when would be a good time to buy an az600

davepdouglass · Post by **davepdouglass** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:53 am

I got my N600 when I was 15 pulled it from a snow bank dragged it home with the help of my grandfather and his interantional scout II which I still have, put a new clutch in it fixed a bunch of little stuff and took my drivers test in it at 16. I drove that car for years all thru highschool and survived. Only thing I plan to add for safety when Im done rebuilding it is to add a roll bar and some 4 point seatbelts. I think it would be a great father son project.

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, wrote:
> Dale;
> I agree, as I have flipped them, bounced off guard rails and purchased a
> Honda 600 which was wedged between two vehicles and all were repaired to
> drive again. The rollover, drove away from the scene of the accident after
> a couple of drivers pulled over and helped to put it back on it's four
> wheels again. The guard rail was a 45 mph bump and just bounced, I pulled
> the fender away from the tire and drove it home. Spent some time on that
> weekend and had it back on the road Monday. The wedge was a bit more
> extensive but the local rack pulled it straight and it too is still on the
> road.
> Oh yea, I had no injures.
> Bill
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
]On Behalf Of goinhm@...
> Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 10:45 PM
> To:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [2cylinderhondas] when would be a good time to buy an az600
> The car is about 120 inches long and weighs around 1200 pounds without the
> driver and passengers. If you are driving into a wall at 60 mph, it may
> not be survivable (how many cars would be?). But it is safer than I
> thought. I was at a gas station once and someone approached me to ask if
> the Honda 600 belonged to me. He proceeded to tell me how he read about the
> design of my car in an engineering journal and it was one of the best
> engineered cars of its time. The front of the car is designed to crumple on
> impact and the engine and its subframe is designed to break away and go down
> rather than into the passenger compartment. I just listened to him and
> thought "ha, ha, I wish". A couple years later I was driving a coupe and
> entering an intersection at about 45 mph when a pickup truck pulled straight
> in front of me. I had no choice but to hit the truck. I was expecting the
> engine to come through the firewall and it would be all over for me.
> Instead, there was lots of noise and crumpling sounds and then the car came
> to a stop wedged under the truck. I was fortunate that I struck the truck
> right behind the rear axle (and not at the rear axle because that would have
> been like hitting a wall). The whole front of the car was crumpled and the
> tires looked like they were flat. When some people pulled the car out from
> under the truck, it popped back up and the tires looked good again. What
> absorbed the energy in that frontal collision was the crumpling of the body,
> the compressing of the front suspension (the big coils and struts), and the
> compressing of the tires. I walked away looking unharmed even though I was
> a little sore for a few weeks from the sudden de-acceleration.
> I came away with more respect for the car's design. In a front or rear
> collision, I think I have a good chance of surviving if the vehicle is not
> jacked up high in the air. Probably not a collision that hits me at the
> driver's side door. The smallness and nimbleness of the car makes it very
> maneuverable and able to avoid potential problems. While I think the car is
> not as safe as a car made today, I do think it rates well for a car from
> the 1970s.
> that is what I know,
> Dale
> thanks
> i think the car may bee too small and unsafe for him to drive though,
> how small are they

d latter · Post by **d latter** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:49 am

nice story

--- On
Mon, 12/28/09, davepdouglass

wrote:
> From: davepdouglass
> Subject: [2cylinderhondas] Re: when would be a good time to buy an az600 > To: 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com > Date: Monday, December 28, 2009, 9:48 AM
> I got my N600 when I was 15 pulled it from a snow bank dragged it home with the help of my grandfather and his interantional scout II which I still have, put a new clutch in it fixed a bunch of little stuff and took my drivers test in it at 16. I drove that car for years all thru highschool and survived. Only thing I plan to add for safety when Im done rebuilding it is to add a roll bar and some 4 point seatbelts. I think it would be a great father son project.
> --- In
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> , wrote:
> > Dale;
> > I agree, as I have flipped them, bounced off guard rails and purchased a
> > Honda 600 which was wedged between two vehicles and all were repaired to
> > drive again. The rollover, drove away from the scene of the accident after
> > a couple of drivers pulled over and helped to put it back on it's four
> > wheels again. The guard rail was a 45 mph bump and just bounced, I pulled
> > the fender away from the tire and drove it home. Spent some time on that
> > weekend and had it back on the road Monday. The wedge was a bit more
> > extensive but the local rack pulled it straight and it too is still on the
> > road.
> > Oh yea, I had no injures.
> > Bill
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > [mailto:
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> ]On Behalf Of goinhm@...
> > Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 10:45 PM
> > To:
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > Subject: Re: [2cylinderhondas] when would be a good time to buy an az600
> > The car is about 120 inches long and weighs around 1200 pounds without the
> > driver and passengers. If you are driving into a wall at 60 mph, it may
> > not be survivable (how many cars would be?). But it is safer than I
> > thought. I was at a gas station once and someone approached me to ask if
> > the Honda 600 belonged to me. He proceeded to tell me how he read about the
> > design of my car in an engineering journal and it was one of the best
> > engineered cars of its time. The front of the car is designed to crumple on
> > impact and the engine and its subframe is designed to break away and go down
> > rather than into the passenger compartment. I just listened to him and
> > thought "ha, ha, I wish". A couple years later I was driving a coupe and
> > entering an intersection at about 45 mph when a pickup truck pulled straight
> > in front of me. I had no choice but to hit the truck. I was expecting the
> > engine to come through the firewall and it would be all over for me.
> > Instead, there was lots of noise and crumpling sounds and then the car came
> > to a stop wedged under the truck. I was fortunate that I struck the truck
> > right behind the rear axle (and not at the rear axle because that would have
> > been like hitting a wall). The whole front of the car was crumpled and the
> > tires looked like they were flat. When some people pulled the car out from
> > under the truck, it popped back up and the tires looked good again. What
> > absorbed the energy in that frontal collision was the crumpling of the body,
> > the compressing of the front suspension (the big coils and struts), and the
> > compressing of the tires. I walked away looking unharmed even though I was
> > a little sore for a few weeks from the sudden de-acceleration.
> > I came away with more respect for the car's design. In a front or rear
> > collision, I think I have a good chance of surviving if the vehicle is not
> > jacked up high in the air. Probably not a collision that hits me at the
> > driver's side door. The smallness and nimbleness of the car makes it very
> > maneuverable and able to avoid potential problems. While I think the car is
> > not as safe as a car made today, I do think it rates well for a car from
> > the 1970s.
> > that is what I know,
> > Dale
> > thanks
> > i think the car may bee too small and unsafe for him to drive though,
> > how small are they

jpro8071 · Post by **jpro8071** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:37 am

I would not suggest it for your teenage son. Their size and the larger number of SUVs and large cars on the road make them not as safe IMHO. (The joke I've heard is "that car is so small it should come with a funeral wreath" . . . )
They can make a great daily driver - but I've found that some tow trucks are too wide to hook up and tow them. I've had to wait for them to send the flat bed before.
They are great for darting around town, easy to park, and get great gas mileage. I can't comment on freeway speed/driveability since mine has always been souped up. (In no way cost effective . . . )
http://jdmtown.garagecity.com/600hondaavenue/

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, "boss" wrote:
> how practical is buying a az600
> are they anywhere close to an everyday car or are they only for weekends
> would it be a good car for my teenage son or more for a person like me looking for a 2nd car

jpro8071 · Post by **jpro8071** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:52 am

--- In 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com, d latter wrote:

> would it be a good father and son project and let the teenager drive it when its done or do these cars require too much work

When properly maintained they go just fine. Keep fresh oil in them, don't overheat them (I recommend Bill's add-on oil filter/cooler), etc..
There is a great support network, but you have to do your homework. The one big unknown is always the crank. You can check the cam bearings pretty easy to see if metal is getting loose in the motor . . . but that dreaded rod knock could come at any time if the motor wasn't maintained.
Even with the crank out of the car it takes a very sophisticated feel to know if it is close to going. And even if it feels "fine" it might have limited miles left. The cranks can't be "serviced" by the typical person or even typical shop . . . it's a pressed together assembly.
Everything else is pretty simple IMHO.
I don't want to scare you off, just give you details. I have very fond memories of rebuilding a car with my dad - was 25 years ago, and I still think of him every time I look at that car.

feltonminicycle · Post by **feltonminicycle** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:33 pm

I've been working on Honda 600's for people since 1981. Many of the owners were parents of teens or young people who could afford their own bills. Most young people I have seen want to go faster, see how fast the car will go, put a bigger engine in the car etc.
I had one young woman (early 20's) who blew her engine up on a regular basis. I got really good at lifting off the cylinders and head assy in one chunk to replace the crankshaft. I must have done it for her 3 or 4 times in 1 year.
If the kids understand it's not a go-fast car, understand it's not a car to let your hot rod friends drive or borrow, parts are expensive and hard to find, then it would be a good teen car and family project.
Miles

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, "jpro8071" wrote:
> --- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, d latter wrote:
> > would it be a good father and son project and let the teenager drive it when its done or do these cars require too much work
> When properly maintained they go just fine. Keep fresh oil in them, don't overheat them (I recommend Bill's add-on oil filter/cooler), etc..
> There is a great support network, but you have to do your homework. The one big unknown is always the crank. You can check the cam bearings pretty easy to see if metal is getting loose in the motor . . . but that dreaded rod knock could come at any time if the motor wasn't maintained.
> Even with the crank out of the car it takes a very sophisticated feel to know if it is close to going. And even if it feels "fine" it might have limited miles left. The cranks can't be "serviced" by the typical person or even typical shop . . . it's a pressed together assembly.
> Everything else is pretty simple IMHO.
> I don't want to scare you off, just give you details. I have very fond memories of rebuilding a car with my dad - was 25 years ago, and I still think of him every time I look at that car.