I write LGBT romance, and I've been itching to write something set in the world of rally after finding the (frankly, mildly disturbing) amount of F1-themed books there are. I'm an active fan of WRC (I've watched every event live for ~2 years [Gregoire, I'll never stop rooting for you]), but don't know much about the nitty gritty of the cars, especially older ones.
In my outline, our protagonists need a car. What I've kind of settled on is a 2001 Mk1 Ford Focus sedan or hatchback that's a salvage title and purchased in "ehhhh it kinda runs" quality. It's 2WD, so no AWD shenanigans, and it fits nicely into the Limited 2WD and / or Open 2WD categories.
The setting is ARA's Sno*Drift event in Michigan, because it's both a fascinating event and they ban studded tires, so it's just as much luck as it is skill. My protagonists are a professional co-driver without a contract and a former street racer.
My questions are:
* is this a decent car for a small team to get running and drive?
* besides normal things like hoses, filters, tires, brakes, and fluids, what needs to be inspected and / or changed right after purchase?
* what kind of parts would the protagonists need to have extras of?
* what kind of parts are surprisingly difficult to find?
* if you're a real co-driver at any level, can I send you more questions related to the role? I want to make sure I'm being realistic.
* my outline has them finishing the book by coming in 5th in the category, since learning to trust themselves and each other is more important than winning. Is this a bad idea? Should I aim for a different position?
Please excuse any typos or errors. The reddit app hates me and I'm recovering from covid, so I have roughly 1/4 of a brain right now.
Thank you so much for any help or insight you can provide. Cheers!
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Focus_(first_generation)