Simanaitis Says
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FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
AS I observed back in Road & Track, June 1991, “Partway across the vastness of Delaware, I realized I had made a dreadful mistake.”
The idea was simple, if not utterly simple-minded: Buy an Austin Mini Moke in New Jersey and drive the car home to California in time for Thanksgiving.
Herewith, a photo collection of that trip.
The Atlantic Ocean, two Mini Mokes and me. The red one belonged to Larry Holloway, from whom I bought mine.
Given November weather, my route was a southerly one: New Jersey, the Cape May-Lewes ferry across to Delaware, on through a corner of Maryland into Washington, D.C.
Explorers Hall had a special exhibit, “Automobilia Fact, Fun & Fantasy.” How appropriate.
In Washington, D.C., Moke was honored by primo parking at Explorers Hall of the National Geographic Society.
Accommodations along the way were modest. This is the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina.
Then on toward Virginia’s Skyline Drive and from there to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Yes, those ridges actually are blue.
It was along the Blue Ridge that matters were put in perspective by two wonderful women staffing the gift shop.
“Young man, that car of yours doesn’t have any windows.”
“No, ma’am, it doesn’t.”
“It doesn’t have doors either.”
“No, ma’am, it does not.”
“Well, what do you plan to do when it rains?”
“I guess I’ll just have to trust in the Lord.”
“Yes,” said one of them brightly, “it’s said the Good Lord looks after babies and fools.”
The Natchez Trace also made for excellent Moke motoring. And after a visit to Elvis’s birthplace in Tupolo, Moke crossed the Mississippi.
A Mighty Mississippi; a moderate Moke.
Wife Dottie joined me in Dallas for the rest of the trip. Her company was especially welcome because it took four days to get across that state.
Ft. Stockton’s Paisano Pete is the world’s largest roadrunner. Moke is one of the world’s smaller cars.
On one stretch, we encountered a guy dragging a huge cross; it had little wheels on the end.
Moke, left; cotton bale, right.
On another, we discovered the inspiration for Moke styling.
A stop at Bob Bondurant’s School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix gave me opportunity to set a Moke record on his track.
Moke’s racing line is a bit tighter than most other cars’.
This was straightforward to do, because no Moke had ever run there before.
The Colorado River. California is ahead!
Crossing the Colorado was a moving experience. Our little car was going to make it!
Proof positive that we were in California: the Cabazon Dinosaurs.
The last part of our trip was the scariest. Some Interstate travel simply could not be avoided—and 18-wheelers have really big wheels.
Moke at Newport Pier, Newport Beach, California.
Would we do it again? Well, there’s this Dellow in Rhode Island…. ds
Simanaitis Says 
But what was your time?
The entire trip, coast to coast, took two weeks. A good lap at Bondurant’s took rather less.
All in good fun. ds
Dennis, I remember your original R&T story on the Moke trip, good stuff. Your car was LHD–was the Moke officially imported into the U.S. by BMC? Or, was yours a General Export model that made its way over here?
Both my Mokes (a sure sign of madness, that) were LHD. There used to be a rental fleet of them on Catalina, but I believe they’ve all been rescued or gone to seed.
My St. Thomas car was an ex-rental there. I’m not sure where Larry Holloway got my second one. ds
And, by the way, my original Moke story was in R&T August 1973, when I lived in the Caribbean. A long story, it’s how I jumped from academic life to automotive journalism. ds
Hey Dennis! I’m really enjoying your new site!
By the way, do you still have your Mokes?
Many thanks for your kind words.
See above (“a sure sign of madness”) for current non-Moke status.
The St. Thomas Moke’s next custodian was a pony-tailed chemistry prof.
Moke 2 went to Japan to become a spec racer. They remove the loose bits and install glass fiber bodywork, a la SCCA Sports Renault. ds
Great stuff…we drive a Moke around Newport Beach all the time but know for sure my wife would never join me to cross the USA! …but I want too!
If you took out the front passenger seat could you sleep in it?
Hello, Thomas,
Yes, I suppose I could have. But it would have been sleeping on a metal floor between a gasoline can and a tool box. Fortunately, I stayed in hotels.
Wow ;
Always nice to see others as foolish as I am .
I et that was an amazing trip, I’ve crossed the U.S.A. in a wide variety of unsuitable vehicles for various un defendable reasons, once you get past others staring and making fun of you it’s usually a whale of a lot of fun .
Few are aware that BMC is similar to GM in that they use the same basic platforms for many different vehicles, this means it was dead easy for my t make my 1959 Nash Metropolitan into a road hugging canyon carver as well as a nifty long distance tourer that easily skipped along at 75 MPH without straining the original “B” series 1,500 C.C. engine .
Made a dandy daily driver in Los Angeles for many years too =8-) .
-Nate
I’ve driven numerous times coast to coast on various roads for various reasons, including three of Brock Yates’ disorganized Banzai One Lap runs; but first trip was at 14, relying on a FAA/CAP license wavier when I delivered an 85hp Funk model B from Plattsburgh, NY to San Diego over a 1958 Thanksgiving long weekend.
100mph cruise and 350 mi range worked well for three legs a day, but the heat from air channeled past aircooled cylinders and exhaust didn’t in Northern winter chill.
My jacket and sweater were optimistic, so a second pair of jeans and a down coat gifted by the NY seller enabled survival … and a reroute through TN and Southern path became survivable. Back then, most small GenAv airports had a WWII Jeep or old loaner car for the transient pilots to run into town for a meal or hotel. Often the keys were just hung on the wall and the line shack was often not locked for late arrivals. I carried a sleeping bag and usually just slept on the couch or floor. First one had good heat, so toes thawed.
Made good time until Texas … boy, is that a big state!
Good, well kept bird, with only some minor preventative items to attend to, and made it to Montgomery Field by noon on Sunday.
Today, a lot of parents won’t let their 14 year olds out after dark without driving them!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk_B
late arrivals. I carried a sleeping bag and usually just slept on the floor.
Ha. I note the Metropolitan and Funk each had doors and windows…. ds
Ha, yerself!
100mph sub freezing winds made those unsealed door gaps a device for directing Arctic blasts at the most exposed parts of flesh, while efficiently sucking out the hamster breath elements of heat the engine teased with!
Ha. Understand. All in good adventuring fun.—ds
Actually ;
The Metropolitan Nash had a *very* good heater if you take proper care of the car .
I just learned today it’s back on the road .
-Nate