I appreciate the kind words, but the Honda 600's that continue to live are in the hands of you all. Without other car crazy people like us these small cars would be history. The true store house of parts is in the hands of Honda 600 owners current and past. It seems that most Honda 600 owners are/were packrats (I say that with respect) because most of the previous owners have Honda 600 parts still in their garage. I kid you not.
So, thanks to all the current and past owners of Honda 600's and may you all continue to keep a place for all the hard to come by parts.
Bill
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> anzhonda600owners@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:anzhonda600owners@yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of
> TOM
> THIES
> Sent:
> Sunday, August 09, 2009 9:48 PM
> To:
> anzhonda600owners@yahoogroups.com
> Subject:
> Re: [anzhonda600owners]
> RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
> �
> that is so true... A few have been keeping these cars going.. I am lucky > I live two hours from a coupe of guys that has worked on these cars for a long > time, B and B automotive in Washougal Washington. Plus all that I have > done.
> Tom T
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > roger white
> > To:
> > anzhonda600owners@ yahoogroups. com
> > Sent:
> > Sunday, August 09, 2009 9:06
> > PM
> > Subject:
> > Re: [anzhonda600owners] RE:
> > [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
> > Rock on Bill, If it wasn't for you and a few others Most 600s would be > > crushed for scrap.
> > From:
> > "
> > billmyong@earthlin k.net
> > "
> > > billmyong@earthlink .net
> > To:
> > Anzhonda600owners > anzhonda600owners@ yahoogroups. com
> > >;
> > 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > Sent:
> > Sunday, August 9, 2009 6:14:39
> > AM
> > Subject:
> > [anzhonda600owners] RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up > > date"
> > �
> > The cost of restoring a Honda 600 being compared to
> > Corvettes built between 1968 and 1982. BLUF (Bottom Line Up > > Front) Just because it costs less to make a part for a 30+ year old > > Chevy does not relate to a 37 year old Honda 600. And E-Bay does > > not help to reduce the price.
> > I have also restored Corvettes, and
> > Cadillac's, Dotson's and other vehicles. Cost of remanufacturing is > > higher on vehicles where the numbers are low. There are several > > million Chevy's out there, and a good number of them are Corvettes. If > > you are going to compare Corvette remanufactured parts to Honda 600's > > then your figures are flawed. As you say, Corvettes are worth more, > > and the number of them being restored compared to Honda 600's is > > different. Where as several thousand Corvette's > > are being > > given ground up, frame off restorations, most Honda 600 owners are just > > getting them to run. To make a quantity of parts that quantity > > needs to move off the shelf in a reasonable amount of time. I have > > Head Gaskets made for the Honda 600's that I restore and I make them > > available to other Honda 600 owners. Minimum order is 25 at a time and > > that supply lasts a year. Each one is almost hand made because > > of the torque requirements which relate directly to the height of the fire > > ring compared to the gasket material. 38 foot pounds of torque will > > not compress a normal fire ring enough to seal the rest of the gasket unless > > it is made to a tolerance no more that two thousands greater than the gasket > > material itself. This process costs. Unlike a 350 Chevy where > > the head torque is 80 foot pounds there are different manufacturing > > requirements. And, if you apply more than that 38 pounds of torque to > > the head on a Honda 600 you will crack the cam box above the head.
> > Most Corvettes made from 1969
> > though 1982 used the 350 engine, as did several million other Chevy's.
> > And there were/are a wide range of manufacturers making the parts to > > maintain these vehicles. And, if a Corvette had it this year then the > > Camaro, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Nova etc. had it the next year or > > so. Honda imported a total of 45 thousand 600's from 1969 > > through August of 1972. I have been keeping a list of Honda 600's > > since 1996 and there are less than 2 thousand of them left, with maybe 500 > > +/- 50 that are running and fewer are licensed for use. And, maybe 100 > > of these are being restored in the United States.
> > A new windshield seal for a new
> > Mini Cooper (I use the Mini because it is close to a Honda 600's size) is > > $300.00 or so. It costs more to make a new Honda 600 windshield > > seal yet they are being sold for less. But lets take a simple gasket > > set (heat exchanger gaskets - there are three and each engine normally will > > need all three) to go over the details; To have the dies made for a > > single gasket is $175.00 X 3 = $525.00, it costs $15.00 to make a > > set of of heat exchanger gaskets because there are three different > > ones for Honda 600 built from April 1971 through August 1972 so they are > > made by the set. Tack on packing, shipping, time it takes for > > inspection and repacking along with taxes and you are at roughly $6.00 a > > gasket. I tack on $3.00 to each gasket to get back initial > > costs. Which means that 175 heat exchanger gasket sets will have > > to be made and sold before there is any profit from this. At > > roughly 25 engines being built a year that require new heat exchanger > > gaskets, it will take about 7 years before that profit number is > > reached. But let's say you can get these gaskets made for less, > > you are still dealing with 7 years to see any profit from the initial outlay > > and this is why most manufacturers will not even look at Honda 600's.
> > Manufacturers who used to make parts for Honda 600's will not talk to you > > unless you want 500 units and they want money up front because the machines > > that made these items 30 years ago are collecting dust in the back lot > > if they are even still there. Mike O'Conner makes a nice piston > > set with rings and pin's for around $300.00 each set of two. Go > > to a manufacturer like EGGE machine ( > > http://www.egge. com/CATALOG > > ) see if Honda is listed, > > then talk to them about new pistons. 10 years ago is was about $100.00 > > each without the rings and pin's.
> > If you are thinking that a small
> > car relates to a small price, talk to Honda about a new crankshaft if > > they can find one.
> > Bill
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From:
> > > 2cylinderhondas@
> > > yahoogroups. com [mailto:2cylinderho ndas@yahoogroups .com] > > > On Behalf Of
> > > Kevin Keough
> > > Sent:
> > > Saturday, August 08, 2009 12:43
> > > PM
> > > To:
> > > 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > > Subject:
> > > RE:
> > > [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date" [1
> > > Attachment]
> > > Hi mike&tami some of the stuff your looking for
> > > is avaliable for BIG prices. I restore old corvettes and chevelles > > > and the prices are much higher on the repop 600 stuff then the > > > corvette repop stuff and vets are worth a bit more then a 600. but > > > not alot or repop stuff out there for the 600 ill try to keep prices > > > reasonable on the stuff I have repoped just trying to help keep > > > the little car going not trying to get rich. thanks > > > Kevin > > > --- On > > > Sat, 8/8/09, Mike & Tami Speer
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > > > From: Mike &
> > > > Tami Speer
> > > > Subject: RE:
> > > > [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
> > > > To: 2cylinderhondas@
> > > > yahoogroups. com
> > > > Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009, 5:36
> > > > PM
> > > > Hi
> > > > Kevin,
> > > > You
> > > > mentioned
> > > > I get payed well to do this stuff if anybody has any ideas > > > > on other reproduction parts let me know ill work on it, some good > > > > repro parts would be:
> > > > Front and rear window moldings with chrome
> > > > strips, N600. Front only on Z600?
> > > > Pop out window seals
> > > > Door seals
> > > > Trunk seal
> > > > Lip seals for roll down windows
> > > > Window guide seals for roll down windows.
> > > > I know JC Whitney has some all purpose type
> > > > seals but reviews seemed to be mixed on how well they work, some > > > > mention they are too tight. This ranks right up there with > > > > garden hose sway bar bushings, anyone can glue a garage door > > > > seal in place from Home Depot, but something closer to OEM would > > > > be nicer for a better fit and finish..
> > > > Mike
> > > > > �
> > > > > the shocks should be ready in 30 to 40 days thy will be > > > > identical to the OEM shock in look and load rate should give a > > > > nice ride. Im working on a reproduction gas tank for the sedan any > > > > intrest from group members? dont worry guys I get payed well to do > > > > this stuff if anybody has any ideas on other reproduction parts > > > > let me know ill work on it Thanks for the interest Kevin
> > > > > How much do you think the new gas take will
> > > > cost? Interested BRUCE
> > > > No virus found in this incoming
> > > > message.
> > > > Checked by AVG -
> > > > www.avg.com
> > > > Version: 8.5.392 / Virus
> > > > Database: 270.13.46/2288 - Release Date: 08/07/09 > > > > 13:13:00