OK - I'm going to look at and collect the free Moke I've been offered at the weekend. I know you don't look a gift horse in the mouth but if it's a pile of shiet I don't want to hire a trailer for nothing.

What do I look for that would make it a total write off? - how much rust is too much? - What are the near impossible bits to replace? What are the good bits that are a win if included?

Anything else that can be traps for new comers to Mokes?

He's told me it 'dismantled' but all there but wants to keep the wheels and the canopy so it might be hard to tell the condition of the 'bits'

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Even if it's rusty in places look to see what panels are usable as a worst case scenario , there's always someone after moke panels and if it's had a good canopy on it then the floor and other bits that normally rust out could be of use to someone else . Failing that though , they are nearly all flat steel panels and you can literally make any panel with a bit of fiddling , it's more a matter of is it economical to spend time fixing a free shell as opposed to paying say $1000 for a much less rusted one . Worst case scenario though is you got a lot of bits that are common to the mini's for the cost of fuel and the trailer

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Mate even if badly rusted it's worth the price for parts.
Moke bits and pieces are rarer than Mini stuff.
Gwabbitt...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Watch out for rust in the firewall, everything else is fixable

The near impossible bits to replace can be made without to much fuss, the exception being seats.

Remember that even basic Mokes are becoming worth a lot. All mechanical parts are readily available with the possible exception of longer trailing arms for 13" wheel Mokes. Proper rust repair panels are available but expensive, using flat metal rather than pressings will reduce the resale vale.

Tim

Firewall (as mentioned) and windscreen frame (NLA I think) are real problem areas. Check the inside of the firewall for swelling where the panels overlap on the LH & RH sides. Also, check the inside of the side pods (panniers) where they join the floor for telltale signs of rust chomping its way from the inside out.

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

I'm in the throes of fixing this on my `79. Nothing a couple of folded angles 3" x 3" x 70° x 56" long won't fix. I bought a whole sheet of 1.6mm zincseal for the purpose.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

A man of many talents

Plenty of drain holes drilled in mine now to let any water out

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

I'm concerned....at what stage does the Moke cease to be a vehicle and start to become a White Good

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"Show me the Mini!"

Not sure Mick- Red Moke sure feels like a Kelvinator these sub-zero mornings
But just think how cold we'd all be without all this global warming

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Well Mick, contrary to popular belief later Mokes weren't actually `galvanised' (which is a hot dip process at over 400°C).
They were welded up from zinc coated sheet- `zincseal' instead of uncoated MS.
I'm merely updating the rust-prone areas of mine to later spec.
Then the whole tub is going to meet Mr Coldgal....

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

You can now get windscreen frames new, as they are making them up for the Chinese replica Mokes. Same with californian style roll bars and possibly rear trailing arms as well.

Basically, you could build a new Moke around the compliance plate of an old one if you were so inclined. Howvere your local rego authorities may take a dim view of such practices.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

more imatation than replica - they arent what you call a dimension accurate replica of a Moke