"Everything old is new again" has never been more applicable than the spring 2008 introduction of the newest, and perhaps the most intriguing, kit car of the decade. This would be the Californian Mini Moke ("moke," a British slang term for donkey) replica kit exclusively available from Mini Mania, the venerable mini car pioneer resource company in Nevada City, California, 45 minutes west of Sacramento in Northern California's Foothills of the Sierra Nevada. What is a Mini Moke? It is an odd, noisy, bumpy-riding vehicle that could be described as a cross between a jeep and a golf cart--but with heart, history and character that have earned it an almost fanatical cult following that started in the 60's and threads throughout the world today.
There are Mini Mokes and Mini Moke clubs in literally country after country after country around the globe, nation registries including an impressive North American registry, a widely distributed Mini Moke Magazine, a Mini Moke Forum on the web with hundreds of members from everywhere and pages of topic threads. I admit I'd never heard of a Mini Moke before, but it obviously has a huge quirky appeal around the world, as all sorts of folk speak of it with the reverential attitude usually given to an offbeat cult artist appreciated only by a select in-crowd.
To me, everything about the Mini Moke is strange, weird and wonderful. From its origins as a failed British military vehicle designed by Alec Issigonis (who later became Sir Alec), to becoming the popular Classic Mini Moke sedan manufactured by the British Motor Company, to a new life as the Californian Mini Moke made in Australia--and now to an easy-to-build and highly customizable replica--the Mini Moke clearly has a machine soul and spirit of its own. And the Moke spirit, in the form of the Californian Mini Moke replica, will no doubt begin living out a vibrant iteration via the kit builder community.
Easy to Love, Easy to Build
The Californian Moke replica kit can be ordered direct from Mini Mania, a company long specializing in a huge array of mini model parts and accessories for such brands as Austin Healey, Morris Minor, MG, BMW, and Mini Cooper. Founded by mini car visionary and icon Don Racine in 1974, Mini Mania offers the Californian Mini Moke kits in both complete DIY build and partially assembled form. This new replica kit version of the original Moke body shell has had numerous upgrades in strength and reliability while retaining the classic looks of the Moke, and even the replica Moke complete build kit is easy for an inexperienced builder to assemble.
The most cost effective way to a complete Moke would be, of course, to go with the Mini Mania Complete Do It Yourself Kit. At about $10,000, the DIY kit version includes the basic shell with fuel tank, front and rear seats, windshield frame and glass, mud flaps, front and rear bumpers, roll bar, roof canvas with side windows, folding roof bars, side mirrors, floor mats and Moke name plate. Subframes, suspension, engine and transmission, etc. are all required from a donor Mini.
Many builders may decide that the partially assembled, Rolling Body Shell Kit version is the ideal starting point. At about $13,000, the Rolling Shell will include windshield, seats, suspension, wheels and tires, plus other items, and the assembly is in place to accept any of the BMC A or A+ series engines as used in the various years of the Mini; the Mini Mania website contains suggestions on several conversion engines such as a Honda Vtec. Mini Mania suggests that rod change gearboxes are the best option.
Since the Californian Mini Moke is based on the popular British Motors Mini Cooper and the Australian built Californian Mini Moke was made through the early nineties, finding components and parts from outside sources is not difficult for the budget-concerned. But collected all in one place, Mini Mania has a prodigious catalogue of individual parts and component groups, including most all of the original Mini Sedan subassemblies such as brakes, suspension, engine and transmissions, new or rebuilt.
The Mini Mania main website,www.minimania.com, and its separate site dedicated to the Californian Mini Moke replica, www.minimokeusa.com, are both web destinations worth perusing in and of themselves, giving access, not only to information on the new Californian Mini Moke replica and how to order, but links to the whole amazing universe of Mini Moke culture and history.
Kit builders have an opportunity to craft one of the more unique vehicles in history, and I can't wait to see some of these at shows and around. As far as seeing them on your main city thoroughfares, I don't know--titling and road legality varies by state--but for a run-around people and light cargo carrier for estates, farm and ranch use, club grounds, islands, and a you-name-it variety of purposes, a Californian Mini Moke would love to report for duty.
Who knows where the first kit built California Mini Mokes may show up? I can predict, however, that the places and the drivers will both be the inth degree of cool.
