Returning home after a family holiday on Queensland's Magnetic Island eight years ago, Garth and Stephen Spain had set themselves a new mission.

The father and son had enjoyed racing around the island on hired Mini Mokes so much they wanted one to use around the Western Bay.

Stephen Spain and father Garth Spain are returning the Mini Mokes to this weekend's Beach Hop.

This weekend their labour of love, which has seen them restore two Mokes, comes full circle. The two beach buggies – which include a former promotional vehicle for Whangamata Real Estate – will return to the town for the Beach Hop parade.

'We are just happy to take the Moke back to where we bought it from, in its new format,” says Garth, who originally only intended to get one.

Recalling the original appeal on holiday, Garth says they loved them because they were open-topped and had no doors. He also had a soft spot for Minis as his first car and with lots of great memories of fun days watching them race at Pukekohe.

Originally designed as a prototype military vehicle, the ‘Moke' (slang for donkey) was rejected from military service after problems with its small wheels and being too low to the ground.

Undeterred, the Mini brand began producing them in 1964 for the civilian vehicle market where it had its biggest success as a beach buggy.

After months of hunting, the pair eventually found their first Moke through word of mouth – and as soon as the Auckland owner said they could buy it, they raced off to collect it.

'She was quite surprised to see us early the next morning with our trailer. We did not want her to change her mind, as they are hard to find.”

They were soon toiling away with extensive body work and repainting to have it recertified and back on the road in 18 months. At the Beach Hop in 2008, Stephen spotted the second for sale which they bought on the spot.

Plans to just 'do it up a bit” changed into a bare metal re-strip and a full rebuild, which was completed only last week after five years working on it in the evenings and weekends.

Garth also pays tribute to Karl Amundsen from Bay Panel Beaters for help with body work and paint, along with support from Gary King and Barry Spain for the gearbox and motor rebuild.