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Fire Marshal Moke Project
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Author:  Thorlek [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:04 am ]
Post subject:  Fire Marshal Moke Project
So I finally caved and bought a Moke Project.
Its a project because.. well... alot of it is missing.

I was planning on waiting a few months or even a year before buying a complete Moke to restore.
But this project came up on Gumtree, it was fairly local, and I saw something really intriguing in the Gumtree Add Photos.

The side panels were laying on the ground in one of the photos, and it looked like it had a decal on it that said "FIRE UNIT"
I contacted the seller and he tells me that the PO told him, that it was the Fire Marshal Vehicle at the old Bendigo Speedway when it was in operation in the 1970's.

So anyway, I was hooked and it wasn't too expensive, so i bought.. hopefully I can confirm the story and return it to its former fire fighting glory.

Here are some picks of it on my mates massive trailer (the trailer was bought to move an old F100)

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The floor pan is completed rusted out, same with the battery compartment... but the rest of the body appears to be quite good, so I was fairly pleased.

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I'll probably spend the next few months until it warms up a bit trying to confirm the Fire Marshal story, and tracking down some of the missing parts.
Author:  MiniVLT [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Hopefully someone will have some photos of it in it's former 'speedway' glory & post them up for you! I reckon a couple of burly fire marshals standing up in the back hanging onto the roll bar with extinguishers at the ready wouldn't look out of place.

Cheers Shane
Author:  Thorlek [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
I got my helpers onto the job toinght so i could get this photo.

you can see where the strip of red and white tape went along under the writing.

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I've sent an email to the Moama Speedway Club, apparently that club was started when Bendgio shutdown inthe 80's, and some of the board members are still running the Moama... so hopefully I'll get a response from there in the next few days/weeks (its not speedway season so might take a while)
Author:  NT [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
I would have thought the Bendigo one shut in the very late 80's, if not early 90s. I could be wrong though :) So you might find some later pics of it about.

I noticed you posted on Lost Bendigo on Facebook too - looks like you've had at least one win there!

Goodluck with the project! :)
Author:  Thorlek [ Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CONFIRMED Fire Marshal Moke Project
WOW!
I just got back home and saw the facebook post that NT is referring to...

The post included this photo of what my Moke used to look like... and the following info..
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There were two of these units and operated at Golden City Speedway at the showgrounds. The units were built with a rocket launcher in the rear so that the extinguishers could be easily removed from the vehicle. A metal cover was placed over this for weather protection and also to mount the three beacons coloured red, blue and amber. The original unit had a crew of three and was fitted with sideways bench seat so two crew could easily egress when required. It was decided that it was to dangerous in that formation so the second unit was purchased and both units were then designed to seat two. This gave more versatility and fire power if required. They served their purpose well and the front wheel drive and the nimbleness of them worked well at the showgrounds. The only downfall was no heating and no roof so on the coldest nights the volunteers got very cold so a thermos became part f the kit.
These units initially operated around 1997/8.

Now I'm even more excited...
Author:  winabbey [ Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Thorlek - Let me know if you intend restoring it exactly as it was. I have some Hella beacons similar or the same as those pictured that I may be able to part with.
Author:  Thorlek [ Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
winabbey wrote:
Thorlek - Let me know if you intend restoring it exactly as it was. I have some Hella beacons similar or the same as those pictured that I may be able to part with.

Thanks I'll make a note of your offer.

At this stage I think I will try to restore it to its original state as per that photo.

I expect I will need to make the rear cabinet removable so that it can be driven around safely.
Author:  NT [ Tue Jul 22, 2014 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Yup - the stuff on Facebook is absolute GOLD! I would have thought you might even end up finding even more if you keep the thread alive on the Lost Bendigo page - it's amazing how connected you can be!

Goodluck with the restoration! You're lucky you poached one from over here - if I'd seen it, I may have had to have added it to my backyard! Hahahaha!
Author:  Thorlek [ Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Yeah, When i first picked it up, it was just a story... I'm so glad I bought it now that I have the story confirmed.

I have sent some emails out to Bendigo Advertiser, Some Bendigo Photographers / Historians and some Speedway contacts that a friend has so hopfeully I can track down some more photos.

I was so stoked last night when that post appeared on facebook.. was out and looking on my phone... ended up jumping around the room telling everyone who would listen.
Author:  bnicho [ Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Nice pickup. I saw that on Scumtree and was tempted. I wondered about the "Fire Unit" signwriting myself.
Author:  Thorlek [ Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
bnicho wrote:
Nice pickup. I saw that on Scumtree and was tempted. I wondered about the "Fire Unit" signwriting myself.

Scumtree, yeah, i can be like that
The guy selling it was very nice... he actually had another Moke,... covered in Collingwood decals.
Normally I would have steered clear of such an incomplete car.. and my wife certainly didn't like the idea... but the history had me hooked...

So here we are now... I have some of a really cool Moke. :shock:
Author:  bnicho [ Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
From memory it looks like it had most of the hard to get bits there. Like the seat frames, dash parts and windscreen frame? Although I recall I could not see a fuel tank.

The rusty floor is normal. :)
Author:  Thorlek [ Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
Yeah i'm missing quite a bit of it.

I'm not too concerned tho, I got it for a decent price, and I'm in no rush to get it done, So i will just take my time collecting parts as they come up.

Basically my first order of business is to compile a list of all the parts that are missing.
Author:  drjbeam [ Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fire Marshal Moke Project
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&sourc ... 6100,d.cGU

This might help ya out
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