Honda Impossible Dream

[the Ferret]

My bad, it was a Honda S600 not 200. Honda did make an S2000 in the early 2000s, but in 1964-1966 as Cormanus pointed out Honda made a 2 seater roadster to compete with the British Roadsters and I beleive it had a 1000 cc motorcycle engine and it had chain final drive.

*edit actually a 660cc DOHC engine with 4 carbs producing 57 HP at 8500 rpms

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Ok raise your hand if you recognized the Honda S200 roadster. If you do you are in an elite crowd.

Bonus points if you can name the 3 years it was manufactured.

Extra bonus points if you can name the final drive system.

No googling for points!

But google for fun

I thought it was the S500 with chain drive, neat little two seater.

Maybe S500 but I think S600, guys. I owned one. Nice little roadster. Bought it in 1996, oops, 1966, and auctioned it off shortly thereafter (20,000miles) when I burnt the rings out of it. Yes two chains, one to each rear wheel.

Cheers

[Carguy1959_imp]

My bad, I thought you were talking about the S2000 that was shown as well. It was billed as a roadster.

[Cormanus]

Didn't the S2000 feature in You only Live Twice? Answer: No it didn't. It was a Toyota 2000GT. Thank you Google. Not.

Pterodactyl, you're the second person I've known who owned an S600.

[the Ferret]

wow I didn't know it was imported to Australia, I thought it was Japanese domestic only. Supposedly it was a great little car, much better than the British versions.

well after doing some research the S500 preceded the S600 (which I didn't know..I only knew about the 600). Hondas first 4 wheeler was actually the T360 truck (which wasn't in the video)

My bad, I thought you were talking about the S2000 that was shown as well. It was billed as a roadster.

Yea, I think that's why I said S200 in my original post (got all excited when I saw it in the video and called it the wrong thing)

I loved the S2000 and wanted one badly, alas I got an Accord instead being the practical guy I am. My wife and I have been driving Honda cars exclusively since 1991..3 Accords, 2 Civics, a CRV an Odyssey and a Ridgeline. Love our Hondas.

[spacetiger_imp]

A guy, jim, in Utah worked on the aircraft engine. He helped me get the triple tree modified in my CB700SC project. An excellent man and craftsman.

Jerry

[the Ferret]

uh, I think wrong thread tiger?

[Pterodactyl_imp]

wow I didn't know it was imported to Australia, I thought it was Japanese domestic only. Supposedly it was a great little car, much better than the British versions.

well after doing some research the S500 preceded the S600 (which I didn't know..I only knew about the 600). Hondas first 4 wheeler was actually the T360 truck (which wasn't in the video)

My bad, I thought you were talking about the S2000 that was shown as well. It was billed as a roadster.

Yea, I think that's why I said S200 in my original post (got all excited when I saw it in the video and called it the wrong thing)

I loved the S2000 and wanted one badly, alas I got an Accord instead being the practical guy I am. My wife and I have been driving Honda cars exclusively since 1991..3 Accords, 2 Civics, a CRV an Odyssey and a Ridgeline. Love our Hondas.

Tha S600 was a direct competitor to the Austin Healey Sprite. The Sprite was a 1000-1300cc, four cylinder, cast iron block and head, twin carb, SOHC, traditional revving motor, producing about 60HP. On the other hand the S600 was a 600cc, aluminium head, four carb, DOHC high revving engine producing the same power, about 60Hp. The tachometer went to 12500rpm with the red line at 9500rpm. Basically a motorcycle engine. The Sprite had a solid single axle leaf spring rear suspension. The S600, independent coil spring on two swingarms with chain final drives. The bodywork of the Sprite was rough but what was expected from the UK at the time. I've seen restorations that leave the new car in the shade! Ill-fitting panels and variations in paintwork. On the other hand, the S600 was all Honda quality.

Motorcycle historians will note that the technology gap that existed between Japanese and British manufacturers of MCs also existed in the car industry. British Leyland went the way of the British motorcycle industry, and deservedly so. Strange for me to be saying that as I own a '61 Triumph Bonneville and sadly miss my Triumph (not related to the MC Triumph) TR3A which I made the mistake of selling many years ago.

Unfortunately I made more than full use of my S600's engine. In fact I thrashed it to death keeping up with the likes of MGA/Bs, TR3/4s and other biger engined cars. Probably one of the contributing factors was that, not being used to thoroughbred technology, I always (often anyway) warmed the engine up with a few minutes of stationary idling. The S600, unlike other cars I was familiar with, did not leak oil and require regular top ups from those bottles that used to sit in racks at service stations, and I reckon that oil dilution, from crankcase condensation, was the chief factor in the failure of the piston rings and me getting rid of another future classic.

And Ferret, the S600 was first made in RHD and Australia was the first market.

Cheers.

[grover_imp]

Pretty awesome. I have an '07 S2000 that I will die before I part with.


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[kmoney_imp]

Pretty awesome. I have an '07 S2000 that I will die before I part with.


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Those are sweet cars. IIRC they still hold the record for highest specific output for any NA engine in a car under $100k.