Longtime Laguna Beach resident Larry Lewis , a retired general contractor , drives a 1974 purple Mini Moke that was manufactured in Australia before being imported into the U . S . by the previous owner . It ’ s powered by a four-cylinder engine and , in good British Empire fashion , the steering wheel is on the right side of the open cockpit . “ It ’ s basically the same frame and running gear as a classic Mini Cooper ,” he says .
What prompted Lewis to invest in a Moke ? “ Twenty years ago or more , when my wife , Jean , and I used to go to Catalina Island on my boat , they rented Mini Mokes over there ,” he says . “ They were just an open body , little four-speed car you could race around the island . A few years ago , I was looking to buy a golf cart to cruise around town , but I wanted something unique .”
When he bought the Moke , it was purple with blue trim . He has since repainted it
Left : Larry Lewis and his wife , Jean Fallowfield , and their dog , Calypso , in their Moke ( also pictured above ) at the holidays .
back to purple with white trim , as close to the original color as he could . And a friend gave Lewis a little hula dancer that now adorns the hood . Notably , his Moke isn ’ t limited to only streets with speed limit postings of 35 mph or less like golf carts are .
“ It ’ s a perfect car to drive around town and fits in tiny parking spaces . Since it is street legal on all roads , we take it to the dog park , Balboa Island , Costa Mesa , Dana Point and all the events around town like the Sawdust [ Art Festival ], Heisler Park and , of course , [ the ] ‘ Lagunatics ,’ ” says Lewis , who volunteers with the beloved show at No Square Theatre and was even in the production for a few years .
Like golf carts , Mokes have evolved into 21st-century vehicles : The new ones are allelectric ( rather than internal combustion ).
“ The electric Moke is the perfect ride for local neighborhoods ,” says Todd Rome , CEO and founder of Moke America , which has several authorized dealer locations in Southern California . “ They are street legal , electric and super fun . Each Moke is fully customizable . You can mix and match colors and options as you please for a truly bespoke experience . Plus , we just added lithium batteries , which extend range to 75 or 50 miles depending on which package you choose . That ’ s been a game-changer for Moke America .”
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Buyers can build their Moke online at mokeamerica . com , choosing from 12 different colors ( or camo ) for the body , roll bars , grill and bumpers . Rather than the standard black bucket seats , you can add white seats or wicker seats and opt for a bench in the back . You can choose a Bimini top in solid or striped patterns or add a wood steering wheel for a stylish touch .
“ For after-market customization , we also sell a full line of patterned seat covers , tire covers , Bimini and full tops , a roof rack , woven tan floor mats , and Moke America merchandise ,” Rome adds . “ And some of our dealers — like Bert ’ s Mega Mall in [ Covina , serving all of Los Angeles ]— offer further customization features like specialty seats and rims .”
Moke America also produces special editions like the “ 007 ” -inspired , blue-andwhite “ San Monique ” Moke that appeared in “ Live and Let Die ” with Roger Moore ( Mokes appeared in four James Bond films ) and the new peony pink-and-green Lilly Pulitzer Moke .
“ I ’ ve had Porsches and different cars ,” Lewis says . “ But I can tell you that I get more looks and more people that wanna take a photo with the Moke than I ever did with a Porsche . Because it ’ s right-hand drive , my border collie , [ Calypso ,] sits on the left side . And people just stare and laugh and smile and wave . It ’ s just the greatest little car .” g
The special edition Lilly Pulitzer Moke adds some extra style to a driver ’ s set of wheels .
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