Ken Costello 1927-2015

[Pete]

Sad to hear that Ken Costello had died on July 28th at the grand old age of 88. Well known in MG circles for shoe horning V8 engines into MGBs he will be better known here as a prolific Mini racer and tuner, racing Minis from the early 60s to the end of the decade for Sidcup BMC dealers Cripps Brothers under the banner of Cripspeed.





Peter Lague trying to take Costello up the inside..



An earlier shot of Costello in 442 GLX chasing Peter Pilsworth, the ex Anita Taylor Newtune car behind...



...different race but 110 NNM still behind...

[Pete]

Costello at Snetterton..(500K I think)..

[swifty1293]

RIP Ken

[mab01uk]

The Costello Story:
http://www.mgcostello.com/#!the-costello-story/c10dh

[trevorhp]

Sad news indeed
Remember seeing him at Oulton Park wayback
Lovely pictures thanks for posting them it brings it all back.

[Pete]

I did try and contact Ken for an interview a couple of years ago but didn't succeed. He must have had some great stories to tell, after all he tuned and raced Minis from the very first cars. What was the thing with the American flags he wore on the bonnet of his Cooper S?

[Astro]

Please, annother question. This photo, showing an eight port head. Does anyone knows more about? When and where? Are these Mikuni carbs?

Thank you!

[Tim Harber]

I did try and contact Ken for an interview a couple of years ago but didn't succeed. He must have had some great stories to tell, after all he tuned and raced Minis from the very first cars. What was the thing with the American flags he wore on the bonnet of his Cooper S?

He always avoided the spotlight later on in particular. He was based about 3 miles from us and my brother in law spannered for him at Brands once. He trained as a locksmith which may have helped with his, erm, early career

[surfblue63]

Please, annother question. This photo, showing an eight port head. Does anyone knows more about? When and where? Are these Mikuni carbs?

Thank you!

I've started a thread in the tech section

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13385&p=105852#p105852

[Jack of all trades]

Please, annother question. This photo, showing an eight port head. Does anyone knows more about? When and where? Are these Mikuni carbs?

Thank you!

That's my picture, I posted that in one of the previous forums I think.
When; 1969 Ken is working on a car that belonged to Gerard Schuiten, then the TVR importer in Holland. The story is that the 8 port was of Ken's own design and he was there to fit and tune it. He also build and delivered by air freight to Rotterdam the 1969 race cooper for Ernst Berg.
Where; somewhere in Holland, probably Aalsmeer as that was where Schuiten lived.

What carbs? They look like motorcycle carbs

[Pete]

He trained as a locksmith which may have helped with his, erm, early career

OH! That kind of "career".