TWO petrol heads are about to take part in a trip of a lifetime when they set off on the Rally For Heroes in a car with no doors and no roof.

Douglas Crisp from Worton near Devizes and Hans Kaaschoek from Poulshot will spend ten days from August 5 travelling the roads of Europe in an Ariel Atom sports car to raise money for SSAFA - the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.

Mr Crisp, 71, and Mr Kaashoek, 51, will drive the small but fast car made famous by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, across Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Southern France, Spain and home via western France.

Mr Crisp, a retired double glazing manager, said: "I have always loved cars especially fast ones. This was an irresistible opportunity. I feel very privileged to have been asked by Hans to take part.

"It will be a trip of a life-time. In places the 50 cars will have a police escort. I can't wait but the difficult bits are likely to be the pain and cold. Sitting in a completely open car for three or four hours at a time with no heating /cooling or upholstery isn’t what I’m used to and although the Alps are beautiful at 2500 metres they are also very cold."

Mr Kaashoek, who runs a wholesale nursery, said: "I’ve owned the car for over six years and also use it for track days, ideal as it’s very light and powerful, the car has been tremendously reliable. It is a great bit of British engineering.

"The main running cost are fuel and tyres. I get some help changing the tyres from the boys at Mike Wood in Devizes, so for this 3000 mile trip we will have to fit some harder compound tyres to make sure we can get to the finish line.

"I think to hardest thing will be the temperature difference in the Alps with potential snow and then two days later near Monaco where it could well be 40C, and as we haven’t got much luggage space we will have to pack very light."

Mr Kaashoek's version of the Atom is a Mk 3 powered by a 2 litre supercharged Honda Type R engine that develops 310 BHP and reaches 60 mph in 2.3 seconds and 100 mph in 6 seconds.

The pair hope to raise £2,000 for the charity and have paid themselves for all of the costs involved in taking part. Organisers hope that the rally will raise a total of £100,000 to help its work with forces personnel and their families.

The rally starts at HMS Victory in Portsmouth on August 5 and finishes back in Britain on August 13.

To follow its progress go to http://rallyforheroes.com/ or to make a donation to the two men's rally bid go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/HansandDougATOM