1972 Honda 600 Coupe

The Model 600 was Honda's first model to be imported to the United States, in 1969, beginning on the West Coast. These were derivatives of the N360 'kei car' which were small automobiles that were built to comply with Japan's formula for entry-level cars. Powering the 600 was a two-cylinder air-cooled engine which displaced 599cc. The overhead cam unit benefitted from the manufacturer's long experience with motorcycles. The light alloy unit could rev to 9,000 RPM and develop as much as 45 horsepower.

The 'Hondamatic' transmission dispensed with the conventional clutch. The unit had to be manually shifted between its two gear ratios and used a torque converter like all modern automatics and served as Honda's only automatic until 1980.

In 1970 there were fewer than 5,000 sold in the US and nearly twice that many the following year.

This Honda 600 is painted orange and carries a lighted 'TAXI' sign on the roof. The interior is black and has a toy slot machine in place of the requisite taximeter. In 1999, the current owner treated the car to a restoration.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2014