This is the start of our new T.i. Rallyschool blog. We started as a garage in Leeds but within 6 months we were bored of doing peoples cars so switched to buying and selling Rally cars and parts.

We used to go all over the UK buying cars in the days before the internet or camera phones. We could be going to look at a Rally car in say Scotland on someone’s word on the phone.

We had a few where they forgot to mention it was left hand drive, or that it had a sunroof that had been welded over.

We outgrew that unit and moved a bigger unit where we had a shop and spray booth which made life easier. In Leeds there was another Rally spares business called MD Motorsport run by Mark Dickinson.

We both ran Sunbeam rally cars on night rallies and later we prepped his Sunbeam and also his Escort. Mark used to teach at the school, first at Elvington and then later at Melbourne.

When we opened T.i. Rallyschool at Elvington we held a press day for local papers and Radio. We ran the school cars and a 4 x 4 Sierra. Malcolm Davey brought his Escort Cosworth (which we had previously sold him). He did the Tour of Mull in it.

We also took the school cars to Harewood Hillclimb so the Motor club could sort the timing for the RAC. On the day we also had the late Alan Powell drive one of our cars. They were long days at Elvington as it was Ministry of Defence land and at any time the Army could appear with their tanks, so we were already looking for a new base.

Then Melbourne came up. The first time we ran at Elvington, Theresa was the driver so we could set out how it would run. That was on the old runway and it destroyed the tyres so we moved to the concrete pan which was better.

We had to set the whole place up in the morning and dismantle it in the evening.

At both places we only had the 2 trailers and vans so used to bring two cars the night before and leave them on the farm.

We did this for a couple of years until the old explosive factory moved to Pocklington. It remained empty for about a year until we moved everything from Leeds. Cars, bodyshells and parts which was a big job.

Over the years we have built quite a few Rally cars from scratch. The worst thing is they are always being steam cleaned so bearings and steering have to be checked all the time so keeps us busy.