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Mini Moke

Mini Moke

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Lot number 160
Hammer value WD
Description Mini Moke
Registration AFG 277S
Year 1978
Colour Red
Engine size 1,275 cc
Chassis No. 3196
Documents V5; MOT June 2016

The Mini Moke was originally conceived as a car for the military, experiments taking 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 and 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'.

Produced in the UK until 1968, it carried on being assembled in Australia, Portugal and South Africa until 1993 when production was finally brought to a close.

This 1978 example started life in Australia according to the tag on the body. It was imported in 1993 and came into the vendor’s hands earlier this year as a rust-free rebuild project. He decided to restore the car to his own desired specification.

He started by fitting a 1,275cc A-Series engine. The unit was stripped and found to be in good condition, although new piston rings, oil pump and shell bearings were fitted as a matter of course. A taller 3.1:1 final drive was also installed to raise the overall gearing, the vendor adding later subframes upgraded with larger 8.4” front brake discs. It was then given a fresh coat of bright red paint and a complete new set of seats.

The fitted roll-hoop incorporates three point seatbelts at the front and the vendor fitted a new set of UK style bumpers front and rear, preferring them to the original ‘California’ bumpers that came with the car, although these items are included in the sale and can be collected from the vendor’s home near Hereford.

Bidders are advised that for some reason the V5 lists the vehicle as a Light 4x4, an anomaly which was spotted when cataloguing the vehicle for this sale. This should be addressed by the new owner, especially as this 1978 Moke will gain Historic Vehicle status in a few years’ time and therefore become tax exempt.

This smartly turned out, bright red Moke is a real eyeful, its larger engine and taller gearing giving it plenty of zip on the road. It is ready for immediate use, is MOTd until June 2016 and looks like a lot of fun.

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