Veloce Publishing has issued a number of books in their SpeedPro Series that illustrates practical automotive performance tips and advice. This softcover book conations 96 pages of honest and engaging information on “How to Build a Successful Low-Cost Rally Car.”

It is first and foremost a primer that shows you how to enter the field of long-distance endurance racing on a budget but it also has information and close-up photos of the kinds of modifications that can be used to recreate an authentic replica of those spartan race cars in scale.

The book is British-centric and many of the automotive terms like bonnet and windscreen (just as the races are) are prevalent but are easily understood from context so it’s still a pretty easy read.

If you are seriously looking to get into the sport this book is a great place to start. Advice begins with an Austin Allegro project car. It describes in detail the modifications performed on the car for racing and optional products that will fit other budgetary considerations.

Subsequent chapters breakdown the generic types of physical modifications that can/should be done to any endurance racer in order to significantly increase the chances of success.

Also examined is practical information on personal and tactical information like safety, border crossings, health, driving etiquette and advice that are applicable to any race strategy.

Finally, the book suggests the pros and cons of twenty car models that make for low cost racers to those on a budget and just trying to break into the action along with a list of resources to use for supplies, equipment and events. Even in the USA there are events that are sanctioned by Rally America and SCCA Rally Cross that can be entered.

For the modeler – The illustrations and photos in the book are helpful but the descriptions of how and why they were made make them very clear so that they can be replicated and even modified still knowing they would be authentic to the genre.

Included here are photos of full rally cars in action with odd looking “roo bumpers”, roof tire racks, underbody sheathing, tin can bonnet scoops and even a poop scooper vent, are some of the items you won’t find in one of the factory sponsored kits of rally cars.

Following the same advice that the book offers for building a low-cost racer, there are plenty of bone stock models of Mini Coopers and Morris Minors that would make perfects subjects for a replica and it won’t break the bank to build them.

Many thanks to Veloce Publishing for these practical performance books, and for providing review samples to IPMS.