Chris
When I had 50 hours on my PPL, I joined a flying group that flew a Luton Minor. This aircraft is a single seat tailwheel type with a 1600cc VW engine. The performance was crap and I had the p£ss taken out of me a lot but I was the last one laughing as it cost £10/hour (Wet) to fly. For every hour one of those Archer Pilots flew, I was flying 10. I paid £300 for a share and £8 a month towards the hangar. There were 10 in the group.
It may be worth looking around your local airfields for any PFA single seater types, and asking if any are group run. It is much better than going off to the States as you will always have a cheap plane to fly all year round.
Bill