MG Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" and Costello V8s

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Soarer
Charles Wild
Danbury, CT USA
(1 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2012 01:37PM

Main British Car:
2006 Nissan 350Z, 1998 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon

Looking for my dad's 1970 MGB V8
Posted by: Soarer
Date: October 12, 2012 01:51PM

Back in 60s my dad, Peter Wild was good friends with a guy named Richard Zethrin. Richard was a mechanic genius. He could build and tune engines like nobody's business. Anyway, Richard was buddies with Ken Costello. Ken was working on the first V8 project. When it all came together the lads, Ken, Richard and Peter all thought it was great success. They set out to start a company to convert Bs. My dad was the accountant so he did all the costing work. Ken had a shop near Farnborough where he was doing the conversions. A customer brought in a brand new 1970 (I believe it was a 70 but could have been a 69 or 71) MGB to be converted. It was red. However, the consignor ran out of money and couldn't pay to finish it. So, my dad, even though he already had 2 Bs at the time neither of which were converted, bought the car and paid to finish the conversion. He sold it a few years later. He moved our family to New York, USA in 1980. We're all big car nuts and my dad is getting ready to retire. My brother and I want to find his original B V8 and give it to him as a retirement present. Any help you guys can give us in finding it, would be greatly appreciated! I know the registration was BGO 819H. Does anyone know where this car is? It had a 3.5 liter V8. Many thanks! Please either post here or email me at cdwauto@gmail.com.
Charles Wild



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2012 01:55PM by Soarer.


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4577 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Looking for my dad's 1970 MGB V8
Posted by: Moderator
Date: October 12, 2012 02:21PM

Welcome to BritishV8, Charles.

I sincerely hope your post here leads you to BGO 819H!

I'll use this forum's private message feature to send you the e-mail address for Lawrence Wood, who is working to build a register of Costello V8s in England. You might want to visit his website: www.MGCostello.com The MG Costello website has a forum of its own too. (I looked on Lawrence's website, but couldn't find his e-mail address on it. We've corresponded in the past and I know him to be a very helpful gentleman.)


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