As above!

I've got an urge to buy a Mk2 Escort rally car and enter it into a few rallies, time trials and use it on the odd track day.

I'm not fussed about winning anything really i'm just doing it for fun.

I'm not interested in gravel stuff purely tarmac as I want to use the car on the road/track and i'm not messing around changing setups etc.

I was thinking of buying a car already done or almost done as it seems like it would be a nightmare to build one from scratch and probably more expensive?

No doubt there will be a few people on here with some good experience so let me have your thoughts good or bad

Rick

 

Before you get into to the cost of competing, have you checked out the cost of a half decent Mk2 Escort rally car these days?

You will make a saving by not going into the woods but it's a difficult sport to get involved in casually in terms of time, effort and of course money.

If you've got an idea of the sort of events you want to do, I could get some numbers for you from people in the know.

 

i went to a historic rally about 40 years ago.
wasnt historic then but it is now.

 

Best advice at the moment would be, if you really want to compete, decide what events you want to do and look for a suitable car.

If you buy a car then look for the event, you might find there aren't any or what there is doesn't interest you.

Getting an unsuitable car within regs could end up being just as expensive and time-consuming as building from scratch.

 

I have no experience of historic rallying but was talking to Claire at Greenwood Motorsport recently and she mentioned the Swinging Sixties and Tin Tops Series which might be of interest to you.

http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/tintops.htm

Silly me, its rallying you are interested in, never mind the link might still be of interest.

 

It will cost £££

unless you buy a shed which won't be much fun

rally prepared escorts are fetching daft money

no car (imo) looks as good going sideways as an escort

but also consider a sapphire cosworth, it will be cheaper, strange as that may sound

 

We see a lot of them taking part in stages in the "appendix" rally to the WRC and then other items like the Long Cross Rally, Rally of Kent etc etc.

A Mk2 Escort in rally prep, apparently, can be anywhere between £10k and £50k dependant upon it's history. The drivers always seem to have the most fun due to the rear wheel drive etc compared to 4wd competitors due to the lairy nature of the car compared to the grip in the 4wd.

Tarmac rallies are a good way to enter the sport but prices, as with all motor sport, can be quite high and there is always an element of cheque book racing.

However, deciding to have a go is cool and I salute you for it.

 

I'm involved in club rallying - I navigate for a friend of mine, we enter various National 'B' type events.

For a decent Mark2 Escort you're looking for an absolute minimum of £10-15K, and even then it will not be competitive in its class. That's just the start...

Entry for events starts at about £300 even for single venue tarmac events, then there's accommodation/food etc. for the event.

Car maintenance is key, a new set of tyres every couple of events, spare wheels and tyres, trailer, tow car, car repairs - you're almost certain to bend it and bits will break.

The car I navigate in is a modified Skoda Fabia, I guess in the state its in now it will stand the owner at somewhere between £5K and £7K plus all the spares, the original car (and ex Skoda challenge car was £3K). An event will cost including travel and accommodation etc. will probably cost > £500. If you do 6 events per year maintenance costs will be getting on for £5K.

Now, if you buy a Mk 2 Escort 1600, I would estimate your costs would be what I've stated minimum. Plus a FIA approved omex suit (£300) and an approved helmet with intercom (£300), gloves, boots etc.

A proper historic spec car, will likely attract greater costs to maintain it within the historic class...

The thing I know from experience is that before long you will want more power, better brakes, better suspension weight reduction etc. etc. because you will not want to run around at the back...

Then imagine, like my mate you roll it into a ball you then need to budget for a re-shell etc. A rust free Mk 2 shell could well set you back £5-7K, engines are becoming more difficult to get hold of too if you were to blow one of them.

I don't want to put you off, this might seem like peanuts in terms of costs to you but you did ask...

Oh, you'll need to get a competition license (as will your co-driver)...

Also a Sapphire Cosworth will be even more to run...

The sport is great fun and there's fantastic camarardarie... if the costs don't put you off give it a go and enjoy!

 

Datsun 240Z
Porsche 911
TR7 V8
there'll be loads more cheaper alternatives than an Escort.

 

Thanks for all the replies, some good things to think about there especially the input from Corgi, thanks for that

I want a MK2 because I think they are cool and sound the nuts but I've seen they aren't that cheap.

One thing I have been thinking about is spares, I was thinking as Mk2's are common there will be plenty of bits about or have I got that arse about?

I've looked at some other cars, like the 911's, forgot about the old Datsuns cheers Bozwell.

What about a 944? There is a breakers up the road from me so bits are easy to get hold of an cheap but I imagine it to be a bit of a tank? I haven't drove one though so maybe someone can shed some light on that?

What ever car I get/if I get one, it has to be rwd!

I'm hopefully going to marshall a few events over the next few months to see what I think and it'll also give me the opportunity to chat to a lot of the owners.

I've been to quite a few single stage events before and they look good cheap fun unless you park it on the roof

Hmm it all sounds so good, more research needed I think...!