4F: ’67 Mini Moke

When Sir Alec Issigonis designed the Austin Mini, he planned another vehicle to share the Mini’s mechanical parts, but with a more rugged body shell. The intention was to carve out a slice of the military market away from Land Rover. They named it the Moke which is some sort of slang for Donkey. But the real jackass might be the guys who designed an off road vehicle with no ground clearance. They tried everything to sway the military but alas, it was not to be. But it was so darn cute, they re-tasked it to be a sort of beach buggy. Now that was a good idea. It was a success. British-made Mokes were fitted with a low-end 850 cc engine detuned to use low-octane fuel. They used the same suspension, gearbox and 10-inch wheels as the standard Mini. 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. Today’s Austin Mini Moke is a British-built car with Right Hand Drive. But this is the way you want one of these. It is from one of our favorite sellers and they are pretty up front by saying it isn’t a concours show car. But why should that be important? There are lots of uses for a Moke. Just let your imagination run with it. The price is $19,500. Then click here to reach the sellers.