Mini Moke

Mini Moke
Overview
Manufacturer	BMC Leyland Australia British Leyland Portugal Cagiva
Also called	Austin Mini Moke Morris Mini Moke BMC Mini Moke (Military version)[1] Leyland Moke (Australia)[2]
Production	1964–1993
Assembly	Vendas Novas, Portugal Setúbal, Portugal Longbridge plant, Birmingham, England Zetland, New South Wales, Australia Umtali, Rhodesia[3] South Africa [4]
Designer	Sir Alec Issigonis, John Sheppard
Body and chassis
Class	utility vehicle[5]
Body style	4 seat convertible 2-seat pickup
Layout	FF layout
Powertrain
Engine	850 cc A-series, I4 998 cc I4 1098 cc I4 1275 cc I4
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,020 mm (79.5 in)[6]
Length	3,050 mm (120.1 in)
Width	1,300 mm (51.2 in)
Height	1,400 mm (55.1 in)(with cloth roof and windshield raised)
Kerb weight	406 kg (896 lb) — Early models 578 kg (1275 lb) — Later models

The Mini Moke is a vehicle based on the Mini designed for the British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis^[7] and John Sheppard.^[8]

The name comes from "Mini"—the car with which the Moke shares many parts—and "Moke", which is an archaic dialect term for donkey.^[9][10][11] The Moke has been marketed under various names including Austin Mini Moke, Morris Mini Moke and Leyland Moke.

The initial design was a prototype for a light military vehicle in the style of the American Jeep, but its small wheels and low ground clearance made it impractical as an off-road vehicle. It was subsequently offered in a civilian version as a low-cost, easily maintained utility vehicle. The Moke finally achieved success as a beach buggy—becoming a popular "cult" vehicle in the Algarve, Seychelles, Australia, the United States and many tropical resorts in the Caribbean. The original Moke used identical engine, transmission and suspension parts from the Mini Van.^[12][13]

The first Mokes were only built at BMC's Longbridge, Birmingham plant. 14,518 Mokes were produced in the UK between 1964 and 1968, 26,000 in Australia between 1966 and 1981, and 10,000 in Portugal between 1980 and 1993 when production of the Moke ended.^[10]

History

When Issigonis designed the Mini, he planned another vehicle to share the Mini's mechanical parts, but with a more rugged body shell. This was an attempt to take a portion of the military vehicle business from Land Rover. Issigonis had previously designed the Nuffield Guppy in a failed attempt to break into that market. By 1959, BMC had working prototypes of what was codenamed "The Buckboard", later to become the Mini Moke. These prototypes were shown to the British Army as a parachute-droppable vehicle, but poor ground clearance and a low-powered engine did not meet the most basic requirements for an off-road vehicle. Only the Royal Navy showed any interest at all in the Buckboard—as a vehicle for use on the decks of aircraft carriers.^[10]

Early promotional material made much of the lightness of the vehicle, showing four soldiers travelling in the Moke off-road, then picking it up by its tubular bumpers and carrying it when (inevitably) its low ground clearance proved inadequate.

In a further attempt to make something for the army, a few four-wheel drive Mokes were made by the addition of a second engine and transmission at the back of the vehicle with linked clutches and gear shifters.^[14] This did nothing for the ground-clearance problems, and mechanical complications discouraged development beyond the prototype stage.^[12][13] This vehicle was called "The Twini" and was shown to the US Army—again with no success.^[9]

Three of these vehicles were used by the Brazilian Army after being captured during the 1969 Rupununi Rebellion from Guyanese rebels, who had crossed the border into Brazil.^[15]

British Mokes

An early British Moke

1965 Austin Mini Moke BMC UK for North American Market

Eventually BMC gave up on the idea of selling the Moke to the military, and in 1963 the decision was made to build a civilian version, targeting farmers and light commercial applications. Several prototypes were built in 1963, one of which is still known to exist in Pinner just outside London, England. The Moke was launched onto the British market in 1964. The British Customs and Excise department decided that the Moke should be classified as a passenger car rather than as a commercial vehicle, which meant that it attracted purchase tax, reducing sales in its intended commercial market.^[16]

The Moke attracted attention as a "cult" vehicle as a result of the unprecedented success of the Mini and through media exposure in the popular television series The Prisoner, as well as in the Traffic song "Berkshire Poppies".^[17] Despite this, only about a tenth of the 14,500 British produced Mokes were sold in the United Kingdom.^[10] Mokes continued to be made in Britain until 1968.

1967 Austin Mini Moke

British-made Mokes were fitted with a low-end 848 cc transverse inline-four engine, detuned to use low-octane fuel. They used the same suspension, gearbox and 10 inch wheels as the standard Mini.^[18] In the initial offering, passenger seats, grab handles, heater, windscreen washer and a removable canvas top were all optional equipment delivered separately from the vehicle. Owners had to bolt these optional extras onto the vehicle themselves.^[12] The base price was GB£ 405.^[19] The "Mk I" Mokes had a single windscreen wiper and a floor-mounted headlight dip switch, and the only colour available was "Spruce Green". In 1967, the "Mk II" Moke added a passenger-side wiper. Horn and headlight controls were moved onto the indicator stalk. These later British Mokes were also available in white.^[20]

The John Player & Sons cigarette company ran a team of Mokes in autocross competitions on grass tracks through 1968.^[11] These vehicles were equipped with rollover protection and used the Mini Cooper S 1275 cc engine.

Australian Mokes

Leyland Moke Pick-up with after-market wheels

The Moke was built in Australia from 1966 to 1981 where it was originally marketed as the Morris Mini Moke and from 1973 as the Leyland Moke.^[21] Initially Australian Mokes had the same 10 inch wheels as British Mokes and Mini saloons but in 1968 these were replaced by 13 inch wheels with longer rear trailing arms, which made them more practical for gentle off-road or beach use than the British version. There was also a widening piece welded to the wheel arches, front and rear to allow for wider tyres and rims. The solid metal seats of the British Mokes were replaced with tubular-framed "deck-chair" seats.^[20] This variant started with a 998 cc engine which was switched in mid-production to 1,098 cc. In 1976, with the advent of new anti-pollution requirements (Australian Design Rule 27A), the locally manufactured 1,098 cc motor was replaced by an imported version of the 998 cc motor with an air pump and exhaust gas recirculation, which had been developed to meet UK anti-pollution requirements.

For a brief period around 1971, Leyland Australia produced a variant referred to in Leyland literature as "Moke, special export", but commonly called a "Californian", which had a 1,275 cc engine and was fitted with side marker lamps and different rear lights to conform to US FMVSS standards. The fuel tank from the Austin Sprite or MG Midget was fitted beneath the rear load area, replacing the standard tank mounted in the left sidebox. The export Californian was readily recognisable by its roof and seats, trimmed in "Op-pop verve" black and white tiger striped vinyl or "Orange Bali" vinyl, which looked rather like a fruit salad,^[22] and was briefly marketed to the "flower power" culture in the United States.

The name "Californian" and the 1275 cc motor were resurrected in 1977 for Australian market Mokes with denim seat covers, more comfortable seats (which concealed the same basic frame within), spoked wheels^[13] and complex tubular bumpers (known as "roo bars").^[20]

Australian Mokes were exported to many countries, and pioneered large-scale exports of Australian-made vehicles. Leyland Australia made much of these exports in its advertising. The use of Australian-made Mokes by the Israeli Army (complete with a machine gun tripod mounted in the rear) attracted controversy and media attention.^[10][12]

From 1975, a pickup version of the Moke was produced, with a 1.45 x 1.50 metre (55 x 59 in) drop-sided bed which protruded behind the back of the vehicle, and a cloth top over the cab area.^[13] At least two four-wheel drive Moke prototypes were manufactured by Leyland Australia in the late 1970s, but unlike the British version, these used just one engine. Leyland were planning to market this version, but Moke production in Australia ended in 1981 and all that remains of the project is one of the prototypes which is now owned by an enthusiast in Western Australia^[12][13] and a modified differential crownwheel with gearteeth cut in the side to drive the rear tailshaft, in the personal collection of a Melbourne Mini specialist.

In 1977 a 1275 cc Cooper S-engined Moke (sponsored by Coca-Cola) was entered into the Singapore Airlines London-Sydney Marathon. The car was driven over 30,000 km (19,000 miles) over 30 days and finished in 35th place.^[9]

Portuguese Mokes

1984 Portuguese Mini-Moke

As Australian Moke production wound down, manufacturing was transferred to British Leyland's subsidiary in Portugal, which made 8,500 of the "Californian" Mokes in the Setúbal IMA plant between 1980 and 1984. In 1984, the production was transferred to the Vendas Novas plant. Initially these Mokes were identical to late model Australian Mokes; very soon, however, they were altered to use then-current British production Mini saloon components, including the standard-length Mini rear trailing arms and the 12 in wheels with modern low-profile tyres, which the saloon had acquired during the Moke's absence from Europe.

In 1990, British Leyland (by then called Rover Group) sold the "Moke" name to Cagiva—a motorcycle manufacturer in Bologna, Italy. Production continued in Portugal until 1993, when Cagiva transferred the tooling to their factory in Italy with the intention of restarting production in 1995—which they never did. Since Cagiva did not own the "Mini" name, the 1500 cars they built were sold simply as "Mokes".^[10][12] This brought the total production run of Mokes and Moke derivatives to about 50,000.

Construction and maintenance

Mokes retain their cult status, and there are many enthusiastic restorers.

The Moke's construction is simple. The body mainly consists of two box-section "pontoons" or "sideboxes" running between the front and rear wheels, and include (non-hollow) extensions of that from the back of the car all the way up to the front. These are connected by the floor pan, the firewall and a sturdy lateral torque box that runs under the front seats and stiffens the body in torsion. The left-hand pontoon contains the fuel tank; the right-hand has a compartment for the battery and a small lockable storage area. The 1972 "Moke, Special Export", commonly referred to as a "Californian" Moke, has an Austin Sprite/MG Midget type fuel tank fitted beneath the rear floor area to meet the American FMVSS safety requirements of the time. Standard Mokes of the same period and later Californian Mokes use the conventional tank mounted in the left sidebox. Later Portuguese Mokes have additional lockable storage space at the rear of the vehicle. The optional cloth canopy has plastic side windows, and is held up by a thin tubular structure that can easily be removed when not needed. In later versions this was replaced with a more solid roll cage. The windscreen can easily be unbolted and removed if not needed. There are just three curved panels in the Moke, the bonnet, the firewall and the floor, each of which is only curved in one direction. This makes it relatively straightforward to reproduce and replace Moke body components without access to sophisticated machine tools.^[23]

Because the Moke's A-Series engine, manual gearbox and suspension are identical to those of a standard Mini (which was still in production up to October 2000), most spare parts are still readily available. The Moke has no chassis, so the wheels, brake assemblies and suspension are attached to front and rear subframes bolted straight onto the monocoque shell, just as with a standard Mini. Mokes tend to require much structural maintenance if they are to stay in good running order.^[23]

Kit cars and look-alikes

The true Mini Moke was never available as a kit car, but because the basic Mini parts are easily available, many companies have made copies of the vehicle: the Andersen Mini-Cub, the Del Tech Nomad, the Gecko, the Hobo, the Hustler, the Jimini, the Mini-Scout, the Mule, the Navajo, the Ranger, the Mini Scamp, the Stimson, the Warrior and the Yak.^[20]

Island Mokes

The Mini Moke is a popular rental car in the Seychelles, Barbados, Mauritius and many other tropical countries.

The Moke gained much popularity as a beach buggy and was often rented to tourists in tropical island resorts such as Mauritius and Barbados.

The car also found a market in Macau, where it became the official transport for the local police; the Happy-Rent-a-Car company also owned 43 of the vehicles, which were made available for hire until February 2006 when they were outlawed by new car safety laws.^[10][24] The Macau branch of the car rental company Avis ran a fleet of Moke look-alike "CUBs" until July 2007. The CUB, although it resembled the Moke, was designed by Charles Andersen of Liverpool, England and used a 1275 cc version of the A-Series engine.^[25]

On Magnetic Island, off Australia's Queensland coast, Moke Magnetic still operate a large fleet of Australian-made Mokes for hire to tourists.^[26]

Mini Mokes can still be seen around the town of Victoria, Seychelles, as it is still a popular mode of transport for tourists and can seat four people in relative comfort from island point to island point.

In the early 1970s, a Mini Moke was the first motor vehicle to be driven on Pitcairn Island and thereby became the most remote vehicle on earth. It was chosen because it was the only off-road vehicle that could be lifted by the island's only crane—there being no dock or airstrip at Pitcairn. However, the rough terrain and heavy rainfall proved too much for the Moke and it soon broke down. Eventually, a second and later a third Moke were sent to the island, and by cannibalising the three for spares, the island's sole vehicle remained running until at least 1988.^[13]

Railway Mokes

The Moke was identified as an ideal conversion for use in railway service.

Two differing modifications were made; one using backing plates and spacers, the other a more conventional road-rail system.

Tasmanian Government Railways ran a fleet, estimated at 16,^[27] of hard-topped Mokes for inspection and maintenance service on its narrow-gauge network. These Mokes had slightly modified suspension, and used spacers and backing plates so that the wheels sat on and tracked on 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge track^[28] Similarly, the Federal Government, through either its Commonwealth Railways or Australian National Railways Commission, ran at least two similarly set up Mokes on its Central Australia Railway. At least one of these Mokes also operated on the isolated Eyre Peninsula network.^[29]

George E Moss and Co (trading as GEMCO) developed a road-rail system based on a Western Australian Government Railways design which was fitted to at least two Mokes – one used by the District Engineer, Perth, and the other by the District Engineer, Northam^[30]

Panorama Mokes (2016 Bathurst)

In October 2016, a ‘PANORAMA MOKES' event was held which brought together a select group of handpicked Mini Mokes alongside their ‘tin top’ cousins the ‘Classic Minis’ who met at Bathurst in a long overdue organised ‘RALLY’ focused on both the Mini and the Mokes in all of their endeavours. Together, the cars celebrated part of Australian Motoring history with their motorsport beginnings stemming from the UK with the Australian highlight being the 1966 Gallaher 500 mile race at Mount Panorama Bathurst New South Wales. The annual 500mile/1000klm endurance race based at Mount Panorama gave these cars the legendary status they continue with today. Alongside the Minis, the Mini Moke also celebrated milestone of 50 years since production in Australia and participated in a dedicated 4 day event with everyone arriving on cue to the 2016 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

With trackside displays, functions and a very special track parade in front of a National Audience the 27 Mokes earned 4 days of fame. All 27 Mokes featured proudly on track as the Official Driver Parade Vehicles during the Pre–race Festivities on Race day - each Moke with its own V8 Supercar driver allocations. Each Moke was provided with a Mini Moke Bathurst Decal, and a windscreen banner that denoted the significance of the event.

The Mokes that took part in the Official Pre-race activities as Driver Parade Vehicles during Moke Panorama were:

1. Scott Norman, QLD - Yellow Devil Californian
2. Lilian Hatfield, NSW - Signal Red Californian
3. Rhonda Flynn, VIC - Moroon ‘Cab Sav’ Moke
4. Doug Munn, SA - Light Green ‘Frog’ Californian
5. Michael Ries, QLD - Signal Red Californian
6. Grant McMahon, NSW - Yellow Devil Californian
7. James Lucas, NSW - Crystal White Californian
8. Karl Hemphill, VIC - Red Metallic Moke
9. Ian Gregory, NSW - 1978 Moke Californian (Red)
10. Terry Pollard, VIC - Barris Tribute Moke Red/White
11. Andy Preston, VIC - Yellow Devil Californian
12. Samm McEvoy, NSW - Maserati Blue Moke
13. Alan Drury, NSW - Mazy the Californian
14. Tony Collins, VIC - Blue Californian
15. David Fagan, NSW - Aquamarine Moke
16. Evelyn Baker, NSW - Yellow Devil Californian
17. Alan Cunningham, NSW - Metallic Green Moke
18. Keith Pirie, NSW - Signal Red Californian
19. Lee Thomson, VIC - Purple Californian
20. Andrew Greer, VIC - Blue Moke
21. Dale Pakenham, VIC - Red Moke
22. Stephen Liseo, NSW - Red Californian
23. David Malone, QLD - Yellow Moke
24. Warren Pirie, NSW - Sam Brown Californian
25. Geoff Lont, VIC - Orange Moke
26. Dean Cook, NSW - Mika Red
27. Matt Pirie, NSW - Blue Boy

Future Mokes

While BMW-owned Mini has discussed other vehicles named after the Moke, no production has ever taken place.^[31][32] A concept car called the MINI Beachcomber, which draws heavily on Moke styling, was never produced.^[33]

The New MOKE

In 2012 Moke International teamed up with designer Michael Young, Chery Automotive and Sicar Engineering to release a new version of the Moke. The new Moke has kept its old look but features modern-day comforts and improved components. The New Moke featured in the Thai Motor Expo in December 2014 and was expected to release in Thailand, Australia, the Caribbean, the Seychelles & Mauritius, Egypt, Greece, and New Zealand in early to mid-2015.^[34]

References

Further reading

• Adams, Keith. "The Unofficial Austin Rover Web Resource". 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mini Moke.

• Mokes produced in Africa, particularly those in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)
• Austin Memories—History of Austin and Longbridge
• AMC Cub The AMC Cub A Moke style Kit Car