The two friends will head to Marden in Kent on Saturday from where they will embark on their mammoth seven-day drive – the Blue Print Rally – through France and along the eastern and southern coasts of Spain and Portugal before arriving at their destination near Lisbon.

Jonathan, a director of Technics Motors in Homefield Road, Haverhill, signed up for the rally after reading about it in a motor trade magazine before 75-year-old Derek, who is retired, agreed to act as his co-driver.

They call themselves Don't Dream It....Be It, a line taken from the musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Derek commented: "He was in the car and said 'how would you like to go to Portugal?' and I said 'yes', but I didn't know we were going to do this."

Jonathan added: "I don't think all the 24 teams taking part are going to make it, to be honest, but I'm sure we are going to make a lot of friends along the way."

The rally is organised by Automotive Distributors Ltd, the UK company that distributes Japanese and Korean car parts and supplies under the trade name Blue Print.

It will be raising money for Ben, a charity that provides support for people connected with the automotive industry.

Entrants must spend no more than £500 on a car of either Japanese or Korean origin, a rule that led to Jonathan finding the 1990 Toyota Celica on eBay and agreeing to buy it for just £205.

The car has undergone extensive repairs and improvements with help from local firms including Autozone and Stylize Digital Artwork in Hollands Road, who did the graphics on the car.

Should any problems arise with the car, Jonathan joked: "I've got Derek, he can always push."

The duo can be sponsored by logging on to www.justgiving. com/blueprintrally.