Totally tropical

We are looking for a Mini Moke or similar, that is very basic and a car that is suitable for use in the tropics and near the sea. It needs to be mechanically simple to fix - so minimal electrics and no computer gadgets. It will only be required to go small distances on local roads. Are their any open, petrol engine, small 4-seaters, made as much as possible of non rusting material? Many years ago some friends had (we think) a Citroen beach open moke that had plastic bodywork and a canvas top - is there something like this still made?

Asked on 22 April 2011 by PW, Richmond

Answered by Honest John
There was the original Mini Moke, assembled in the UK, Australia and Portugal, unmolested examples of which in perfect condition now fetch £10,000. There was the Citroen Mehari, a plastic bodied open 2CV, but this still had a steel rail chassis that did rust. Italian specialists made open versions of the original 500, 600, 850 and the original Panda too. Then there were various Greek interpretations. We once hired a FIAT 127-based open jeep that seated seven, and the Greeks also had a Citroen Dyane based Mehari-like open jeep. Plus, of course, the dozens of different VW-based beach buggys and VW’s own 181 jeep that I hired in Bali. And the Citroen C3 Pluriel that could be stripped dwn to an open pick-up. I have seen a few motorcycle based buggys and some microcar buggys at various motorshows, but I just checked and my website links have expired because they went out of business. The most recent manufacturer built Try Googling 'beach buggy' and see what comes up
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