Kei Car Project: 1970 Honda N600

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When I saw the listing for this Honda N600, I was reading the ad and seriously got a laugh out of it. This is the first car restoration project that I’ve come across where the owner states that the entire car will fit in the bed of his F250 Highboy. That’s definitely a different sales pitch. You will find this Honda listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Rio Linda, California, and it comes with a clear title. Bidding on the Honda has reached $510 at the time of writing.

The N600 has its roots firmly planted in the Japanese Kei Car legislation. The N600 is descended for the N360, which met all of the appropriate regulations. The N600 exceeds the engine size rule and was intended for export sale only. This one looks like it is quite a solid little car. The body looks pretty decent, although there is damage to a few trim items, and the rear quarter window on the passenger side is missing. The floors look really solid, so as a base for a project car, this looks quite promising.

Unfortunately, the interior is quite badly shredded, and and it will require a complete restoration. The saving grace here is that trim parts are actually surprisingly easy to obtain, and the prices aren’t bad either. At least in this shot we can see the floors, and they do look good.

I’ve become really used to talking about engine capacities in hundreds of cubic inches, so talking about one that is 36.5ci seems really odd. The engine is hooked to a 4-speed manual transmission. The performance was never Earth-shattering, with the 0-60mph run being covered in 19 seconds. These cars weren’t about performance. They were about economical transport in high-density traffic. The engine on this car is currently a zero-emission version on account of the fact that it doesn’t run. The engine does turn over, but it will probably need some work, as the car has been sitting for 25 years.

It doesn’t seem that many years ago that kei cars were considered to be a novelty. Today they still are, but they have developed a following that has made them quite popular in certain quarters. This one is a solid example that could respond well to restoration. The beauty of these cars is that they tend not to be overly complex, which is a huge benefit in a restoration project. The auction for this one has generated some bidding, and I think that I understand why.

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. stillrunners

    Saw another ad for one…with it in the bed of the pick up…..neat-o it survived….had a buddie wit.h one in the 70’s….

    Like 1
  2. That AMC Guy

    I remember these well. The performance really was not all that bad for the day. A contemporary VW bug was not much quicker to 60, and a lot of small cars back then were in the 18-20 second range. Some even worse. (I recall an N600 buzzing past me on the freeway many years ago!)

    Like 3
  3. Mountainwoodie

    I’m repeating myself I am sure, but hitchiking to Princeton from Trenton , New Jersey one day, I was picked up by one of these when it was practically new. Even as a teenager I found it incredibly hard to bend over and get in………..and I was no tub o lard.

    Like 3
  4. Jeff

    These are cool, and the Japanese classics market is booming. Someone will (and should) snatch this up and revitalize it. Whether you genuinely like the little beast or just want a decent investment, these are not difficult to bring back to life.

    Like 1
  5. Blyndgesser

    Surprisingly capable handling. Think of it as a Japanese Mini with a high-revving engine.

    Like 0
  6. Dickie F

    Looking at this I cannot stop seeing it in The Cannonball Run. When two Japanese gentleman fitted a Honda 600 ? With all modern high tech. Including a electric motor, night vision and a jet engine.
    Then there was ‘him’ ….

    Like 1
  7. Jim Grahl

    I had a pre-production prototype (actually 2, another story). I was doing some design work for Norm Reeves Honda & they gifted these to me tor testing. I designed a 45 mm Webber manifold, lowered it and added Koni’s & proceeded to toss it around Mulholland for a couple years. Not a Cooper (my other ride) but great fun & dead reliable. This one will need so much that I wouldn’t call it an investment (other then gas savings), but you’ll always smile when you go for a drive.

    Like 2
  8. Karl

    Can anybody believe THIS was the real start of the Japanese auto industry in America? These things would start to rust if you looked at them wrong! What this this did to the American Auto Industry certainly was not JOKE!!

    Like 0
  9. Gaspumpchas

    I bet if you painted up this one a honda dealer would buy it for display. In high School, a guy had one of these parked in the shop. The wise*sses that we were, we picked it up and turned it sideways, Shop teacher was not amused. He said, yeah, you guys watch- Honda is going to make great cars. Man was he right. Sage words from a great man, who kept said wise*sses from getting in trouble. Thanks, Mr. Y!!!!

    Like 0
  10. Rustytech RustytechMember

    My brother in law got one of these as his first car. I couldn’t believe it, the tires on it were smaller than on my lawn tractor! Scary little car among all the full size boats of the day.

    Like 0

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