Cool Kei Car: 1972 Honda Z600
There is a hardy group of individuals within the classic car fraternity that share a passion for Kei Cars. I don’t blame them, because while they might not possess the performance of a muscle car, they are an enormous amount of fun to drive. This 1972 Honda Z600 is one of those cars, and this one is ready to be driven and enjoyed. A fastidious buyer could treat it to some restoration work, but there is nothing that would be classed as urgent. The tiny Honda is located in Vancouver, Washington, and has been listed for sale here on craigslist. The asking price for the Z600 has been set at $6,500. I have to say thank you to Barn Finder MattR for referring this great car to us.
The Caroline Yellow Honda is undoubtedly a bright little car. The most crucial piece of news physically is the fact that it does appear to be rust-free. Corrosion issues could be a real problem with the Z600, so it is reassuring to find that this one hasn’t succumbed to that problem. The paint holds a reasonable shine, but the coverage is quite patchy. There are some spots when you can see through the Yellow to see what hides beneath. Now I’ll address the elephant in the room. Someone has chosen to cut holes in the roof and to install plexiglass panels. I’m sure that this probably seemed like a good idea, but I don’t think that it was. One of the qualities that is vital to maintain a high potential value with these little classics is to retain as much originality as possible. This issue can be addressed, but it is an irritation. The alloy wheels and fender flares that are fitted to the Honda aren’t original, so these would also need to be changed if a faithful restoration is the ultimate aim. Otherwise, all of the trim and chrome appears to be in good condition, and there are no apparent problems with the glass.
The interior of the Honda presents reasonably well, and everything is said to work as it should. There are a couple of splits in the upholstery on the driver’s seat, and a limited search failed to locate a replacement cover. A competent upholsterer might be able to apply some blind patches to fix this issue. Otherwise, a set of aftermarket sheepskin covers would make it more comfortable and would hide this sin. The rest of the upholstery looks to be in good condition, although there are a couple of pieces that will need to be stretched back to their original shape. I had more luck finding a carpet set, but for a small car, it carries a high price. Swallow hard, because a carpet set will cost the next owner $360. With those few issues addressed, the interior would look pretty sweet.
There are no engine photos, which is a bit of a shame. What we find hiding in the engine bay is an air-cooled 599cc twin-cylinder engine that pumps out 36hp. This power is sent to the front wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. These little engines will rev their heads off, but with maximum power appearing at 6,000rpm and maximum torque at 4,000rpm, there is no need to go ballistic in that respect. Acceleration and top speed are all that you would expect, with the ¼ mile journey taking 22.4 seconds and the Z600 winding out to a top speed of 75mph. The good news with this car is that it is in a mechanically healthy state. The vehicle is said to run and drive perfectly and is ready to be enjoyed immediately.
The owner of this 1972 Honda Z600 claims that restored examples can easily fetch prices of between $13,000 and $18,000. For those of you who are not familiar with these little cars, that is no idle boast. They can sell for some surprisingly high prices in the right circumstances. A pristine example recently sold for $22,000, which does make you think. This one would appear to require some cosmetic work, but this is a car where the reward might just justify the risk.
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Comments
Again, it’s fun to see these cars humble beginnings, and what they are today. I remember, these were more of a gag, nobody thought they’d amount to anything, and they were right. It was the Civic that really got things going for Honda. A motorcycle with 4 wheels, and the brave folks that ran these in the winter, paid dearly, as the next year, there was nothing left. Neat for it’s rarity, but there’s nicer vintage cars to be had for this money. Like a QA50 going for big bucks, not much of a motorcycle. Neat find.
Does anyone remember the episode of “CHiPS”, where Rosey Grier, destroys one at the side of the road after being stopped in “Moving Violation”.
https://www.imcdb.org/v018673.html
Howard A, I had one, and used it like a Real Car! Granted, it was tiny, but there were fewer SUVs on the road back then, and the novelty factor was high enough that people noticed it. It was my DD, and I drove it from L.A. to San Francisco several times, which is where I learned that drafting an 18-wheeler raised top speed noticeably….
Oddly enough, these had some “extra” standard equipped when compared to other bargain-basement cars of the era: A contemporary Chevy Vega I drove had front drum brakes and (IIRC) rubber floor mats, while my 600 had front discs and carpeting. All for $1795.00.
I might have been interested in this one, until I saw the “sunroof” panels. Not an engineer, but I know what happens when you cat a piece out of an eggshell. That and the subpar paint job suggest this one isn’t worth it.
All Vegas came with disc brakes standard since they launched in 1971.
Might not have been a Vega, for they only came with front disc brakes and black carpet by default. Never had an option for drum brakes up front.
I hadn’t seen one of these in decades, but when I did see one at a show a few years ago, it reminded me just how small they are. I guess we have all gotten used to larger vehicles being common.
Craigslist strikes again: looks like the seller thought “I think I’ll shoot some quick pics of the car, right here, parked between two other vehicles.” I wish he/she would have composed a pic which illustrates the size comparison to the F-series parked beside it.
I saw one of these at the import nationals show in Carlisle a few years ago. The gentleman showing the car had driven it from California, I believe. He was probably 6′ tall and all I wanted to do was ask him to sit in the car to prove he fit. Tiny is the only apt description.
A co-worker (some decades ago) told me one of her high school girlfriends had one of these, and her father forbade her from riding in it or driving it, which of course had the opposite effect. It does seem like a car for those with more than a passing appreciation for whimsy. I’m sure they were perfect for the right owner at the time! Nice find. Thanks, Adam.
I guess it must have been sometime in the mid 70’s there was one of these at a used car lot in Bothell, Washington that I bought several broken cars from for fix and sell. The Honda had a blown engine and research exposed the price of replacement was to high to justify my getting involved.
The dealer never could sell it and it ended up going to the crusher. Seems very strange how the value of such a vehicle has gone up over the decades.
God bless America
I remember checking the paper in the early 80’s and these things going for $800 – $1,000. This one looks like a solid project.
I came really close to purchasing one of these during the gas crisis. I had the money to buy it but the owner would not let me drive it; instead he took me for a ride. It was super under powered and I left it and him standing on the street. I still thank God I didn’t buy it!!!
I sell parts & service for Honda 600’s since 1981, not so much on service now, there’s only 3 in my area besides mine. I was the only parts advertiser in HMN back in the ’80s. There is also a huge following on FB, quite a few parts are being reproduced by various people. Be aware though, the only thing you can still buy new from Honda is fuel filters & pedal pads. 600miles
Aren’t these things chain drive or am I thinking of some other Honda, perhaps the convertible?
No!
front wheel drive
Hi Miles,
What is the name of your business?
I’d be a customer for life.
I love my z600 coupe.
Thanks,
Joseph Felice
Joseph Felice – I am 600miles.com I also sell parts on eBay user name 600miles
Miles
I had the sedan version of this in high school, in the late 80s, in the Chicagoland area. It was a useful little car, and capable of far more than people would expect considering its size. It also handled quite well in the snow, as long as there wasn’t more than 6 inches on the roads.
One of the guys in our shop class had one of these parked in the auto shop classroom, and of course we just had to pick it up and put it sideways. Shop teacher not impressed. after we got a good tongue lashing, Mr Y said–“you guys wait and see–honda will be making lots of cars and they will be good cars. Don’t Laugh! Wisdom and foresight made mr Y one of my mentors and I thank him for that! Stay safe and Good luck.
Cheers
GPC
We had one traded in on a Civic. (Blue Z600) I drove it for a week back and forth between home and work. It was a blast to drive and I can verify the 75mph top end number. I kept trying to figure out how to install a Honda 750 engine with more RPM and double the horsepower. (The car was so light that you really didn’t need a reverse gear, except when it was raining.) We also did the measurements on an AN600 (600 Sedan) that confirmed that you could install a Civic inner fenders (including the engine and gearbox) into the back seat area. Now that would have been a fun ride!
The strangest thing about driving one of these is the lift, twist to the left 1gear and then the twist to the right push down and twist to the left for second gear, etc. It makes shifting a Citroen 2CV seem normal!
I remember seeing these for sale at the “Honda Barn” a couple of towns away from where I grew up. Yellow, Blue, White, Orange are what I recall seeing before the CVCC’s came out and dominated.
I also remember seeing a guy pushing his Orange one along the side of the road that had broken down. He wasn’t having to work too hard to do it.
swap in 2 Keihins?
Bought one new, 1972,and drove it for 188000+ miles before parking it! Several trips from southern cal. to Utah (Lived there for six mo.’s) and back also to New Mexico. Loved it and am sorry I gave it away, expecialy after gas prices went up! Also Yellow.
60 mpg with 4 speed non overdrive, & pts & condenser distributor ignition.
Complicated computer controlled fuel injection pump in the tank afficionados, eat your heart out. ha ha.
I had the sedan version during high school. I painted it “plum crazy purple” and cruised the Fort Lauderdale (FL) Strip with it. I would top out at 78mph with the wind and 72mph into a head wind or uphill. Good times…..
2 cylinder Honda 600s dont get 60mpg. Honda rated them at 38mpg when new, Best I ever got was 50mpg driving Hiway 5 between Fresno and Bakersfield with a tail wind. Normal driving with my lead foot was 30mpg, I started driving Honda 600s in 1979, still have some.
Miles
My friend worked at a Chevy store in 1972 which took on Honda. He convinced me to test drive. It was great. $1967 out the door tax and all. Quaker State offered a 50000 mile engine warranty if you used their oil at the dealership
However, i wanted a V6 Mercury Capri in green over tan. One was finally available, and I bought it.
In 1 year someone had to buy the Capri, and I found a used 1972 Z 600 in orange. My friend had a yellow one. Daily drove it in Columbus, Ohio for 18 months or so.Replaced the battery and the exhaust system with Honda parts. I had worked on many VW bugs in the late 1960’s and found a Z600 to be similar as a daily driver.
The brother of my friend with the yellow Z600 had to have it and off it went. .