Sir Alec Issigonis was a man who thought outside the square. Acclaimed as the father of the original Mini, he turned his attention to a rugged and simple vehicle that he envisaged would have practical applications with the British defense forces. The result of his thinking was the Moke, and while it never received wide acceptance from its target market, the company still produced the classic for civilian use. This 1966 Moke has been sitting for decades, and it needs someone with the vision and enthusiasm to return it to its former glory. It is a complete classic that should make a rewarding restoration project. Located in Denver, North Carolina, you will find the Moke listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $6,100, but this remains short of the reserve.
When Sir Alec drew the designs for the Moke, he had some specific ideas in mind. His target market was the British defense forces, and he aimed to secure some of the sales contracts dominated by the iconic Land Rover. However, the Moke’s 10″ wheels and low ground clearance made it an impractical off-roader. Its more complicated drivetrain configuration than the Land Rover also won few friends in that market. Some of the styling cues focused on practicality, including the flat fender tops and folding windshield. The thinking was that with the windshield folded, Mokes could be stacked two-high in the hold of a warship or aircraft carrier, saving valuable cargo space. Unfortunately, these features weren’t enough to “sell” the Moke to the armed forces. Our 1966 Moke spent part of its life in California before finding its way to its current location in 1993. The seller had intended to treat it to a restoration, but the project stalled before it started. They believe that they may be the car’s second owner but cannot confirm this. It is possible that the previous owner treated it to a repaint in its original Snowberry White, but once again, there seem some doubts in the seller’s mind on this point. The paint looks tired, and the panels have accumulated a few dings and marks. However, this classic’s most significant issue is rust. It has impacted the floors pretty badly and is also present in a few other locations. Thanks to its simple design, the buyer could opt to patch these areas, although replacing the floor pans might be a wise move. Thankfully, complete floor pans are available, although they will chew a $1,400 hole in the next owner’s wallet. That isn’t cheap, but it is the only area where I recommend anything beyond simple patches. The buyer will also need to source a windshield, although these are easy and cheap to find. The supplied photos suggest that some of the fixtures, like light lenses, are missing, but new replacements are included in the sale. Although the buyer will need to hunt for a replacement top, there are also new side curtains. The wheels aren’t original, but they don’t look out of place on this classic.
If you peel away its utilitarian body, the mechanical configuration of the Moke is essentially identical to the Mini. That means that this classic features an 848cc transverse four-cylinder engine that sends its 37hp to the front wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. That didn’t give the driver much power to play with, although the Moke’s overall weight of 1,204lbs allowed it to scamper through the ¼ mile in 21.4 seconds. The vehicle is mechanically complete, but it does have some significant problems. The previous owner parked the Moke in 1982, and I wonder whether this may have been due to a blown head gasket. There has obviously been plenty of moisture inside the cylinders, and the motor is frozen. Getting it free may be possible, and if the buyer succeeds, the engine could be a prime candidate for a rebuild. It is also worth mentioning that because we are talking about a Mini drivetrain, this could be the opportunity for the buyer to slot a larger motor under the hood. The 1,275cc version of the four bolts straight in and Mokes fitted with that motor can be sprightly performers. It is an option worth considering if the buyer isn’t concerned about total originality.
When you climb aboard the Moke, there is little chance that you will mistake its interior for that of a Cadillac. These classics represented a motoring experience at its most basic, with vinyl-covered seats and few features beyond a speedometer, a fuel gauge, and some warning lights. If a buyer sought cloth trim, air conditioning, or power assistance for anything, they were in the wrong place. However, the interior was unerringly practical and hard-wearing. The owner has installed new seat upholstery, but the buyer will probably refresh the painted surfaces during the restoration. With some fresh paint, rubber floor mats, and a replacement wheel, this interior would once again present quite nicely.
The Moke holds a place in automotive history that few manufacturers would envy. It rolled off production lines in three countries between 1964 and 1993, but total vehicle production during the three decades amounted to a mere 50,500 vehicles. That was a long way short of the high-volume figures its creators had envisaged. However, a car that potential buyers ignored when new has developed a cult following today. It is common for tidy examples to sell for figures beyond $20,000 in today’s market, while that price can soar past $30,000 for a pristine and original vehicle. This Moke is a long way from being pristine, but the potential is there for a dedicated buyer to achieve that status without breaking the bank. Have you ever driven or owned a Moke, and if so, did you enjoy the experience?
A pristine one in Australia sells for $50,000 plus.
Exactly. And restoring these is as easy as peeing the bed, as we Aussies say. These are a hoot to drive and that engine can be rebuilt on a kitchen table. I know, I’ve done it.
I have seen one in Invercargill, New Zealand that was twin engined one in the front and one in the back. It was built in England for the army but was rejected and the engineer took it to New Zealand. That was the story I was told. It was very well built.
Call Vise Grip.
It’s a bit of an ugly turd.
Ugly is part of its charm.
The Prisoner with Patrick McGoohan featured these heavily throughout the series.
I remember one sitting at a client’s Victorian remodel in the driveway in Alameda, California, in the mid-1980s.
Did anyone look at this and wonder what it would pull in the quarter mile? LOL
Later models, particularly Morris Mokes, had 13 inch wheels and could be had with the 1275cc motor. With its light body, that motor made it sit up and take notice.
Some (the best examples!) were produced in Australia and some of these were exported to NZ (New Zealand) by ship. The windscreens were folded flat and one was stacked on another (wheels on mudguards, with packing in between) and shipped as pairs. She’ll be apples.
There was a “Californian” model Moke that had the 1275 motor and a floral hood!
A few originals with 10 inch wheels were sent to the Australian army for assessment. (Interesting Bren gun carrier!)
These originally came out with 10 inch wheels as Garry said but after numerous complaints from buyers BMC changed to 13 inch wheels, the higher body reduced the chance of dogs pissing on the seats, same with the MINI, it stopped dogs from pissing in the windows, sorry but I just had to say it, a fifty year old laff.
Saw these being used as pit transportation at Sebring.
We rented one of these in college in Barbados a million years ago and it was a blast … until the brakes went out going down a hill. Fortunately, I was able to apply the hand brake and navigate us down the hill to the nearby town. I was sweating profusely as we came to a stop. We called the rental company who sent a guy out with a replacement ( I believe it was yellow) and the driver jumped into ours a took off like a shot. We saw him navigating the hills and corners above the town at speed and hoped he made it back in one piece. Apparently it wasn’t his first time using the hand brake as a primary. The care was definitely one of the high points of the trip and one that makes me think this kind of project would be fun.
Back in the 1990s I lived and worked in Barbados. I’ve driven virtually every road on the island [it’s pretty small], and it’s a fairly flat place. Where did you find a hill on Barbados that steep for more than a few hundred yards?
That said, I managed a $2 million dollar rental villa on the west side of the island. We used a Moke to bring families to/from Grantley Airport, but like many wealthy people, they often had multiple pieces of luggage per person. Mokes were all over the island back then, and used ones were fairly cheap.
One day I saw a nice low milage Moke with serious front end damage [big tree fell across the hood], so I bought it cheap. Took another nice original Moke that had been hit in the right rear. Cut off the damaged areas of both Mokes [at the base of the cowl on one, and in front of the rear wheels on the other], and welded them together. This gave me a vehicle with 3 rows of seating and a big luggage area in the back,
Because the main body strength came from the 2 big square side box members, I welded on a long set of 1.5″ angle iron brackets, 4 per side [two on top, to underneath] a total of 8 brackets. Even cut the brake & fuel lines, e-brake cable, and exhaust pipes to match up. Tested it with 8 people and the back filled with luggage, and it performed well, with no body warp. I had the world’s first Mini Moke limousine!
Took it to the vehicle inspection station, they damn well had a heart attack and told me it was impossible to build such a car in Barbados. I said it WAS possible, and here it is! Well they refused to pass the Moke limo, and after trying for about a year to get a special exception, I finally had to cut it apart or face fines.
Speaking of Barbados and old cars, I’ll bet none of you have ever heard the story of the only Packard ever imported to the island. About 30 years ago I had heard rumors of the car’s existence, and eventually I tracked it down. Here’s the short story:
Seems in 1948 the Managing director of the famous Mount Gay Rum distillery visited Miami to buy a new luxury car, and he bought a new 1948 Packard Deluxe Eight sedan. He had it delivered to the island. He chose it over a Rolls-Royce because of Packards famous dependability and ease of repair.
Since everything imported into the Caribbean islands is assessed an import tax of 153% of the item cost plus shipping, [Great Britain excepted], this was at the time, one of the most expensive cars ever imported into Barbados. With tax, it was more than a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith saloon. The director continued to drive his green Packard well into the 1970s until it became too hard to find spare parts.
So when it stopped running for the last time, it was parked out back. On asking about the Packard, I was invited to come visit the Mount Gay Rum facilities by the current managing director [the grandson of the Packard buyer]. He proudly said we would start by touring the facility. Pointing to some of the big cooking stills where the alcohol is steamed off and collected, he asked me if I recognized some green metal patches welded onto the still pots. He smiled and went on to explain that they carefully cut the various body parts off the Packard, and in a frugal manner, used them to make repairs to the equipment!
We then walked out back and he showed me the remains of the Packard’s chassis and running gear. At this point, if you have never seen a Banyan tree, then go ahead and google it before you continue reading, and see what a mature Banyan looks like.
Please do check & see what a Banyan tree looks like, so you will be able to visualize what happened next. [I promise I’ll wait until you come back!]
OK, now that you know what a Banyan tree looks like, Imagine if that huge tree grew up around a complete Packard rolling chassis, and slowly lifted it off the ground several feet. That’s what he showed me that day. I wish I had the ability to show you the photo of that car’s remains here, but I’m not a member.
Knowing all about the slower lifestyle in Barbados, I’m sure it’s still there, but raised up a few more feet off the ground!
To those who have not driven one . This is the most fun car I have ever driven. 65mph seems a lot faster when your that close to the asphalt and no do. Drove one in Australia for many miles and even there it was always a conversation starter. Especially with shall we say the fairer sex?
These are fun but the present bid is a lot more than it’s worth in this condition. Fix the rust, get a new engine, etc. and it still too much for too little.
We rented one of these on our honeymoon in Barbados in 1985. Had a ball driving it all over the island.
Mokes are amazing..did over 100,000 in my 1965. This one needs a lot of love and the body is the structure so it has to be done right..but someone will..shame to see these original Mokes rot away. The joke used to be “‘Moking is not a wealth hazard!” Those days are over.
If I remember rightly, later production had a galvanised body.
First stick I ever drove, at the age of 13 or so, was in one of these on the back roads of Barbados, through the sugar cane fields. And it was right hand drive.
What a rust bucket on wheels.
This one has had a few upgrades, the early Mokes only had 10 inch wheels and the 998 ci engine and steel framed seat with canvas covers and a canvas canopy, there was even a 4wd prototype, the Australian army had Mokes as general runabouts with a matching trailer but they were extremely susceptible to rust especially around the battery box and side panels, the prices for these are astronomical restored in the $20-30 thousand range
Are the grumpy people grumpy because it’s small and you cannae land a Foxbat on the bonnet?
Minis’re great no matter what shape they are. Stick a bigger engine and a newer box in – more speed and a better gearchange!
Late ’70s saw them experiment with 4wd Mokes in Australia with 2 engines called the Twinni-Moke
A father and son did a twin engine backyard conversion on an early MINI here in South Australia, dad said the biggest problem was getting the balance right on the carburetors so both engines pulled together, the second engine in the trunk fitted real well with only small body mods, it’s legal and I see it often at car shows.
While Mokes never made it into Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, they became quite prominent as tropical resort tourist mover, everywhere from Malta to Jersey to Jamaica. They also were featured in all sorts of films, including James Bond extravaganzas, as well as endless TV shows, including The Prisoner (“I am not a number…I’m a free man!”), as pointed out by jimbunte
“Sir Alec Issigonis was a man who thought outside the square.” and he designed what has to be the squarest car I’ve ever seen!
Had a blast many years ago driving one of these way too fast along the Captain Cook highway in Australia. That rental Moke was so much fun to drive, almost go-kart like. One of the best drives I ever had!
The Maritime Services Board (Port Administration) in Sydney, NSW, had a few Mokes in their fleet. Most had a full length steel canopy
I swear, sometimes I think I should just dig a hole and jump in,,,but then, how would younger generations know useless tidbits of information from our past( crickets), but NOBODY, unless I missed it, mentioned The Beach Boys( who?) Capitol Records( what’s a record?) commissioned George Barris ( who?) to customize 5 MM’s as “mini-surfers” with red stripes. Another 20 were given away as promotions, although, I’m not really sure what they were promoting. Naturally, we never heard of a Mini Moke, but as popular as the Beach Boys were, it didn’t matter. I’m not sure it did anything for their fading surf music, but was the only time we saw any. Not knowing what they were, we figured they were a Jeep of some sort. Find one of those Beach Boys ones today, be a happy camper. BTW, I think they were called “Morris”, not Austin, Mini-Mokes.
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-beach-boys-had-capitol-records.html