A 1970 Honda N600 is indeed an individual’s choice if you yearn to drive a classic economy car that isn’t your typical inline-four job. The N600 was a pioneering venture for Honda as it began to take over the small car market in the U.S., but like many of the company’s initial offerings, it wasn’t exactly a conventional offering. The seller of this unusual two-cylinder, air-cooled hatchback notes that it needs a complete paint job in addition to other aspects of a cosmetic restoration, but that many of the major mechanical components have been addressed. While affordable, they do require more time and money to restore properly than other econoboxes of the era. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $1,675 and the reserve unmet. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Larry D. for the find.
For a hot minute, I considered buying one of these when it came up for sale through a Barn Finds Exclusive. Looking back on it, I’m honestly not sure why I did, except for the fact that I was intrigued by the wild noise the air-cooled two-cylinder engine made when the driver really laid into it. It was an interest born purely out of novelty, enhanced by that crazy gear stick poking out of the dash. The N600 was Honda’s first major attempt in the U.S. to win over the hearts and minds of consumers, and in many ways, the oddball hatchback paved the way for the Civic to blow the compact class out of the water. As you can see here, the interior is complete but does need a fair amount of work to be perfect, including new seat upholstery.
In addition to the noise the frenzied engine makes, the N600 is also notable for its design. You wouldn’t call it beautiful, but it is unique, with the flat nose and sloped rear deck, wherein a cargo compartment opens up its lid with exposed hinges. For such a small car, there’s a ton of glass, and the interior likely feels far roomier than its diminutive size would suggest – a classic Honda trait. The seller admits he’s a mechanic by trade, but that there’s a limit to the kind of work he’ll tackle – in this instance, he claims he’s not equipped to address the numerous cosmetic flaws. For instance, as you can see here, the chrome bumper is completely shot and needing restoration.
To the seller’s credit, he has done a fair amount of mechanical restoration work. This includes rebuilding the starter and the alternator; throwing in a new battery and mounting new tires; and of course, the basic fluid changes. The seller notes it runs and drives and goes through all four gears as well as reverse. The lights and turn signals work and the brakes and clutch function as intended. The list of needs provided by the seller are all mostly of the cosmetic kind, with the exception of sourcing a replacement exhaust. Curiously, the window sticker VIN number does not match the car’s VIN number, but it does come with a clear Ohio title. Would you drive a vintage commuter car like this air-cooled N600?
You could always follow this guy’s direction, convert the car to RWD with Miata components and swap in a Honda motorcycle engine: http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/interceptor-vfr800-powered-honda-n600-the-micro-machine
I had a ’72 Coupe that we drove for a number of years. It had plenty of zip and a lot quicker than a Beetle. It red lined at 6500 rpm but it pulled hard to 7500+ rpm all the time. It was decent on the Autocross, but at 6’4″, I had to drive it with my right knee to the right side of the shifter. It was a little scary on the downtown interstates with it being so small. Sold it too a friend when we had children. He drove for more years until the rear struts came through the top mounts. The rust worms was the Coupe’s death. It still ran great even on its drive to the grave.
I’ve driven uglier 600s, one I called Thrasher. When I was 600 mechanic’ing in ’83. I was always painting Items on the roof. It was mostly Carolina yellow and had blue doors, tube steel bumpers, spartan interior and I replaced the sedan dash with more stylish coupe dash. It had 4 speed non synch trans and was a real screamer. I even towed other cars with it. Good times!
Saw a TV show where they dropped a modern 200 hp Honda car motor into a old Mini Cooper. Be fun to do something like that with this.
I also had a ’72 AZ600. I put over 90,000 miles on it. Rebuilt the engine and sold it. It got 42 mpg on the highway and 45 mpg in the city. A major, major triumph in the early 1970s. It was very reliable and great in the snow, even though it was very low to the pavement. When I sold it, I got a VW Beetle and got 1/2 the gas mileage!
Like one writer stated earlier, rust was hard on them. That 2 cyl modified 450 motorcycle engine had guts. Transmission was chain driven off the crankshaft. Reverse was a dog gear that engaged from the side of the engine/transmission case!
I sure do wish I had that one back.
It was NOT a modified version of the 450 twin. The 450 twin was DOHC with twin carbs, the N600 engine was a SOHC with a single carb, and it included a differential, not needed of course on a motorcycle.
Had a little red 70 N600 that my brother got new in 1970 and got passed to me in 1973 l met my wife with this little Honda Very cool little car put Michelin tires on it and a Momo wheel back in the day , huge difference in handling showed my wife this add and she said now that would be neat to restore and bring back the memories . Was hard to get parts back in the day ,how would it be now? thanks Barn finds for the write up.
For anyone who is interested, there was a full documentary about the restoration of Honda N600 #1. Google it. Very interesting.
Nice little car, I had a 72 and swapped in a 170 hp gixxer and made it rwd. Auto crossed for a while, no one could catch me. Blast to drive. Later on I wished I’d left it all original, and sold it
In my hometown there was a college professor who had a really early Honda like this. I don’t know when the first Hondas hit, but it seems to me it was very late 60’s. I recall 12 inch tires and about a 5 gallon gas tank. I think I remember CVCC on the hatch lid. He would come into my fathers gas station and buy a buck’s worth of gas and we wouldn’t see him again for 2-3 weeks. Everyone thought the car was a POS and that these Japanese cars were junk. Where would you get parts? Who would work on them? Well it took a while for Honda and Toyota to succeed, but they couldn’t have done it without GM, Ford and Chrysler allowing their quality to drop. Too bad. I have spent 52 years in the retail car business and have watched a lot of change over those years. Thank you.
I had a coupe. The problem was that the plastic timing chain tensioner parts would wear out and it would jump a tooth once in a while. There was enough slack in the chain that I could take the cover off and move the chain back one tooth ……. good to go ….. ha ha
These were such fun little cars when they came out. You could drive them flat out like there was no tomorrow and still not get ticketed!
Everything is available NOS, repro, or used as far as parts go. I`ve got a 71 Z600 rust free that I bought 5 or 6 years ago. Been buying all the parts I can get ahold of to restore it. Also bought 2 more for spares. Will be cool to drive when done.