Original Paint: 1971 Honda Z600
UPDATE 02/09/2023: We’ve recently seen a few cases where a classic car owner has fallen foul of a non-paying buyer, which appears to be the case with this 1971 Honda Z600. Its previous listing indicates it sold for $7,900, but the same seller is offering it again here on eBay. No other details have changed, and the bidding has raced to $2,375. That figure is below the reserve, but if you’re kicking yourself for missing out last time, now could be the chance to right that wrong.
12/20/2022: When Honda management stood proudly in the mid-1960s and boldly stated they planned to become a major player in automotive manufacturing, it caused more than a few raised eyebrows. While it was acknowledged as one of the great names in motorcycle production, few companies have successfully leaped from that field into the automotive world. History shows Honda achieved its goal while also achieving enormous success in motorsport, from Formula 1 to Indycar and Super Tourers. The genesis of the success rests at the feet of cars like the 1971 Honda Z600. This one has been stored indoors for decades but retains its original paint and drivetrain. The seller coaxed it back to life but feels it needs to go to a new home and an owner willing to return it to its rightful place on our roads. It is listed here on eBay in San Antonio, Texas.
Honda marketed the Z600 in North America in 1971 and 1972, with this car finding its original owner during the first year. The company offered buyers several paint shades, but I’ve always felt that colors like the Pop Orange gracing this car best reflect the Z600’s bubbly personality. The seller states the paint and stripes are original, and their condition is acceptable if the new owner returns it to active duty as an unmolested survivor. The body looks straight, and there is no mention of the rust that can plague neglected Z600s. There are smudges in the photos just behind the rear wheel openings, but it is unclear whether these are dirt or emerging rust. I would recommend an in-person inspection to confirm the car is structurally sound. One of my favorite styling features is the rear hatch glass. It stands out a mile away, and I’ve always felt that it looks like the screen of a vintage TV or the door from a 1980s microwave oven. The exterior trim might respond positively to some elbow grease and a high-quality polish, while the glass looks excellent.
It is worth considering Honda’s approach to vehicle production and an incident that demonstrated its seriousness in conquering the automotive world. It released a sporting Roadster in 1964 called the S600. Power came from a sophisticated four-cylinder engine that provided exceptional performance. However, that engine also proved to be an Achilles Heel. Some early cars suffered engine failures, and a company investigation revealed a manufacturing fault that could potentially claim every motor. Therefore, it dispatched a group of company technicians wearing white overalls to replace the engine in every S600 on the planet free of charge. Therefore, if you find an S600 and discover it isn’t numbers-matching, that could be the explanation. In most markets, the Z600 received a twin-cylinder 354cc powerplant that sent 32hp to the road via the front wheels and a four-speed manual transmission. American buyers received the “big-block” 598cc version that churned out a dizzying 36hp. Although that doesn’t sound like the recipe for driving excitement, the Z600’s curb weight of 1,312lbs means it could spring a surprise or two. The journey down the ¼ mile might take 22.4 seconds, but these cars can bubble along quite merrily at 50mph all day. The seller indicates this Honda hasn’t seen the road since the early 2000s, but they coaxed the motor back to life. It sounds healthy, but other work and a thorough inspection are warranted before it returns to its rightful place on our streets.
One aspect of this Honda requiring little work is its interior. It is a sea of Black vinyl and painted steel, but its condition is pretty respectable. The cover on the driver’s seat has split, and the new owner may need to consider a professional repair. I performed a brief search for replacement covers but had no luck. A more thorough investigation may yield a better result, but there’s a chance the new owner may need to resort to an overseas supplier if they wish to achieve perfection. Otherwise, this interior seems to need nothing but a deep clean. The carpet and remaining upholstered surface look fine, the dash and pad have avoided cracking, and there are no aftermarket additions. It isn’t highly equipped, but the new owner receives a factory tach, an AM radio, a roof console, and a heater.
Kei cars enjoy a strong following in the classic community, and the 1971 Honda Z600 is no exception. This one isn’t perfect, but it is a solid and complete car that could represent a satisfying restoration. It would ideally suit an enthusiast with limited workshop space. If they can perform many of the more basic tasks themselves, they could return it to its former glory while ensuring it remains financially viable. Although cheap examples occasionally appear, it is common for clean cars to sell for more than $20,000. Values have climbed rapidly during the past year, with spotless vehicles fetching $30,000. If the reserve is close to the current highest bid, it could represent an affordable project that makes financial sense. That is something that many people wouldn’t have said at the turn of this century and helps demonstrate how the classic world constantly evolves.
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Comments
Had one when I was stationed in Korea but it was the 360 model . Easy to work on and got great mileage. Not a lot of room but we made it work
I have one of these in my garage, an avocado green one. You can’t realize the immense tiny-ness of this car until you park it next to a regular sized car… It’s super small…
“… immense tiny-ness”, good one. It should be mandatory that ads for this car should be required to have a picture beside a modern full-size pickup. They are about ten feet long, right?
Probably would fit in a backyard shed & i bet 4 big guys could carry it away. lol
I had one when I was stationed in Whidby Island Washington and yes 4 guys could pick it up and move it. I never knew where my car would be when I got off work as the guys that worked for me thought it was great fun to move it from where I parked it.
My father.-in- law put it in the back of a F150 pick up and hauled it from Pennsylvania to Washington St.
I had an experience similar to Dale T. Guys put my z600 between 2 trees and got a big kick out of it when I came back. Fortunately, they weren’t so drunk that they couldn’t take it out after a good laugh by all.
Can I buy your Honda Z600 off you?
No, haha….. It needs lots o’ work anyway..
I bought a 79 Honda (I called it My Silver Bullet). I had relocated to NJ with J&J, and the gas supply was woefully under demand. My 79 got petty good gas mileage back then, and it ran very smoothly. I remember during the cold winters that some of my neighbors waved for me to stop to give them a jump on their wagons.
It always burns me when I see people listing cars for sale so fast after they receive them that they didn’t even take the time to get it off the trailer. In my state that’s called title jumping and is illegal.
Agree with you 100% Tom, I think its all of these FAKE reality tv shows where everyone is trying to turn a profit. It only hurts the real individuals who enjoy driving on and working on these cars.
Weird ad. Everywhere else except the title of the listing refers to this as a 1972, and the Date of Manufacture is listed as 5/72.
In ’71, Scott Robinson Pontiac (Torrance, CA) started carrying this car as a sideline. My Dad took me over there with him to check it out. We walked away with “weird, different, and it’ll never make it here”. Years before Pontiac was killed off, Scott Robinson had changed to a Honda dealer.
Rumor has it a boatload of Hondas like this had a problem with emission and safety concerns. And were dumped in the ocean off Long Beach. CA harbor. Cost to fix was not worth it.
I have never been in one of these, at 6′ 2″ not sure i would fit.
Had the sedan version back in late 70’s
got it for free, had a blown engine. My
local dealer in Ct ordered the Japanese
only parts for my rebuild that an a 12
volt fan gave another 10-12 hp made it a
bit more fun to drive.
A copy of this very car was my first. Great fun in high school to find it parked sideways between two muscle cars in the school lot. It totaled out a ’73 Ford wagon that pulled out in front of me. Had the engine not rocked back to break a chunk off the float bowl, it would have run still.
I think this was the car that starred in the movie ‘Malcolm’. Worth seeing, great movie.
Bought one back in ’79 in excellent condition. Used it to commute from Santa Rosa, Ca. to San Fracisco, Ca. for several years. Was a blast to drive and even made the Waldo Grade with acceptable speed hauling two people. It was a lemon yellow, and the previous owner had air-brushed black ghost flames on the front fenders. Did end up having to rebuild the transmission but was a simple and cheap job. Wish I’d kept it… This one is probably the cleanest one I’ve seen since mine. Wish I could bid on it. Wife says I have too many cars already, (only nine) …
My next to oldest brothers friend ( had a lot of brothers ) had one of these, he was rehabing a loft in the old meat packing district over on the west side of Manhatten back in the 70’s. During the night the nieghborhood kids used to pick it up and flip it over so he found it on its roof in the morning in the same spot really without much damage. Luckly that old warehouse had a frieght elevator so he just drove it in and parked in his Loft every night , a great NYC car but my 250 Ducati was even better
My sister had one of these in yellow as her first car back in the mid seventies. They really are small! One day a bunch of high school guys picked it up and put it in the bed of a teacher’s truck. Small town shinanigans
The baby Civic. I see it, back in America in ’72 so you can
park it right next to all the big u.s. buckets. And it’s a good fit.
Just like today with a smart next to an X5 or similar crossover car.
Probably the only car that makes a Midget look big.
I got a ticket in one of these once by the US Park Police by the Jefferson Memorial for terrorizing a woman driving a Dodge Polaris because I kept trying to dart around her because she was blocking traffic going 15 mph….
Dodge made snowmobiles?
I think he means Chevy Polaris.
Dodge Polara
the big plastic window in the back was what caught our eyes hen seeing a new 1 go by. Turn of the decade, 30 mi S.W. of Boston
I remember seeing these things on the road, when I was a kid. Mostly driven by wild eyed hippies with peace sign stickers on the rear window.
I had a 72 sedan version. Painted it plum crazy purple. Had a blast cruising Ft Lauderdale in the early 80’s. Topped out at 72mph down hill with the wind. Good times.
Not a ’71. This is a,1972. ’71 looks quite different. I know, I owned one back in the day.
The “high” bidder must have sobered up.
I had a blue ’72. Fun little car. It had two main problems. There was an intermittent short in the wiring. I’d be driving along and the wipers would come on. The horn would come on by itself and more. The other problem was that the timing would jump a tooth once in a while. The quick fix was to remove the valve cover , grab the timing chain, move it back one tooth and you’re good to go. (LOL) What caused that was that the timing chain tensioners were plastic and got sloppy over time. I always carried a wrench to remove the valve cover. 15 minutes and was good to go. lol
I remember these as a kid in the showroom window of a huge motorcycle dealer where I lived. I recall how small they were compared to the 71 Impala we had. Years later in the 80s while running a wrecking yard they would come in from time to time. Few if anyone bought pieces from them back then.