What about buying a cheap standard car, then maybe doing some tuning to that instead? At least you'd know it's not been pushed beyond it's limits and
exactly what's been done to it and by who. Just a thought as the MG ZSs seem so cheap to me to buy now for what they are.
My god if I was younger in this day and age... it seems so easy to pick up a good cheap reliable car now. I had choices of 205s and R5 turbos, awesome fun, but hell of a minefield. Could go on long journey's but you weren't always sure if you were going to make it back!