Honda S600

Production period:	1964-1966
Class :	Sports car
Body:	coupe/convertible
Engines:	Gasoline:0.6 liters

The Honda S600 is a small sportscar of the Japanese car manufacturer Honda , which was produced from 1964 to 1966.

History

After the pre-production model Sports 360, the Honda S series only contains the S 500 (produced in 1963 and 1964), which was available as a convertible with a water-cooled 531 cc engine. He was first made in March 1964 in the Hamamatsu facility, then in November at the new Sayama plant, and now on a larger-scale production line. The production number was also altered from five to seven digits at the same time.

The S600 convertible (type code AS285 and product code 506 in Japan, 507 for export) was introduced and launched in March 1964. The Honda S600 coupe (type code AS285C and product number 508 in Japan and 509 for export) was introduced in March 1965 and quickly sold out.

Already in February 1965 the export from Japan began. In the same year, the SM600 and SM600 Coupe was sold in Japan as a luxury version with accessories and special paint in a quantity of 1,519. The additional parts were z. B. reversing light, radio, door switch for interior lighting and cigarette lighter. The special colors were "silver sky" for the SM600 and for the SM600 coupe alpine blue or sky blue, each with black interior trim. It was officially sold only in Japan, Australia, France, Italy and Switzerland. The first 50 copies exported to Europe S600 convertible + coupe were on in 1965. Two vehicles were given two importers in Scandinavia, the rest were sold to Switzerland and Italy. Altogether 180 copies of the S600 were introduced via the Port of Hamburg and transported by land to Switzerland and Italy.

As an accessory, there was a heater, plastic hardtop(Convertible), glove box lock, car radio with speaker and telescopic antenna, cigarette lighter, luggage rack (convertible), inspection lamp with plug for cigarette lighter, adjustable passenger seat rail, rear mirror for left and right fenders, woofer horn, light switch for doors, spray hood (convertible), static three-point Seat belts, reversing light, passenger sun visor, doormat, center armrest, spare wheel cover, headrest, right door lock, radiator shutter for winter operation and a five-speed gearbox (straight teeth) on request, right door lock, passenger seat rails, cigarette lighter, car radio complete with antenna, spraydeck, passenger sun visor, doormat, center armrest, luggage rack (convertible), headrest, radiator shutter (for winter operation) , Reversing lights and five-speed gearbox.

The 1965 S700 prototype with a 687 cc engine and 72 SAE hp at 9500 rpm was not produced. At the 1966 Paris Motor Show , Honda introduced the S 800 to the European public. In Japan he had already been presented and sold in January 1966. From October he was exported and after the establishment of the dealer network.The car was powered by a 800 cc engine with 67 hp (49 kW). The small sports car was offered in two versions, as a convertible and coupe .

The L700 and the P700 of 1965 had a tamer engine than the S600 and were Honda's first delivery van (station wagon or flatbed). With an effective 687 cc, they now produce 52 hp (38 kW) at 7,500 rpm.

Powered by a water-cooled 606 cc engine with 57 hp (42 kW) at 8,500 / min, which corresponds to a liter output of 94 hp. The average piston speed at rated speed was quite high at 18.41 m / s for a production vehicle. Two overhead camshafts operated the valves via bucket tappets . The crankshaft and the lower connecting rod eye had needle bearings. Four Keihin horizontal throttle carburetors ( CVB 31-26-1 type ) supplied the engine with the mixture. There were 12-spark plugs type NGK D8E ( DR8ES-L ) and D9E for tours, as well as D10E ( DR10ES) used for races. The four-speed gearbox was synchronized to the first gear. 

• PERFORMANCE: S600 606cc
• Engine capacity: 36.98 cu in, 606 cu cm
• Fuel consumption: 56.5 m/imp gal, 47 m/US gal, 5 1 x 100 km
• Max speed: 90.1 mph, 145 km/h
• max power (SAE): 57 hp at 8,500 rpm
• max torque (SAE): 38 1b ft, 5.2 kg m at 5,500 rpm
• max engine rpm: 9,500
• specific power: 94.1 hp/l
• power-weight ratio: 27.8 lb/hp, 12.6 kglhp
• acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 18.7 sec

The power was transmitted via a cardan shaft to a differential to the drive shafts and from there via a chain left and right on the rear wheels. The chain boxes with oil bath were supported as a swing by coil springs with internal telescopic shock absorbers on the frame . The car thus had an independent suspension . This construction principle was retained by Honda for the entire Sports series. Only the later S800 got from May 1966 a conventional rigid axle on trailing arms and Panhardstab . The front wheels were onWishbonessuspended with longitudinal torsion springs shock absorbers . The car had drum brakes in front and in the back . The bolted to a separate frame sheet steel body was partially hot-dip galvanized. You can see the S600 on the front grille with seven horizontal spokes. The vehicles of 1964 had the dome-shaped glass cover like the S500, which extends over the main headlight and the parking light glass. The copies from November 1964 got a chrome frame, like the later S800, without the dome-shaped glass cover. The three-spoke steering wheel was made of aluminum, steering wheel rim made of wood.

Also in racing the S600 was used. At a inaugural race on May 3, 1964, for the 2nd Grand Prix in Suzuka, the American racer Ronnie Bucknum won in the class of the GT-I to 1000 cc with a white factory-supported S600 convertible with red hardtop (No. 15) and came as a driver in the Honda Formula 1 racing team. The first six places were occupied in this race, among others, the factory-backed Japanese Genkitano.The international race debut opened the New Zealander Denny Hulme , who later became Formula 1 World Champion (1967), on 6 September 1964 at the 500-km race at the Nurburgring . With a white S600 convertible / hardtop Gran Turismo - sports car (# 88)., Who had to take the handicap on with around 630 cc to start cc in the Gran Turismo class to 1000th He won in this class with an average of 106.3 km / h.

On the long-distance journey Marathon de la Route (Route Nürburgring) 1965 drove back the Belgians Henri cross-Nice and the Japanese Nobuo Koga in a white S600 convertible / hardtop (no. 43). At the Nürburgring circuit with 22.81 km, they drove 289 laps in the 84-hour race and thus became class winners. On this course, the vehicles had to reach during the day with an average speed of 102.6 km / h and at night of 67 km / h.At the VII. International ADAC 500-kilometer race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife the Swiss rider James Bernard Fortmann drove in a red S600 convertible (# 97) to a 9th place in class 9 for touring cars up to 700 cc. He drove in the 17 laps an average of 101 km / h.