RE: One-of-five MG RV8 GT for sale
Discussion
I get to see a fully restored rv8 in tesco on a regular bases. Every time I see the owner he is so fantastic to talk to and is happy to talk cars until his wife comes out and tuts at us lol.
Also has the leather gloves and cap when he's out and about which just always makes me smile.
Top bloke and top car.
Also has the leather gloves and cap when he's out and about which just always makes me smile.
Top bloke and top car.
Really interesting to see as a design exercise; I rather like the RV8, but the body restyle really seems to clash with the Pininfarina roofline on the GT.
The original GT V8 was very pretty, before they destroyed the design by making the poor thing into a crossover/Streetwise.
This seems to be the worst of both worlds.
The original GT V8 was very pretty, before they destroyed the design by making the poor thing into a crossover/Streetwise.
This seems to be the worst of both worlds.
^^ There's a V8 in that colour currently for sale:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296399095720?itmmeta=01...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296399095720?itmmeta=01...
Doofus said:
Article said:
Having done the decent thing and put the V8 into a B to make the GT, MG never made a GT Roadster
The MGB GT was launched in 1965 with a 1.8.The V8 version was launched in 1973, and was called the MGB GT V8
As for this... it's a strong no for me, it's a dog's dinner, and maybe a warning to resto modders today. The 60s bits are retro and I think we like that, it's the 90s bits we don't like.
Nomme de Plum said:
I believe there were a few original MGBs that had V8 engines by Costello. IMO they were much better looking with the original chrome bumper.
Ken Costello made around 230 MGB V8 conversions between 1970 and 1975 of which only 35 were roadsters, MG saw how popular the conversion was and then launched its own GT V8 in 1973.Easy to spot a Costello car as it has a bonnet bulge as it ran standard inlet manifolds.
Factory built MGB V8 no bonnet bulge, available as both chrome and rubber bumpers
WPA said:
Nomme de Plum said:
I believe there were a few original MGBs that had V8 engines by Costello. IMO they were much better looking with the original chrome bumper.
Ken Costello made around 230 MGB V8 conversions between 1970 and 1975 of which only 35 were roadsters, MG saw how popular the conversion was and then launched its own GT V8 in 1973.Easy to spot a Costello car as it has a bonnet bulge as it ran standard inlet manifolds.
Factory built MGB V8 no bonnet bulge, available as both chrome and rubber bumpers
To my eyes those conversions were much superior to the later home grown version. I appreciate regulation (USA?) determined the chunky bumpers found on many cars at that time.
Turbobanana said:
As a former B GT owner I want to like it. But I can't, and I think it's a combination of the colour and the rear ride height. My old B, as most of the chrome bumper or "Sebring-style" cars did, sat low at the back and looked excellent. This looks like it's permanently facing downhill.
Agree completely. Standard or Sebring, with a mildly tuned engine for me please.One of the cars I really miss, and will probably buy another at some point.
WPA said:
Ken Costello made around 230 MGB V8 conversions between 1970 and 1975 of which only 35 were roadsters, MG saw how popular the conversion was and then launched its own GT V8 in 1973.
Easy to spot a Costello car as it has a bonnet bulge as it ran standard inlet manifolds.
![](https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/426417/202407025641347?resize=720)
Factory built MGB V8 no bonnet bulge, available as both chrome and rubber bumpers
![](https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/426417/202407025645318?resize=720)
I suppose it did no harm to try, but that RV8 GT just looks a bit of a mess. Easy to spot a Costello car as it has a bonnet bulge as it ran standard inlet manifolds.
Factory built MGB V8 no bonnet bulge, available as both chrome and rubber bumpers
![eek](/inc/images/eek.gif)
I'd much rather have a chrome bumper one, preferably the Costello version with more than 4 litres of V8!
Something about that shape that is just wrong, can't quite put my finger on it.
I'll stick with my RV8 car for now
430943035_3683485325231271_2202824279735720264_n by James Fawcett, on Flickr
433508658_1343757706286614_1725770824430823927_n by James Fawcett, on Flickr
I'll stick with my RV8 car for now
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53831465898_a72a5e975d_k.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53831564719_a652b7d617_h.jpg)
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