Crispy’s Moke

[Crispy]

 

[Nominal]

Looks like a good score!

Mokes ruled back in the 80s even when I last attended a proper grasskhana

 

 

[CUL8R]

Just to reinforce what you're saying, a relative I think is something like 10-11 time National (?) motorkhana Champ, still has it too;

[Crispy]

18 hours ago, CUL8R said:

Just to reinforce what you're saying, a relative I think is something like 10-11 time National (?) motorkhana Champ, still has it too;

Yup. I remember seeing that article at the start of the year. Another thing that swayed me towards hunting a Moke down….Where is this relative of yours based? 

Dad used to get speedsport religiously, so cool they are posting up all the old articles.

Funnily enough I’ve done a few events with Tony Smitheram (Who got 3rd overall in that article). Still a really good pedaler 

It’s a shame they haven’t done the national clubsport championship for a while now. Sounds like it was a good event. 

[CUL8R]

He's based in Kaiapoi now, I think life member of Canterbury Car club, haven't asked him about it in ages

Has a De Joux as well

[mjrstar]

Having spent way too much money modifying a bmc A series, I would recommend converting to something Japanese and 5 speed if you are not looking to keep it road legal or "original".

It would be faster, more, reliable, have a better gearbox etc..

My personal choice would be something Honda, but there are plenty of options. Youd want to pick something that was reasonably easy to find a aftermarket final drive for to suit your tyre diameter..

[Crispy]

11 hours ago, mjrstar said:

Having spent way too much money modifying a bmc A series, I would recommend converting to something Japanese and 5 speed if you are not looking to keep it road legal or "original".

It would be faster, more, reliable, have a better gearbox etc..

My personal choice would be something Honda, but there are plenty of options. Youd want to pick something that was reasonably easy to find a aftermarket final drive for to suit your tyre diameter..

Yea I hear you. That’s a tricky one. While it probably won’t be road legal. I do want to keep it somewhat original in case I change my mind later on. I’m also not after all out power. I don’t need it. Something similar to the engine in my mini would do me fine. Especially in a lighter car (I’m hoping for around 100kg lighter). My driving is going to always be the weakest link. The main thing is with this setup I want to put in a qualife Atb diff to help me get all of that 80 or so horsepower down to the ground as I loose a lot of time on wheelspin on the grass.
A Honda swap has crossed my mind. But the amount of work involved is what has me wanting to stick with the A series. Even Honda engines are getting harder to find and are getting a bit older now…
I’m no fabricator and I don’t want to burden the old man with the time consuming task of making a subframe and adapting things. Most subframes you can buy are super expensive and you have to ship them here. Also except for a few of the d series ones do away with the mini type front suspension. Which also changes the handling.

IMO it’s easier sticking with the A series and building a mild engine. I think it would still work out cheaper than a swap and the handling wouldn’t be affected 

[fuzzy-hair-man]

On 31/08/2024 at 08:07, Crispy said:

Yea I hear you. That’s a tricky one. While it probably won’t be road legal. I do want to keep it somewhat original in case I change my mind later on. I’m also not after all out power. I don’t need it. Something similar to the engine in my mini would do me fine. Especially in a lighter car (I’m hoping for around 100kg lighter). My driving is going to always be the weakest link. The main thing is with this setup I want to put in a qualife Atb diff to help me get all of that 80 or so horsepower down to the ground as I loose a lot of time on wheelspin on the grass.
A Honda swap has crossed my mind. But the amount of work involved is what has me wanting to stick with the A series. Even Honda engines are getting harder to find and are getting a bit older now…
I’m no fabricator and I don’t want to burden the old man with the time consuming task of making a subframe and adapting things. Most subframes you can buy are super expensive and you have to ship them here. Also except for a few of the d series ones do away with the mini type front suspension. Which also changes the handling.

IMO it’s easier sticking with the A series and building a mild engine. I think it would still work out cheaper than a swap and the handling wouldn’t be affected 

Maybe consider the CG13DE out of the Nissan Micra K11? I've put one in my mini, the conversion keeps the original suspension and has basically no mods to the body, the front subframe does need extensive modification but if you keep your original engine and subframe you could slot it back in.

The K11 has the same 13" wheels and profile tyres that are on a pair of 13" steelies on my moke (rusty I'm yet to get to work on...) so the gearing is going to be the same as the micra, I run 10" wheels on the mini and I really don't mind the gearing even for highway speeds.

I'm running an ATB in my conversion, it took a while to become available but they do exist, ask Matt Humphries in the UK as he's the guru for spares on these engines.

http://www.humphrisrallysport.co.uk/

There's a few of the Micra conversions on the mini forum:

https://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/forum/262-nissan/

My mini Spot (not a very good build thread...):

https://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/253043-spot-the-micra-mini/

There's also a Nissan powered mini facebook page.

There's a guy in the UK that makes frames but if I remember correctly they involve cutting the inner wings, Adoom on here is doing a CG13DE mini as well.

 

[Crispy]

18 hours ago, fuzzy-hair-man said:

Maybe consider the CG13DE out of the Nissan Micra K11? I've put one in my mini, the conversion keeps the original suspension and has basically no mods to the body, the front subframe does need extensive modification but if you keep your original engine and subframe you could slot it back in.

The K11 has the same 13" wheels and profile tyres that are on a pair of 13" steelies on my moke (rusty I'm yet to get to work on...) so the gearing is going to be the same as the micra, I run 10" wheels on the mini and I really don't mind the gearing even for highway speeds.

I'm running an ATB in my conversion, it took a while to become available but they do exist, ask Matt Humphries in the UK as he's the guru for spares on these engines.

http://www.humphrisrallysport.co.uk/

There's a few of the Micra conversions on the mini forum:

https://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/forum/262-nissan/

My mini Spot (not a very good build thread...):

https://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/253043-spot-the-micra-mini/

There's also a Nissan powered mini facebook page.

There's a guy in the UK that makes frames but if I remember correctly they involve cutting the inner wings, Adoom on here is doing a CG13DE mini as well.

 

I’ve been following Adooms build. It looks great! 
Slight change of plans since I got the Moke.

I am going to try put it on the road. I yarning to my mechanic (Shane at Platinum in East Tamaki, I’m sure some people on here will know him) when I was in there for a wof. 
He made a good point that if I can get it on the road. It’s the difference between a 40k car and a 10k car should I need to sell it. And the effort required isn’t much more. Given I need to fix the rust anyway. 
 

So that and the fact that I scored a whole bunch of A series blocks and a Straight cut box for a pretty good price has sealed the deal.
 

I know I could get it to go faster and probably be more reliable if I stick something Japanese, fuel injected and 5 speed in there. Would be cheaper too. But the path of least resistance getting it on the road and not having it drag on for too long is sticking A series. 
 

It will also make things like running in the engine easier and going to things close by because I can actually drive it in the road.