Rally Ready: 1992 Mazda MX-3

The MX-3 was a small sporty hatch from Mazda launched in 1991 as a competitor to the Honda CRX and Volkswagen GTi.  The MX-3 borrowed many of its components from the 6th gen Familia/323/Protege platform but added hatchback usability and sporty looks.  The real kicker was the addition of an optional high revving small displacement V6 that put the MX-3 into a category of its own...and today's next example has been transformed into a dirt throwing rally machine. Find this 1992 Mazda MX-3 offered for $7,500 in Simi Valley, CA via craigslist.

Always Raced and Rallied: 2005 Subaru WRX STI Rally Car

Performance rallying: "Real cars on real roads going real fast".  That's what proponents of stage rallying use to describe their niche of a niche sport to the average American.  I'd add "not watched by real people in the U.S." to it.  Something about driving for hours to remote areas to watch cars is a hard sell onm this side of The Pond.  But maybe instead of standing by the side of a dirt road in the sticks, you could have the best seat in the house.  Find this 2005 Subaru WRX STI Rally Car for sale in Vancouver, BC, Canada for $23,555 CAD (about $19,000 USD's at time of writing) via craigslist.

X-factor: 1988 Mazda 323 GTX

The 1980's are thought to be the Golden Age of Rally.  Fire breathing Group B cars ran rampant throughout the forests in the early part of the decade, and then tragically it was all over.  The meek inherited the woods in the form of production-based Group A cars, and a few of them made it to The Land of the Free.  Find this 1988 Mazda 323 GTX for sale in Renton, WA for $5,000 via craigslist.

Zoom Zoom Dirt Dirt: 1988 Mazda 323GTX

The Mazda 323 was a pretty forgettable econobox sold in America based on the Japanese Mazda Familia, but there was an exception -- the all-wheel-drive GTX version that put some extra zoomf in the Zoom Zoom, and today we've got a rally prepped example ready for dirt road hoonage for a dirt cheap price. Find this 1988 Mazda 323GTX offered for $1,900 in Gardena, CA via craigslist. Tip from JayKav.

The Original Eyesore: 1971 Datsun 510

If you are at all a fan of the 24 Hours of LeMons, you must be familiar with the name Eyesore racing -- this is the (only) team to win the trip to LeMans (in France) after winning the LeMons (the $500 junker race series).  If you are a DT Radio fan, you might have heard legendary Sport Compact Car Editor Dave Coleman talk about the origins of the Eyesore name...and here is your chance to buy the original Eyesore in the rusty flesh.  Find this 1971 Datsun 510 here on eBay bidding for $2,700 with 7 days to go, located in Long Beach, CA.

Coffee Brake: 1986 Olympus World Championship Rally

Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the start of the 1986 Olympus World Championship Rally.  The Olympus Rally was run out of Olympia, Washington and marked the end of the Group B era of the WRC and was also the first WRC round in North America since the Press On Regardless Rally in 1974.  I was there as a starving college student and took a few pictures with my trusty 35mm film camera.

Are you John Buffum?: 1983 Audi quattro

In the beginning there was one quattro.  Not A-blah, blah Quattro, not Q-blah, blah Quattro, but just quattro.  And it was a game changer both for Audi and for the sport of rallying.  Factory rally cars are few and far between, but your next best alternative on your quest to be the next Buffum are the few road cars converted over to stage rally duty.  Find this 1983 Audi quattro for sale in Freeland, MI on eBay with bidding to $25,700 and reserve not met.  Tip from jim garfield.

Spaghetti & Meatballs: 1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S

 Rally cars are just plain cool!  Imagine the stories they could tell...the drivers who adorned the seats, the hastily-made repairs on the side of some far-off land dirt road...exciting stuff!  Alas, authentic rally cars are either pounded to a pulp, or commanding a massive premium after era-specific restorations are performed.  But what if you could have the "look" of a rally car AND keep your wallet intact?  Find this 1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S in rally prep look for sale near Washington, DC for $15,550 via craigslist.

Manuaali 1.8 l Bensiini: 1969 Saab 96 Rally Car

The Saab 96 is on DT's short list of interesting cars to own because it is stylish (okay, it isn't a Ferrari Daytona, but it isn't a Camry either...), fun to drive (I didn't say fast...just fun), simple to maintain/repair, and (most importantly) inexpensive.  You won't find the 96 or any other Saab selling for six figures at some fancy auction, but if you want to drive something extraordinary, the 96 delivers. Find this 1969 Saab 96 Rallycar offered for 7,900€ ($8,923 USD) in Nokia Finland via nettiauto.com.  Tip from Kaibeezy.

20k: Scottish Pride: 1980ish Talbot Sunbeam

The list of Scottish built cars is not particularly long, but during the 1980s Chrysler built cars at the former Rootes Group factory in Linwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland.  By cars, we mean the Chrysler Sunbeam (later badged the Talbot Sunbeam) which was an entirely forgettable hatchback, except for the Lotus-engined version which was a formidable rally machine.  Find this 1980ish Talbot Sunbeam GR2 rally car tribute offered for £12000 ($19,500 USD at time of printing) in Belgium via carandclassic.co.uk.