By Classic Yorkshire contributor Tony Lofthouse
If ever a car of yesteryear felt ideal for today’s hot summer days it’s the British-made Mini Moke.
Launched in 1964, this little Mini was the vision of auto designer Alec Issigonis – the man behind the original Mini launched five years earlier.
The Moke was originally pitched for use by the British military before they dropped the idea and makers, BMC, turned to alternative markets.
Sold under the Austin and Morris badges, the Moke was built around the mechanics of the original Mini sharing the same 848cc transverse A-Series engine, transmission and suspension.
It certainly had a basic look about it with no doors, no fixed roof and came launched in one colour – dark green.
The Moke was great on rough terrain and, on the face of it, was a practical low cost option for tradespeople.
But, the quirky Moke almost by accident became an appealing beach ‘buggy’ and fun runaround for celebrities from Brigit Bardot and Frank Sinatra to Paul McCartney.
I fondly remember the Moke appearing in the 1960s TV series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan. It also popped up in four James Bond films.
Over 14,000 Mini Moke’s were made at BMC’s Cowley plant but less than a tenth stayed in the UK. You were more likely to see this four-wheeler on the beaches of Barbados than Blackpool!
The Moke was later assembled in Australia and Portugal. It would also ‘inspire’ the Chinese to produce modern versions 40 years on through companies like Chery Automobile.
Today, the Mini Moke is a collectible classic with good condition originals selling for over £20,000. Not a bad ‘mark-up’ on the showroom price of £405 in the mid-sixties.