[Healeys] Start of the Japanese Auto Industry

[Patrick and Caroline Quinn]

G'day

I have had the pleasure of driving both the Honda S600 and S800. Both great
little cars.

In both, the 4-cylinder DOHC engines are jewels and will easily rev to
10,000rpm. At that speed I can't vouch for longevity, but the current Honda
S2000 will do the same and does last.

Both the S600 and S800 (we never got the S500 in Australia) had conventional
4-speed gearboxes, but the S600 was a carryon from Honda's motorcycle
background with twin chain drive to the rear end. The S800 had a normal
driveshaft and solid rear end with semi-eliptics.

I recall one duel we had with a MG Midget and I must say the S800 we were in
was far quicker, but the Midget handled well.

As a matter of interest Honda is one of the few automotive companies that
still has the fingerprints of its founder all over it. Mr Honda's successor
was Mr Kume who arrived in England in 1965 as a motor mechanic to assist Sir
Jack Brabham in his Formula 2 exploits. They had not a word of common
language between them, but Honda engines gave Black Jack the championship.

All the best for 2010.

Patrick Quinn
Sydney, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Alan Seigrist
Sent: Wednesday, 30 December 2009 5:16 PM
To: Greg Lemon; Oudesluys; Carr&Edwards; healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Start of the Japanese Auto Industry

My mom had an S800 when we lived in Japan in the 60s when my dad was
flying out of Tachikawa.

For sure the Sprite was pound for pound a more reliable and faster
track car, but the S800 revved over 7500 rpms and sounded like a
Formula 1 racer on the highway.

My dad had one of the old bespoke coachbuilt Nissan Presidents.  He
much preferred that car, at 6'4" he couldn't fit in the S800.

The S800 had the most retarded rear end with an offset live axle &
chain drive to make room for the spare tire....

The engine on the other hand, was pure genius.

On 12/30/09, Greg Lemon <glemon at neb.rr.com> wrote:
> Donald (or maybe Geoffrey) said really bad things about the Honda S500-800
> in one of the Healey books they wrote in comparing it to the Sprite, but I
> have also read some fairly good reviews of the cars, pretty rare over
here,
> never have seen one in the flesh let alone driven one.
>
> Greg Lemon
>
> " They already knew: Honda S500-S800
>  Kees Oudesluijs"
 
Sent from my mobile device

Alan

'52 A90
'53 BN1
'59 Jag Mk IX
'64 BJ8