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Ken Costello 1927-2015

Started by Morris S , Aug 13 2015 11:14

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8 replies to this topic

#1 Morris S

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 11:14

Sad to hear that Ken Costello had passed away a couple of weeks ago on July 28th at the age of 88. Not only did he introduce the MGB to the V8 power plant but was also a tuner and prolific racer of Minis throughout the 60s, amongst other cars, with his Sidcup based Cripspeed concern. Do any of our members remember him?

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#2 ReWind

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 17:56

The Costello story

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#3 Alan Cox

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 22:08

I well remember him racing Minis, and reading about his exploits when I was still at school and was very impressed when he squeezed the V8 very neatly into an MGB shell (far more neatly than BL managed when they copied the idea). Sad to hear of his passing.

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#4 pete53

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 22:59

He was the epitome of the club racer of the day. One of those drivers who seemed to be competing every weekend of the racing season. I saw him compete many times at Brands in the mid/late 60s in his beautifully prepared and very competitive Mini. In fact if anyone had asked me of my memory of club saloon car racing from that era his name would have been one the first on my lips. Sad news.

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#5 Morris S

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Posted 14 August 2015 - 09:20

I had read that modest piece about Ken on the V8 website but haven't ever read or found anything more substantial (other than a page in an Oulton programme). I suspect he may have been quite a private person, I did try and contact him a couple of years ago but with no success. He must have had some great tales to tell in a decade or so of club racing and tuning customer cars. Anyone know any more about him, for instance, what was the thing with the star spangled banners on his bonnet?

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#6 Macca

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Posted 14 August 2015 - 14:03

Sorry to hear this, I always wanted to ask him about his involvement in the filming of 'Grand Prix' (as I would have liked to with James Garner, Phil Hill, John M. Stevens, et al) - it was only a minor part of his interesting life but it would have been another piece of a jigsaw.

RIP to a true enthusiast.

Paul M