Lot Ended
Description
Genuine UK-market Moke; four owners from new, the current since 2006;
only 39,400 miles indicated; cute as a kitten and just as much fun!
The Mini Moke
was an attempt by BMC to produce a lightweight Jeep-type vehicle for the
military and experiments took place with different layouts including 4-wheel
drive using two engines, one at the front and one at the
rear.
The limitations of ground clearance soon
put paid to any serious use off-road, so the firm looked to the agricultural and
light commercial market. Alas, hopes were dashed yet again when Customs &
Excise categorised it as passenger vehicle – attracting purchase tax and
therefore making it far too expensive.
In the
end, the cute looks and the sheer fun of the thing found favour with a
completely unexpected audience who exploited its leisure potential, the car
gaining notoriety for chasing over-sized beach balls and dashing around
Portmeirion in the cult TV series 'The Prisoner'. As testament to its
fundamental toughness and simplicity, a Moke with a Cooper S engine came
35th in the 1977 London to Sydney rally.
Some 14,500 Mokes were produced at BMC’s Longbridge plant from 1964
until 1968, but it carried on being assembled in Australia and Portugal where a
further 36,000 were made until production finally came to an end in
1993.
This is a genuine UK Moke, proudly made in
the Midlands and first registered in London in March 1965 where it must have cut
quite a dash in the Swinging Sixties. It is everything a Moke should be and
still has its original pressed steel front seat, peppy 850cc engine and – for
that authentic early Mini experience – the ‘magic wand’ gear change [ask
your father lad – Ed].
It has front seat
belts (as original) and also rear belts for the safety of your passengers. And
should the clouds open while you’re having fun on the beach, there is a folding
roof which looks virtually ‘as new’.
It has had
just four owners, according to the V5C, and has been in the current ownership
since 2006. It is showing only 39,412 miles on the clock which is believed to be
correct, the MOT history showing that it has only covered 1,000 miles in the
last 18 years. Now MOT exempt, the last MOT expired in September 2018 with no
advisories recorded and it has only done 18 miles since.
Fitted with new spark plugs and a new starter solenoid in May 2022,
it has been starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around on
site. It also comes with a spare starter motor and a Mini Moke
handbook.
Cute as a button, mad as a box of
frogs, this is the ideal station hack for your glamping business, guided tours
of Portmeirion or alternative hipster transport for the school run (your
kids would love it). How can you not want it?
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email
[email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT