Few people today are aware of the sports car heritage that marked the beginning of Honda’s entry into the automobile market. Small and clean, with plenty of pep, for a first entry in the market they were remarkably well engineered.
Released in 1963, a mere 4 months behind their first truck, the S500 was a cute and small 2-seater sports car. Using a 531cc motor designed after their familiar dual over head cam motorcycle engines, the S500 was equipped with four carburetors and a red line of 9,500rpm. Followed by a 4 speed transmission leading to its most unique feature.
The final drive to the rear wheels was chain drive. The drive shaft exited the transmission attaching to a normal differential. This led to individual fully enclosed chain cases going to each rear wheel. Allowing the rear wheels to move up and down independent of each other, They had true independent suspension at the drive wheels. A keen bit of engineering on Honda’s part. Delivered as a convertible, with a fiberglass top as an option, the S500 was produced until September of 1964.
March of 1964 brought about the first improved version of the car, originally containing a 44 hp motor, the New S600 upgraded to a 492cc engine rated at 57hp. The new S600 was also available both as a Fast Back Coupe, and in the original Convertible configuration. Weighing only 1,576lbs, this was one snappy little car. It’s top speed was 90mph, but with the high red line of the engine, you could fly through the gears and get to top speed quite fast.
The S500 was a limited production, with all cars produced with the steering on the right side. The S600 was the first attempt at mass marketing and cars were produced with both left and right side drive. Production totals for the S600 over 3 years of production amounted to about 13,000 cars. The last year, 1966, being the lowest as Honda upgraded again to the S800.
Becoming Honda’s premiere sports car, the S800 was again an upgrade of it’s previous models. Now sporting a 791cc, 70hp engine under its bonnet, the car was now capable of reaching 100mph. Squeezing 35mpg from its fuel, this would still be a practical car in todays market. Early production of the S800 still retained the original independent suspension with chain drive to the wheels, but shortly it was replaced with a more standard conventional solid axle.
In an effort to enter the American market the S800M was outfitted with a dual brake system, lean carburetors, and safety glass. The car never made it into the American market and production wrapped up for the S800 in May of 1970. Total production run of the S800 amounted to about 11,500 cars.
Searching the classic car market on the Internet, today the most common places to run into a surviving early S type Honda’s would be Australia, Canada, or the United Kingdom
In 1999 Honda introduced the S2000, to pay homage to the old S series of the 1960’s. With modern refinements this is a first class sports car. Offered at a beginning price of $34,250, this is the highest priced Honda model offered in America.
Some times you just can’t go back. This is as true in sports cars as it is in life. Earlier times are unique unto themselves. If an S600 was offered rather then the new S2000, with all its slick features, it could well take you back to a simpler time. A trip absolutely worth taking.
Source www.Wikipedia.org
