove your car is a genuine Costello model however, if it is not recognised as such already. Beware of imitations!
30 April 2019
Website Premium Listing Renewals and Upgrades
mgcostello.com is a not-for-profit website, created by two individuals purely for the sake of sharing as much technical and historical information on the Costello marque as is known. However, there are inevitable costs associated with hosting the website; keeping it free of annoying adverts for Viagra and off-plan properties in Brazil, and from cyber attacks and phishing.
In order to raise the revenue to keep this site active - and it has been commended by several journalists and magazine contributors as a great source of information on all things MG Costello - the Premium Listing service is launched.
For a minimal annual fee of just 25 pounds, the site will showcase your car with one principal photograph of your choice, and four smaller photographs. Text of how you came about procuring the car, what works you have carried out on the vehicle and how you plan to use it in the coming year will be shared. There is no limit to the text you can submit but keep it succinct and informative if possible.
If you wish to showcase your car here, do let Lawrence know. He will send you a PayPal invoice and discuss privately with you which photos and text you would like.
Many thanks for supporting mgcostello.com and keeping the Costello marque alive and well!
19 April 2019
Holland-based Costello MkII GT For Sale
Another GT is up for sale, this time with the ever-busy and popular ER Classics in The Netherlands. This MkII GT belonged to Hans Tabak for many years though was off the road in recent times. Now fully recommissioned this lovely car needs a new owner. Drop the team a line if you are interested.
ER Classics recently sold the only known MkIII GT - with the fuel-injection system developed by Ken Costello for his final run of cars build in the early 1990s. That car is now being fully restored by Costello fan Juergen Kuhnle in Germany.
10 April 2019
First Costello Gathering in 4 Years Announced!
Great news this week! A re-run of the popular Runswick Bay Kimber Run will take place in September 2019. Ably managed by popular Costello Roadster owner Richard Fairclough, this Gathering will retrace the footsteps of Cecil Kimber, the unofficial father of the MG Car Company, who spent many a summer holiday along the spectacular coast in this part of North Yorkshire. A group of some sic Costellos met in Runswick in 2010 and enjoyed the sweeping fast roads over the Moors, the twisty lanes along the cliffs, and of course the famous fish and chips from Trencher's in Whitby.
If you'd like to join (four Costello owners have already confirmed, including one from Germany), please drop a line to Richard who will give you more details. A weekend has not been agreed yet but will be either 6/7 September or 13/14.
03 April 2019
Same Car, Different Article!
Colin Archer's GT is in the press again, this time in Classic Motoring's special edition.
01 February 2019
German and South African Costello Owners Get Together
Serial Costello restorer and rebuilder Juergen Kuhnle met with Costello enthusiast and South Africa resident Fred Bickley in Fred's hometown of Knysna last month whilst Juergen was on vacation.
Impressed with Fred's fabulous GT Juergen joined the local MG Club monthly breakfast where he met the car's restorer, Ricky Cooper. Also the first owner after restoration, Ron Hollis who purchased the car for his son Peter in 2006, for Peters 21st birthday was also present.
On the Sunday Juergen took the helm, with Fred as the first-time nervous passenger. He put the car through its paces, at considerably higher revs that normal for gentle Knysna afternoon drives. Announcing that the V8 always needs higher revs to operate well, Juergen helped Fred make some adjustments and resettings on the carburettor. They also changed the air filter to be able to take in more cool air. They noted that cooling could be helped with a bigger radiator, and twin fans to replace the single Costello unit.
The car became so hot in fact it would not restart and needed half an hour to cool down.
Fred stated 'it was great to get to meet someone who understands a Costello and get first impressions. Knowledge here is very limited and I much appreciated his input. This illustrates the value of being on mgcostello.com'. (bless you! - Ed.)
Fred has also purchased an MGC in the UK and hopes to take that to MG Live at Silverstone in June, then maybe a “C” gathering in Northamptonshire in early July.
10 January 2019
New Year, New Article!
Club magazine Enjoying MG has published a piece on one the better Its on the road today, in this case a MkI version, now in new ownership. Read the fascinating story of how it came to be in its current hands.
Read the article here.
