'71 Honda 600 sedan!

[mrsprite]

I have wanted one of these for a long time (almost as long as I wanted a Bugeye!) and the time has come.....I found a very nice example at a local dealer/repair shop and should be picking it up next week.

It needs work and is currently not running. The emission stickers show it was last registered in 1995, so it'll need a rebuild I'm sure. It has very little rust and only a few dents that need to be hammered out.

Anyone here own or used to own one of these?

 

[4ageSprite_A40]

I don't have a Honda 600, but I have some new sun visors from one. I'd sell you those to you as a starting point for a 600 build project, but they are a perfect kind of tiny visor to use in a Sprite hardtop Seriously though, Aurora Honda is a bike dealer who has been around since the sixties, at least. The old guy who owns the place might know something about these cars. They were neat little cars. I have a picture somewhere of Alec Issigonis on his hands and knees examining the underside of one of these cars at an auto show when it was first introduced.

 

[JPSmit]

cool! I'm part of the microcar-minicar yahoo group and I think a few folk have them.

 

[drooartz]

Very cool. The early Japanese stuff is really quite interesting. Fits nicely with the British stuff somehow.

 

[mrsprite]

Very cool. The early Japanese stuff is really quite interesting. Fits nicely with the British stuff somehow.

Heh....probably because you have to be a little bit crazy to own and drive one!

 

[AngliaGT]

There's a guy I know who drives his daily.
I also know a lady who,when she was about 21,drove
hers from Utah (without a radio!).
I think the coupe looks pretty slick.

- Doug

 

[mrsprite]

When I was in college in the late 80's there was a guy who daily drove a sedan.....I had a '79 1200 Civic at the time and wanted to trade him for his car (of course that never happened).

I never cared much for the looks of the Z coupe, even though it more closely resembles the 1st gen. Civic (which I love). There's something that looks odd about it....I really hate the taillights on the coupe.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

If you take those taillights off, turn them vertical, they will fit right into the ear of you 1972 Ford F-100.

Neighbor's daughter had an orange 600 many moons ago (probably over 25 years) and reverse seemed to be the first thing that went.
Get out and push it into the parking space (or out of).

SMOKED like an old Yamahaha 2-stroke.

That rear window is a spare lense for a diving mask for the Jolly Green Giant.

 

[EricG]

I have a Z 600 coupe and also a wrecked wagon that is a parts car. Some parts are hard to find and expensive when you do find them. Make sure you check the cam chain and tensioner before trying to start the car-that has killed many of them....Eric

 

[14dna]

mrsprite you have a Pm

Dave

 

[mrsprite]

Well, I finally got the Honda home. I can't wait to start working on it.....it's remarkably clean and complete. I don't think it will take much to get it going. I know it definitely needs tires and brake work (as well as some proper wheels....mine are from a Z coupe), but engine-wise I'm hoping (and praying) that it fires right up. It's a little scary because it was driven up to the mid 90's, but has sat since 1995. Not knowing why it was parked is worrisome.....it might be because of a bad engine, who knows? I'll find out soon enough!


EricG......how do you check the cam chain & tensioner? What am I looking for? I will be buying a factory service manual, but in the meantime I'm just curious what to look for prior to attempting to fire her up.

Thanks.

 

[AngliaGT]

There's a least 4 of them running around our area.
Seem to turn up on craigslist every once in awhile.

- Doug

 

[mrsprite]

I haven't seen any around here in a long time. A ton of them were sold in California though, so the odds are better for you guys to see one than almost anywhere else. I know there is at least one guy out there who restores these cars....I might be contacting him shortly.

I did find out that the engine turns over and it seems to develop compression. The valve train & chain looked good, so I don't think the tensioner will be a problem. I found and downloaded the complete factory service manual and have been reading it for the past few hours......I think I've learned enough to be dangerous!

My next move is to put some gas in it, hook up a battery and see what happens. Worse case scenario is I have to buy another engine.

I'll keep checking eBay and Craigslist for parts and cars......I know that I will need the entire cooling fan assembly since mine is missing. Go figure that an air-cooled engine has a fan, but it does (sucks air through the fins so it doesn't overheast at idle). Someone removed the entire assembly at some point....lucky me! If anyone can find a complete one for me I'd appreciate it (I need the entire thing including the pulley's, bolts, shroud, fan etc.....the whole she-bang).

 

[JPSmit]

there are likely yahoo groups too - I am part of the microcar minicar group and I think there is a 600 owner or two there.

 

[mrsprite]

I joined the Yahoo group and am waiting to be "approved".....I'm sure a lot of my questions will be answered once I can start asking them.

 

[Sherlock]

The best Yahoogroup to join would the Arcane Auto Society group, there is so much knowledge on that group about all sorts of strange cars...

 

[mrsprite]

Thanks Sherlock......I'll check that group out.

Now for the good news.......it runs! Sort of. The fuel pump isn't pumping.....I dumped some gas down the carb and it fires right up and runs until the gas is gone (~3 seconds). I sucked on the fuel line and got a mouthful of old gas, so I know there is no blockage in the lines. I think all I need is a new pump and it'll be good to go. I plan on draining the tank and cleaning it out while I'm at it....just makes sense.


I just might be able to get this thing roadworthy for less than $500! I'm stoked.....I was sure a rebuild was in my future.

 

[mrsprite]

Here's an update for those who might be interested. I pulled the fuel pump off and took it apart to find out it looks brand new inside. I bench tested it and it works just fine, so the issue was elsewhere. I pulled off the carb and discovered that the fuel inlet was plugged solid. I pulled the bowl off and cleaned everything up as best I could and re-installed everything. Now it fires up and runs fine....it just needs some tweaking to get it to idle correctly and of courdse it still needs tires and brakes and.....

I also bought another one! I found a '71 sedan on Craigslist and $400 later I owned it. It is also in great shape overall and will eventually be restored. My plan is to get the blue one roadworthy then start the restoration on the yellow one. Once it's done I'll tear the blue one apart and restore it. I hope to get both finished within 5 years....we'll see if that happens.

Here's a picture or two of the "new" one:

 

[Roger]

These cars take me back..
In the 60s my father was Technical Director (Cars) for Honda UK, when they first started importing. Initially it was the S800 (though there were a few S600s, of which I had one) then the N360 and N600 "Minis", and then the first Civics.
I still have an alarm clock which is inscribed to commemorate a 7-day non-stop drive at Goodwood in 1968 by an N360.

I really wish you well with your cars.

 

[Steve]

Wonderful! I'd be interested in seeing how you progress with this, please keep us posted.....