I may have outdone my oddball self with this one! We all know that I love me some weird cars and this may be the weirdest one yet. This is a custom (duh) 1979 Honda Civic two-ended, two-engine, two-seater, four-wheel-steering.. thing! I love it! And it’s cheap, scary cheap, but it probably isn’t legal to drive on public roads unless you’re in a small town parade and have a clown outfit on. It’s listed on eBay with an unmet opening bid of $2,500 and it’s located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Yep, it may be quite a while until I see something this unusual again. Parts of it seem so normal, too. I’ve seen two-ended cars before, they’re usually referred to as a “push me pull you“, a Dr. Doolittle reference. This would be an unbelievably fun car to drive to the store or, better yet, to a class reunion when everyone else shows up in their pretentious (probably rented) Porsches, Ferraris, and whatever else they think will impress the ol’ gang. Hop out of this baby and show everyone that you follow your own path. Hmm.. what was that opening bid again?..
I don’t quite understand the “ouch” sticker on each side, just show us the dents!! A show of hands who would rather just see what the body looks like rather than having a cartoon band-aid on them?! Thanks for your support. But, dents and all, I really, really like this car. I would have zero use for it because I’m 99.9% positive that it would never be able to be licensed. The workmanship here seems pretty good but it’s hard to tell without seeing it in person. I probably wouldn’t fly to Nashville to check it out in person, but.. You can see that the side windows are plexiglass and one of them is missing. I wonder if a custom piece of glass could be made and.. no, that would double the price of this thing.
That interior! It’s like one of those awkward two-sided chairs at the airport. “Uh.. hi, yeah, I’ve got some work to do on my laptop here..” The seller has a great write-up describing this car, but then goes on to scale it back a bit and really lays it on the line. I love this part, “it has two radios, so if you are a little bit country and your lady is a little bit rock-n-roll, you will both be smiling!” Ha! Could you even imagine driving this thing with someone else in there? Four-wheel steering? Two engines? This thing is nuts, in a very good way. Would there be any way to license this creation and actually drive it on the street?
Here’s the other side of the interior. You can see some errant gas lines and other odd hoses and things sticking out there. The seller says that “side 1” (no side window) is somewhat drivable, but needs work. “Side 2” is not drivable but the engine runs, sort of and it leaks gas so the gas lines have been plugged. So much for their opening line of it having “8 cylinders of furious power!” Yeah, the next owner may want to make sure that there are no issues with the overly-flammable liquid that’s inches behind them as they’re crammed into this thing.
Both 1.3L inline-four engines look basically the same. So, would this one have 140 hp if each engine has 70 hp? What if each driver took off on a separate direction? How does it actually work, or does it actually work? It looks like it’s had some sort of primer paint job on parts of the engine bay but it actually looks fairly tidy in there, surprisingly. To say that the builder of this car put a LOT of work and probably a LOT of money into it is the understatement of the decade. How would you even start to make something like this? Just cut two cars in half and sort of lay them against each other and start welding? Make some sort of a frame first? Does this car even have a frame? Does the AC “need charged?” So many questions! All I know is that I really like it, too much, in fact. Does anyone else see $2,500 worth of fun and messing around here? I sure think it’s worth that opening bid price.
I’d be more interested if they had aimed the engines in the same direction, like the twin engined Car & Driver CRX, the MR2rolla from LeMons, or the Twini Mini. That’s something I’ve wanted to try for a long time…perhaps after the Crown Marina.
I’ve never understood the “Push-Me-Pull Me” concept regardless of which vehicles were used to accomplish the supposed, “end result”. (Aside Mattel’s Hot Wheels Sales History)… What ? would make the creator believe that it would be viable to a potential buyer ?
Vodka on my breakfast cereal was a mistake. I promise that I will lay off the booze immediately!
Beer over Cheerios….It’s all good Adam…no worries.
Wow finally a car close to where I live and it’s this freaky thing…
Go Figure….Such as life.
Such IS life.
That ‘a’ is nowhere near the ‘i’ on my keyboard
I see a pile of parts here, and not $2500 worth.
AdamT45, I was thinking exactly the same thing. If I saw this thing after spending the night with Pappy Van Winkle I would be very confused!
Parade car, for that crazy old man who brings it out once a year for the 4th of July celebration.
2 operators required. Technically not 4WD, as one drivetrain would be functioning in reverse in order to offer power in the same direction as the other.
So, is it a Hon-Hon or a Da-Da . . . or some might think doo-doo.
Jeff Lane strikes again!!
Turd….
Crazy. My Dad had a body shop in Huntington Park, CA in the 1960’s and 1970’s, he used to buy 2 wrecked Cadillac’s and make one good one. In Southern CA back then wrecked Caddy’s were cheap. I should of had him weld to FWD Eldorado Cadillac’s together, that would surly turn some heads. 750 HP, LOL.
Still, it makes one wonder, “Why?”
“(not all combinations can be used simultaneously.” Ju keeding! I actually like this.too bad the seller doesnt give more details of how its constructed…doesnt make much sense to say its 4 wheel drive. Clearly it would appear the different sets of wheels turn in different directions or do they?
As a side note for years there used to be a two front end 48? Chevy/Olds parked outside a restaurant in Imperial Beach California. Heres a picture of it from an aibum by the wondrous Skid Roper.
The name Civic is a palindrome.
Now, so is the car.
It was meant to be.
Is that a haiku, Stu?
Now it is:
The tiny Civic
Coming or going, can’t say
The car or the name
What a great clown car! It even has two steering wheels so one clown can steer the front wheels and the other clown can steer the other front wheels……likely in circles.
I think you could certainly register it under one VIN. Problem would be passing any sort of inspection, since you have no parking brake, and likely would have to hide tail/brake lights on at least the opposite end of the half with the VIN.
I would have made the vehicle longer, to give room for proper fuel tanks, and can see some challenges in making both ends work properly, so it could be driven to a parking space in one direction, and then exit the other. The steering lock would serve to keep the non-driven wheels straight.
Arent these one of the cars where you cannot tow them if the front wheels are on the ground? Something about the tranny getting no lube? I guess you could start the second engine and just leave it in Neutral?
Most of the tow companies are using flatbed tow trucks that do not leave wheels on the ground. Or have dollies to install so the wheels do not touch the ground.
They know if they damage the transmission by an incorrect tow, it will cost them money.
It should have those doors open reversed to make it even more confusing. :)
Well I think it’s cool, and appears to be very well done. Have a little respect for the efforts of Americans who still work with their hands instead of wasting their free time in front of the television…😛
I know what song was playing on the radio the day he dreamed up this critter: “Too much time on my hands.”
I’ve seen a two ended Jetta on the road near me on a couple of occaisions. Four doors on that one.
There was one nearly identical in the showroom at Menlo Honda in Redwood City in 1981ish. I believe it had a bit more roof and was orange.
Since the “front” end alignment calls for a little toe out. (torque pulls the front wheels straight) Then the chasing alignment would be close to correct. I agree that it “WOULD” be cool if both engines went the same direction and you could shift them both. (Manual transmission(s) would be a gas!)
I also agree on a little bit longer wheelbase.
This reminds me of that Red Green episode where he duct-tapes two K-cars together. A must see TV moment!
if it ain’t broken, you’re not trying hard enough! :D
This would make for an awesome burnout competition…. With itself… This is assuming you could get it to break the tires loose.
I guess the mileage is “0” cause if you drive it one direction to work 20 miles, and then the other direction home 20 miles, your mileage will remain “0” at the end of the day.
This is what happens when you have two Hondas, no reverse gear in either, a welder and a case of PBR