The first thing to consider when buying a ready-prepped endurance rally car is how original you’d like it to be.
 
According to the RAC MSA’s Blue Book, you can take a car and modernise its underpinnings to within an inch of its life to create a silhouette racer that will mix it with the moderns – but are you really keeping within the spirit of historic car endurance rallying?

With that in mind, we asked endurance rally organiser Philip Young what he would buy to be competitive on these events without resorting to such tactics.

He wasn’t shy in pointing out the best buys – as well as the first-choice alternatives – at four significant price points. You may be surprised by some of them.

£50,000
Ford Escort
This kind of money gets you a good Pinto-powered car. Just. No fancy suspension or Cosworth BDA under the bonnet for this sort of money. If it’s welded up like the original works cars you have a good, reliable, gutsy workhorse that will be easy to develop as you become more experienced



£5000
Sprite & Midget
If you’re not too well built and don’t mind a lack of driver comfort, these roadsters are hard to beat. Parts prices are reasonable, and as they are so popular there’s huge expertise out there to take advantage of.

Other off-the-wall alternatives include the BMC 1800 Landcrab, the Austin Maxi, an Andrew Cowan-replica Hillman Hunter, or a Triumph 2500. All of these cars have pedigree in contemporary events.

£10,000
MG
Hunt around for a good example, and you can’t go wrong. Lack of suspension travel at the front end will limit you to events that don’t have too much in terms of rough road surfaces.

Another one to consider is the Volvo Amazon, which is as tough as old boots. Fit a set of Konis and sump guard to be completely prudent, and you’ll find success – but you might stand accused of being a tad boring by picky organisers.

£20,000
Triumph 2500
You should get a front-running Triumph 2.5 saloon nicely set up on 15in Minilites, three SU carbs,  and long-travel suspension for some comfort, and it’s ‘different’ for this sort of money.

A Mercedes-Benz 280 twin-cam will give you a good run for your money. It depends on how thick your chequebook and whether you think patriotism is worth it, but the Triumph, under-dog in its day, is yet to bark loudly in today’s rally scene.