Any Mini / Moke Experts on Here?

100% likely the carb jets will be blocked with what we currently call petrol. I’d dump it all from the tank, the lines and the float bowl. Decent motorbike shop will sell carb cleaner, petrol magic and a carb cleaning wire tool.

I’d also suspect the dash pot will have mysteriously lost some or all of its oil. SU carbs are simple to take apart but the access back there is miserable. Bonnet comes off a moke in seconds though.

Mokes have some unique bits. I seem to remember the tank straps we’re like rocking horse poo.

If the handbrake has been left off, seized drums just need forcefully whacking with a soft hammer until they give in.

If you’re turning the engine over to see if it’s seized, take the plugs out as it’ll be easier without compression.

check the clutch isn’t seized as well as brakes as previously stated.

if it has been reversed into the garage, try to get it out rather than have exhaust fumes filling up the back of the garage

It’s in Southampton.

Shipley sounds good, thanks for that one.

It’ll need to be running for Shiply, or just rolling?

came on to say get Jonny smith to do it but beaten to it – but really, if its getting sold anyway, just sell it from where it is, or if its getting decommissioned, get it towed to where that’s going to happen. balls to trying to get an old car roadworthy whilst miles away from home.

Spanners – will they be in old money, I’ve only got metric?

A mixture of Imperial and AF, possibly Whitworth, I had two ‘54 split-screen Minors, one had a 1300 A-Series, that one had a new rear axle, new front king pins, Riley 1500 front drums and a new brake master cylinder fitted in a lockup at the bottom of my road with no power available, just me and a mate working on it with a trolley jack, axle stands, several sets of spanners of a variety of flavours, screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers, and a long pry-bar for levering the torsion bar out of the way to change the bolts around for the brake master cylinder; as the Moke is FWD, this at least means one issue that won’t be an issue.

Oh, and a Haynes manual, an essential item for anything Mini-based.

I’ve found his Moke Club membership records and got in touch with them to join.

Do we think its fair to say that the moke was Sir Alex’s worst design ever?

Imagine dropping into a war zone with that. It wouldn’t have got out the field it fell in.

Any pictures yet…;)

and a video of getting moke out of garage, at least tease us with the challenge!

edit: I think I might be on a list somewhere now for the phrase “mini fiddler”

Thats not a list, it’s a register

It’ll need to be running for Shiply, or just rolling?

I used Shipley to move a rolling shell from Bolton to Reading.
The prices are competitive but the driver will likely be on his own, so you might need to help and obviously needs someone at each end.

You may have a few days, I certainly did because to make it worthwhile for the driver, he planned it to take a car back the other way.

Was going to suggest getting in touch with the LSMOC (London and Surrey Mini Owners Club) as the car is in Southampton, they’re a great bunch and pretty much guaranteed someone will help you out.

Do we think its fair to say that the moke was Sir Alex’s worst design ever?

No, it met the brief for what was asked for but the military quickly realized they needed something with greater ground clearance and fewer bespoke parts in the running gear compared to their other equipment.  The biggest issue was that BMC went to the military with the idea rather than the military ask for a proposal, BMC were trying to piggyback on the sales of the Land Rover.  The Moke worked as a parachute-droppable vehicle at the time but the advancement in plane carrying capacities meant that the Land Rover was a viable option rendering the Moke pointless.

Don’t overthink it. I wouldn’t change the oil or anything.

Couple of batteries, spin it over to get oil pressure. Easy start.

What’s the plan to move it?

Thanks for all the offers of help, I’m sensing a community around these things. It’s getting flat-bedded to Wales tomorrow. Pictures will follow.

It turns out my regular mechanic was a mini man in the day and is champing at the bit to got onto it. Seems like it was meant to be.

Any update needs pictures!

Need any help shoving it onto the flat-bed ?  I could likely get there if it’s Southampton