We had the hatchback version when we got married over in Okinawa in 1974. Great car... felt like driving the world's best go-cart. Loved it and miss it greatly.
You are right HDaviator ! The turbos are awesome substitutes for displacement but they distort the sound waves of the exhaust gases and also the intake is not open to the air but following the intercooler ,so no induction noise there also !
Thanks for showing it Jay. Honda has been the smartest motor company in the world. Extensive history of wins and fantastic bikes and cars. The entire world watched them win the Indianapolis 500 on their second time there.
You've got to admire the Honda Motor Co... they just recently produced their 300,000,000th motorcycle..... that's a lot of motorcycles... the first true Honda motorcycle was the 1949 100cc Dream - the 300,000,000th one was a 2014 1800cc GoldWing...amazing.... Soichiro Honda would have been proud - Cheers
Not to mention Honda's domination in F1. Notably in 1988 when their engines not only won 15 of 16 GPs, but were hitting 18,000 RPMs. Let alone a factory car like this @9,500 RPMs... in 1964...
Jim Hall said it, "It is a mini F1 engine." Holy mackerel, yes! That chain drive at the rear wheels? Brilliant solution/engineering. Must have been too expensive or complex for mass market? All the ideas that Soichiro produced in his early years, were greater than GM, Ford, and Chrysler combined. He brought race technology to The People!
The engine sounds like the best parts of the movies Le Mans and Gran Prix from the '60's. I helped my step dad rebuild a 1962 Porsche Super 90 with the roller bearing crank. It was a beast when the carbs were synched just right.
What a sound. I love little cars. I currently have two Fiat 850 spyders and there is just something special about sub 1L motoring. Nothing like this but still a real fun car to drive.
A 600cc Honda four cylinder. This ol' Honda mechanic from back in the day sees those pistons as very close to the ones used in 305cc Honda Super Hawk motorcycles. Anyhow, marvelous engineering and craftsmanship, what eventually put Honda at the pinnacle of motorcycle manufacturing and engineering. Great view of this little sports car's whole persona from Jay.
i ride a 600 cbr f4, last of the carburetted models from 1999 -direct descendant of this lump, bullet proof and wickedly fast, the only grief they ever give is the cam chain tensioner.
Part of the enjoyment is actually viewing the build process, if possible, as is the enjoyment of your own project vs a purchased product. Obviously a special vehicle for the day.
I remember seeing this car on TV a few years ago, I think it was on Car Crazy? I love the styling, the wooden steering wheel, that little motor and of course, that sound!
And this is why people love the S2000... Jay put it perfectly: "Going quickly in a Slow Car is Actually more Fun than Going fast in a fast car" that's the sole reason Cars like Miata´s, RX8, and the S2K exist.. Some people just want to hear the symphony of an engine without breaking any laws.
+skirmich Thats the same reason why the miata is so popular. It isn't a fast car but its a lot of fun to drive it at high RPM's , and offcourse its a nimble little car.
and the S2000 is just about as fast. Most experienced s2000 drivers like me that learn how to launch the car properly can get their stock S2k's to 60 in 5.0 seconds. Neither are slow cars.
Fortunately A HONDA S2000 is neither slow or underpowered! driving and owning an S2000 is tantamount to having a BJ in the Oval Office from Monica Lewinsky!!!!!
Holy crap, when he first punched it on the drive, my jaw dropped!! Thing sounds amazing! And even if it does have around 65 HP with their engine mods, in 1600 pounds that's got to be awesome fun!
I've watched The Tonight show since I was 9 years old on NBC. and Jay Leno you are living the life I wish I had. basically a dream you live in real life. if only I had the chance but wasn't fortunate enough. good content on this as well I like it a lot I'll continue to the video. Happy 4th July
not close to this jem plus later s800 pure hot cutting edge 1960s honda four stroke technology from race program eg check out on youtube 125 5 CYLINDER AT GOODWOOD FOS 2002 beg you watch it then may see s2000 as good as it is by honda standards a bit warmer than most "modern" engines but not earth moving what possible nice car but no classic
yes just about on par with this technology from 1965 which is 50 years ago as for the s2000 having any link to f1 well its clever pr speak and no more have you ever been close to a f1 car ? not last years joke but v10 and the 1,5 turbos next be saying a clio shares it dna with f1 renault not amount sport badges ant stickers can hide fact that both nice cars quick enough but not cutting edge only car thats a bit special the toyota fla thanks to the folks at yamaha but dont tell anyone car nuts be upset never ever be as classic the s800 in modern turns your s2000 be spining to 16 k and 350 ps and its not why well it a warmish safe engine
Tony Pate I've seen Senna's McLaren with the V12 and Red Bull's car from last year and Formula 1 is my religion when the current season is on. Also considering the same engineers who worked on the S2000 also worked on the NSX and were involved in Honda's F1 technology and engine design I'd say yes it directly has influence from Formula 1, especially the engine that screams to 9,000 rpm. The S600 and S800 are great classics but are still obscure cars most enthusiasts wouldn't look twice at or even be aware of their existence especially in America where the classic car scene is dominated by American muscle and European sports cars. I love both these old roadsters and will have one someday in my garage but don't be so arrogant to dismiss the S2000 because it definitely shares the same spirit of those two cars. There are also numerous articles out there that pretty much guarantee it will be a classic car in the decades to come.
wow 9 k in a car big wow honda can do that standing on it,s head nice safe tech from way back!! sorry your a f1 fan must a been so hard to watch last year power passion speed er big fail can you tell what R S C is ?? just checked out on your playlist s2000 technical video 1999 not bad but bit old hat and full holes dont get me wrong not to bad a car any wife gf be happy and safe in it i await your reply to the R S C question
I was behind one of these leaving the U.S. GP (Indy). I couldn't believe how high strung that thing was. Thanks to this video, now I know why! Great video.
My brother owns a restored 1966 S600, that was given to me in 1986. Gentleman that owned it was in the Navy. He had purchased it new on Guam. (Yes Left hand drive!) He also owned a 289 Cobra and had to relocate to the UK. Could take the Cobra, couldn't take the S600. He had been recently been interviewed by Crag Singhaus of Maryland Public Television 's MotorWeek. I ended up selling it to my stepfather because I had a young family and couldn't make the vehicle right. My brother and my stepfather restored the Honda, and my stepfather passed away and my brother became owner. I helped work on it from time to time but they did most of everything. Such a neat little roadster (removable hardtop) 4 carbs, 2 cams, 4 valves per cylinder....fun car
I BOUGHT A 1966 SM-600 IN SASEBO, JAPAN IN FEBRUARY '66 FOR ABOUT $1,650. TOOK IT TO VIET NAM THEN SAN DIEGO BACK TO YOKOHAMA IN1966 THEN TO CLERMONT, FLORIDA IN 1969. KEPT IT FOR 46+ YEARS WHEN I GOT TOO OLD TO GET DOWN THAT LOW TO GET IN. SOLD IT TO A COLLECTOR IN ALABAMA. FONDLY REMEMBER IT BUT DON'T MISS IT.BILL
Ahhh. I had one when younger. The noise was incredible, but it did not like being in traffic. Thank goodness. For people like Jay who save cars for the future.
Hands down, this has to be the best sounding and coolest little car i've seen in Jays garage. And yeah before you get your panties in a twist, the McLaren F1 is an amazing machine, but it's ultra pricey and nearly unusable on the street (ie to explore its limits). And he does have a lot of cool cars in there. As Jay has said it's more fun to drive a small, lower power car fast than a bigger car with big power slow. Just listen to that thing scream! Wow!
Honestly it sounds like a Honda engine. I have a 2001 Honda Prelude with a 2.2liter VTEC engine and the tone and sound is the very same. It’s insane that a 1964 Honda motor has the same sound as more modern engines.
Very cool Honda. This is what my grandpa used to call two motorcycles wrapped in tin foil. With chain drive at the rear, and the thin metal, this seems like an apt description.
What a sweet piece of machinery that is! It has all the elements of a good sports car: high power-to-weight ratio; clean and understated design; an engine that's tuned like a formula racer; and running gear that enhances power management and handling. For genuine enthusiasts of quality automotive engineering - who aren't impressed by a tone-y name - it must have been a real bargain. How much did it cost when new, Jay?
Jay has so many videos that were only available on his site. By putting them on TH-cam, you can get a better idea of his collection. Can't wait for some more Bentley videos. Thanks Jay.
I drove my uncles ap1 Honda s2000 last week, and am now a believer in the 9K rpm experience. Once I got in it, I didn't want to get out. It's nice seeing the car that inspired it.
As an S2000 owner, watching and hearing this, gave me a real buzz. The noise made me laugh out loud. Just incredible. To have a lineage of cars like this is amazing.
Giday Jay,Believe it or not I used to own one of these as a young bloke, I bought it against my fathers wishes but I just loved the car even before I bought it. I had the engine restored but at the time there was no one in Sydney that I could find who knew a lot about the car. The engine finally bought the farm and it was left outside the house for six months. Little did I know that I should have kept the car and had the engine rebuilt again. It had a lot of rust under the sills but it really was a fun car to drive. It was a car that I used daily to and from work with the hood down with the radio flat out cruising in traffic with the engine revving at around 5,000rpm.. It was just an amazing car. I still kick myself every time I see one.. Regards Shadowrider From down under..
It took me years to restore my 1964 S600 and it was an absolute nightmare tracking parts down...this car is definitely not for the faint of heart (or wallet)
Damn sure, had 3 x S800. One to restore and two for parts. Absolute nightmare for parts and then the price for those parts. Man o Man. Had to let them go.
I was looking for this video a while back. I had seen it on the garage site a long time ago, one of the most interesting segments jay's ever done. Love these cars and the datsun roadster
It would be killer if you guys did some 80's-90's Japanese classics! Masterpieces like the RX-7 FC & FD, Supra RZ, Civic Type-R, AE-86 Corolla, S13, S14, S15, Impreza STI, Lancer Evo VI, R32 GTR, ect... You know, all the stuff from the power cap agreement. That was when ingenuity really came through.
It would be cool but I don't think those are really his style. He's in his 60s, not his 20s. If he liked those types of cars I'm sure he would own them. If I had his kind of money I would definitely have a 2000 Supra TT, a 2000 Skyline R-34 GTR, and a 2000 FD RX-7. Paul Walker had a nice selection.
Very cool to finally see this video of Jay Leno's Garage. We have a 1965 red S600 ourselves. It's up at Formula H Motorworks to get the same or similar treatment. We anxiously await its return in roughly July or August of 2015. We cannot even believe how amazing this thing sounded after restoration. Absolutely SCREAMS at the high end of the tachometer just like a modern day S2000!! Headquarter Honda Clermont, FL
Honda has come a long way. I have had a lot of motorcycles and many were Hondas as well as a few cars. By the 70s their motorcycles were stellar and today their cars are super dependable.
Quite a few were sold in Australia. A bit small for the tall guys, but incredible go for the engine capacity. That one of Jays sounds quite a lot louder than I remember them being as stock. Nice to see these types of vehicles on the show. Makes you laugh when you hear people say Japanese are not innovative.
And Australian ingenuity put far bigger engines in them, Pushrod or 2 litre Fords, 3.3 litre Holdens and the granddaddy with a 283 Chev! I feel a current 'hot rod' engine would be S2000 running gear. Though the rough motorcycle power one was different and quite quick And dont insult the poms, most Sprites had wind up windows and a heater. And lever action shocks, oil leaks and the Prince of Darkness Lucas electrics.
I was born and raised in 1960s Japan, and I remember as a kid seeing these everywhere but I only recall seeing then in the color red 90& or white 80%. This was over 50 year ago so my memory a tad foggy. I LOVE the sound of that motor, sounds like a motorcycle. Great childhood flashback.
Fun story: a german univerity didn't believe, the car could rev that high, so they got themselves an engine and testet it at one of these engine-testing-stations (don't know how u call them in english and now too lauy to look it up) ... At about 12.000 RPM there was an explosion... Engine ok - testing-station destroied xD
I think that a full garage walk through would be a very popular video. Yes, this video will be extremely long however I feel like everyone would like to see all the different rooms. To help people you could list the start time of each room so people can skip to their favorite room. But I would love to watch Jay go through his cars and do a brief description about the car then move to the next. Thanks for your time can't wait if you do it.
What a great little car. I would love to own this. Americans that self identify with only American cars should really open up their minds and experience what other countries have done. You are not going against your country if you buy or own a car made in a different country, you are just a car person.
Hi Jay: AFAIK, there were no RHD models of your car exported to Canada. (I'm a Canuck living in Japan.) In 1966, I drove a brand new Canadian, LHD, 600 cc import model. I marvelled at the handling and precision. I loved the car and have wanted one ever since. This machine was conceived and engineered when Soichiro Honda was still working on the bench with his young engineers. (He hated the office.) And it shows in this car. We can infer that a lot of the tech came from the GP motorcycles that were startling the moto world of the times. Honda sensei's moto success came from a lifetime of very hard work. The 'K-jidosha' formula for small vehicles confers tax concessions and other benefits. The regulations have been revised since your car was made. Besides a new maximum wheel base, the engine size has been increased to 660 cc. Still, the engine cannot exceed 60 PS - or is it 65? But, due to variable cam timing and multi speed transmissions, the new K-cars have astonishing torque and highway performance. Alas K-cars are no longer cheap alternatives. The successor to your car was the Honda 'Beat'. I want one real bad, but then so do a million others - SIGH! A new Honda mini sports car is on the road, but it has taken on the current, appalling ugliness of "modern" styling. The Beat and a contemporary from Suzuki were/are sumptuous looking little sports cars.
I had a 1967 left hand dive S600 with a tonneau cover and a removable hardtop. Basically identical. I loved my "wonder bar" radio. High tech back then! I live in Canada and 66 was the first year of import of this little gem. Thanks for the post it brought back some fond memories.
Hat off to Honda once again, and of course, to Jay's rescue team whose responsible to rebuild this beauty and to Mr. Leno himself for his undying enthusatic for cars.
This is my favorite episode. Seeing the engine apart I found it a interesting mix of motorcycle and car tech from the period. Roller bearing crank, but just 3 mains. 2 valve per cylinder, couldn't tell if it had iron skulls in the head ( std. Honda in the day) or valve seats. Did the cams have needle bearings or a bearing carrier? That is the earliest Honda engine I have seen that was liquid cooled except possibly their hydrostatic drive scooter of the same period. The S600 had a air cooled twin. I had not seen a 4 cylinder from that time. I appreciate Jay's mechanical magicians use Yamabond 4, good stuff. I use myself. Always great fun, thanks Mr. Leno. Don H
love jay's enthusiasm and knowlege, a real enthusiast. Love the double denim ensemble he wears every single day! He must have a wardrobe with 25 pairs of the exact same jeans and 25 wrangler shirts. Hero
Jay you said it must of been made for Canada because of the metric speedometer but Canada was not metric until the mid 70 s so must have been built for the UK
...someone show this engine to modern Honda engineers. It's all about emissions, though. High RPM NA design usually requires the catalysts to be further downstream which means it takes longer for them to get hot enough to start working. These are issues the new Ford Mustang 350R designers have had to face. The free-flowing exhaust design usually means it's louder. And, in an era that advertises NVH and Infotainment improvement more than fresh and daring engineering ideas, it's no surprise that these characteristics don't sell in more common cars.
Love those small high revving engines from the 1950's & '60's. We had 1955 Austin-Healey 100-4, with the sweetest exhaust of any car I have ever driven.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
We had the hatchback version when we got married over in Okinawa in 1974. Great car... felt like driving the world's best go-cart. Loved it and miss it greatly.
What a great car. I'm glad Jay has the resources and willingness to preserve automotive history the way he does. The world is a better place for it.
Sounds better than current F1 cars, not even kidding you.
My farts sound better than the current F1 cars.
Panquake Your mom sound worse than the current F1 race.
***** I know right?
You are right HDaviator ! The turbos are awesome substitutes for displacement but they distort the sound waves of the exhaust gases and also the intake is not open to the air but following the intercooler ,so no induction noise there also !
That's not even trying. Current F1 cars have no sound. It's just noise.
Thanks for showing it Jay. Honda has been the smartest motor company in the world. Extensive history of wins and fantastic bikes and cars. The entire world watched them win the Indianapolis 500 on their second time there.
What a little gem. Jays enthusiasm is infectious. And for sharing his collection I am very grateful
I second that!
Agreed that sound was great and the styling works unlike the Daimler that also sounded marvelous but looked like a fish .
The thing that I like about Jay Leno is, he doesn't act like he is above everyone else, he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, That is a good thing
You've got to admire the Honda Motor Co... they just recently produced their 300,000,000th motorcycle..... that's a lot of motorcycles... the first true Honda motorcycle was the 1949 100cc Dream - the 300,000,000th one was a 2014 1800cc GoldWing...amazing.... Soichiro Honda would have been proud - Cheers
And out of those 300 millions, more than 100 million are Super Cubs. The most produced vehicle in the world, by far.
Not to mention Honda's domination in F1. Notably in 1988 when their engines not only won 15 of 16 GPs, but were hitting 18,000 RPMs.
Let alone a factory car like this @9,500 RPMs... in 1964...
Jim Hall said it, "It is a mini F1 engine." Holy mackerel, yes!
That chain drive at the rear wheels? Brilliant solution/engineering. Must have been too expensive or complex for mass market? All the ideas that Soichiro produced in his early years, were greater than GM, Ford, and Chrysler combined. He brought race technology to The People!
The engine sounds like the best parts of the movies Le Mans and Gran Prix from the '60's.
I helped my step dad rebuild a 1962 Porsche Super 90 with the roller bearing crank. It was a beast when the carbs were synched just right.
What a sound. I love little cars. I currently have two Fiat 850 spyders and there is just something special about sub 1L motoring.
Nothing like this but still a real fun car to drive.
A 600cc Honda four cylinder. This ol' Honda mechanic from back in the day sees those pistons as very close to the ones used in 305cc Honda Super Hawk motorcycles. Anyhow, marvelous engineering and craftsmanship, what eventually put Honda at the pinnacle of motorcycle manufacturing and engineering. Great view of this little sports car's whole persona from Jay.
i ride a 600 cbr f4, last of the carburetted models from 1999 -direct descendant of this lump, bullet proof and wickedly fast, the only grief they ever give is the cam chain tensioner.
Part of the enjoyment is actually viewing the build process, if possible, as is the enjoyment of your own project vs a purchased product. Obviously a special vehicle for the day.
1964 till now, 50 years and honda has never stopped making incredible cars
I love how Jay is impressed by huge American muscle cars and tiny Japanese sports cars. Dude just loves nice machinery.
This is my favorite sort of thing for Jay to share with us...
Great stuff, Jay!
I agree
I remember seeing this car on TV a few years ago, I think it was on Car Crazy? I love the styling, the wooden steering wheel, that little motor and of course, that sound!
And this is why people love the S2000... Jay put it perfectly: "Going quickly in a Slow Car is Actually more Fun than Going fast in a fast car" that's the sole reason Cars like Miata´s, RX8, and the S2K exist.. Some people just want to hear the symphony of an engine without breaking any laws.
+skirmich Thats the same reason why the miata is so popular. It isn't a fast car but its a lot of fun to drive it at high RPM's , and offcourse its a nimble little car.
and the S2000 is just about as fast. Most experienced s2000 drivers like me that learn how to launch the car properly can get their stock S2k's to 60 in 5.0 seconds. Neither are slow cars.
skirmich works in a country with speed limits and cities that live off tickets.
Fortunately A HONDA S2000 is neither slow or underpowered! driving and owning an S2000 is tantamount to having a BJ in the Oval Office from Monica Lewinsky!!!!!
@@arttafil6792
That fat B
Man that sound sure puts a smile to your face.
Holy crap, when he first punched it on the drive, my jaw dropped!! Thing sounds amazing! And even if it does have around 65 HP with their engine mods, in 1600 pounds that's got to be awesome fun!
I've watched The Tonight show since I was 9 years old on NBC. and Jay Leno you are living the life I wish I had. basically a dream you live in real life. if only I had the chance but wasn't fortunate enough. good content on this as well I like it a lot I'll continue to the video.
Happy 4th July
Just more proof of why ill never sell my S2000 ....its in a class of one ...owned it for ten yrs and still love it as much as day one !!
not close to this jem plus later s800 pure hot cutting edge 1960s honda four stroke
technology from race program eg check out on youtube 125 5 CYLINDER AT GOODWOOD FOS 2002 beg you watch it then may see s2000 as good as it is by honda standards a bit warmer than most "modern" engines but not earth moving what possible nice car but no classic
Tony Pate S2000 was produced with Honda racing technology and experience from Formula 1 and is already touted as a future classic.
yes just about on par with this technology from 1965 which is 50 years ago as for the s2000 having any link to f1 well its clever pr speak and no more have you ever been close to a f1 car ? not last years joke but v10 and the 1,5 turbos next be saying a clio shares it dna with f1 renault not amount sport badges ant stickers can hide fact that both nice cars quick enough but not cutting edge only car thats a bit special the toyota fla thanks to the folks at yamaha but dont tell anyone car nuts be upset never ever be as classic the s800 in modern turns your s2000 be spining to 16 k and 350 ps and its not why well it a warmish safe engine
Tony Pate I've seen Senna's McLaren with the V12 and Red Bull's car from last year and Formula 1 is my religion when the current season is on. Also considering the same engineers who worked on the S2000 also worked on the NSX and were involved in Honda's F1 technology and engine design I'd say yes it directly has influence from Formula 1, especially the engine that screams to 9,000 rpm. The S600 and S800 are great classics but are still obscure cars most enthusiasts wouldn't look twice at or even be aware of their existence especially in America where the classic car scene is dominated by American muscle and European sports cars. I love both these old roadsters and will have one someday in my garage but don't be so arrogant to dismiss the S2000 because it definitely shares the same spirit of those two cars. There are also numerous articles out there that pretty much guarantee it will be a classic car in the decades to come.
wow 9 k in a car big wow honda can do that standing on it,s head nice safe tech from way back!! sorry your a f1 fan must a been so hard to watch last year power passion speed er big fail can you tell what R S C is ?? just checked out on your playlist s2000 technical video 1999 not bad but bit old hat and full holes dont get me wrong not to bad a car any
wife gf be happy and safe in it i await your reply to the R S C question
Jay Leno, living every gearheads ultimate dream. I would give my first born to own a shop like that.
Love hearing the engine (sounds like an F1 race!), and the mechanic talking about the engine, too!
That engine sound! Just the noise of that cannot be street legal. Love that little thing.
I was behind one of these leaving the U.S. GP (Indy). I couldn't believe how high strung that thing was. Thanks to this video, now I know why!
Great video.
My brother owns a restored 1966 S600, that was given to me in 1986. Gentleman that owned it was in the Navy. He had purchased it new on Guam. (Yes Left hand drive!) He also owned a 289 Cobra and had to relocate to the UK. Could take the Cobra, couldn't take the S600. He had been recently been interviewed by Crag Singhaus of Maryland Public Television 's MotorWeek. I ended up selling it to my stepfather because I had a young family and couldn't make the vehicle right. My brother and my stepfather restored the Honda, and my stepfather passed away and my brother became owner. I helped work on it from time to time but they did most of everything. Such a neat little roadster (removable hardtop) 4 carbs, 2 cams, 4 valves per cylinder....fun car
These really were incredible little cars.
I BOUGHT A 1966 SM-600 IN SASEBO, JAPAN IN FEBRUARY '66 FOR ABOUT $1,650. TOOK IT TO VIET NAM THEN SAN DIEGO BACK TO YOKOHAMA IN1966 THEN TO CLERMONT, FLORIDA IN 1969. KEPT IT FOR 46+ YEARS WHEN I GOT TOO OLD TO GET DOWN THAT LOW TO GET IN. SOLD IT TO A COLLECTOR IN ALABAMA. FONDLY REMEMBER IT BUT DON'T MISS IT.BILL
Thank you for restoring such a beautiful car.
Engines, body and paint, the talented crew in Jays garage has it all mastered.
Excellent job on the restoration, Jay! Looks great and sounds incredible. Honda was ahead of their time back then.
Ahhh. I had one when younger. The noise was incredible, but it did not like being in traffic. Thank goodness. For people like Jay who save cars for the future.
Hands down, this has to be the best sounding and coolest little car i've seen in Jays garage. And yeah before you get your panties in a twist, the McLaren F1 is an amazing machine, but it's ultra pricey and nearly unusable on the street (ie to explore its limits). And he does have a lot of cool cars in there. As Jay has said it's more fun to drive a small, lower power car fast than a bigger car with big power slow. Just listen to that thing scream! Wow!
youtubasoarus
Honestly it sounds like a Honda engine. I have a 2001 Honda Prelude with a 2.2liter VTEC engine and the tone and sound is the very same. It’s insane that a 1964 Honda motor has the same sound as more modern engines.
He actually a fast car fast
Very cool Honda. This is what my grandpa used to call two motorcycles wrapped in tin foil. With chain drive at the rear, and the thin metal, this seems like an apt description.
Awesome episode! Love to to see these restorations take shape. Jim could have his own show.
What a sweet piece of machinery that is! It has all the elements of a good sports car: high power-to-weight ratio; clean and understated design; an engine that's tuned like a formula racer; and running gear that enhances power management and handling. For genuine enthusiasts of quality automotive engineering - who aren't impressed by a tone-y name - it must have been a real bargain. How much did it cost when new, Jay?
Jay has so many videos that were only available on his site. By putting them on TH-cam, you can get a better idea of his collection. Can't wait for some more Bentley videos. Thanks Jay.
I drove my uncles ap1 Honda s2000 last week, and am now a believer in the 9K rpm experience. Once I got in it, I didn't want to get out. It's nice seeing the car that inspired it.
That beautiful little car sounds like a formula 1 V8
Awesome!
As an S2000 owner, watching and hearing this, gave me a real buzz. The noise made me laugh out loud. Just incredible. To have a lineage of cars like this is amazing.
I have to admit, it sounds way better than I thought it would.
Giday Jay,Believe it or not I used to own one of these as a young bloke, I bought it against my fathers wishes but I just loved the car even before I bought it. I had the engine restored but at the time there was no one in Sydney that I could find who knew a lot about the car. The engine finally bought the farm and it was left outside the house for six months. Little did I know that I should have kept the car and had the engine rebuilt again. It had a lot of rust under the sills but it really was a fun car to drive. It was a car that I used daily to and from work with the hood down with the radio flat out cruising in traffic with the engine revving at around 5,000rpm.. It was just an amazing car. I still kick myself every time I see one..
Regards Shadowrider From down under..
It took me years to restore my 1964 S600 and it was an absolute nightmare tracking parts down...this car is definitely not for the faint of heart (or wallet)
Damn sure, had 3 x S800. One to restore and two for parts. Absolute nightmare for parts and then the price for those parts. Man o Man. Had to let them go.
I've watched dozens of these videos, but this might be my favorite. Such a cool little car.
I was looking for this video a while back. I had seen it on the garage site a long time ago, one of the most interesting segments jay's ever done. Love these cars and the datsun roadster
Jay is such a good dude. Loves his cars. And so humble. Thanks for sharing your love of great cars with us regular joes Jay....
It would be killer if you guys did some 80's-90's Japanese classics! Masterpieces like the RX-7 FC & FD, Supra RZ, Civic Type-R, AE-86 Corolla, S13, S14, S15, Impreza STI, Lancer Evo VI, R32 GTR, ect... You know, all the stuff from the power cap agreement. That was when ingenuity really came through.
It would be cool but I don't think those are really his style. He's in his 60s, not his 20s. If he liked those types of cars I'm sure he would own them. If I had his kind of money I would definitely have a 2000 Supra TT, a 2000 Skyline R-34 GTR, and a 2000 FD RX-7. Paul Walker had a nice selection.
I'd like to see him do a vid on my first car..a 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5
Those aren't old enough to be considered classics.
Robert Brumley 25+ yrs old is considered classic in the Car World
Say's who?
Very cool to finally see this video of Jay Leno's Garage. We have a 1965 red S600 ourselves. It's up at Formula H Motorworks to get the same or similar treatment. We anxiously await its return in roughly July or August of 2015. We cannot even believe how amazing this thing sounded after restoration. Absolutely SCREAMS at the high end of the tachometer just like a modern day S2000!!
Headquarter Honda
Clermont, FL
Sounds like a 1950s F1 car. Love it!
Honda has come a long way. I have had a lot of motorcycles and many were Hondas as well as a few cars. By the 70s their motorcycles were stellar and today their cars are super dependable.
dem Honda boys make great motors..... swweeet!
oh yea!!!
I loved this at first sight and now that I hear it?! Jay, thank you so much for sharing. One day I want this car! Honda for life!!
I love these series Jay does. But 480p, come on I need 1080p to see the beauty of this car! Nice video again though thank you.
This was filmed 7 years ago and was from a website. Notice he has more black in his hair and is thinner. ;)
Ok thanks for pointing that out, I was thinking it was newer since the whole series started.
No problem. I was wondering why it was so grainy at first too. Lol.
God it just sounds great. Reminds me of all my 70s honda bikes i had years ago. Just wonderful engineering.
Holy! DAT SOUND!
That thing is cool as hell. I drive my 68 firebird with its 461 cubic inch motor every day but this would be such a joy in the summer....
Quite a few were sold in Australia. A bit small for the tall guys, but incredible go for the engine capacity. That one of Jays sounds quite a lot louder than I remember them being as stock. Nice to see these types of vehicles on the show. Makes you laugh when you hear people say Japanese are not innovative.
And Australian ingenuity put far bigger engines in them, Pushrod or 2 litre Fords, 3.3 litre Holdens and the granddaddy with a 283 Chev!
I feel a current 'hot rod' engine would be S2000 running gear. Though the rough motorcycle power one was different and quite quick
And dont insult the poms, most Sprites had wind up windows and a heater. And lever action shocks, oil leaks and the Prince of Darkness Lucas electrics.
I was born and raised in 1960s Japan, and I remember as a kid seeing these everywhere but I only recall seeing then in the color red 90& or white 80%. This was over 50 year ago so my memory a tad foggy. I LOVE the sound of that motor, sounds like a motorcycle. Great childhood flashback.
Fun story: a german univerity didn't believe, the car could rev that high, so they got themselves an engine and testet it at one of these engine-testing-stations (don't know how u call them in english and now too lauy to look it up) ... At about 12.000 RPM there was an explosion... Engine ok - testing-station destroied xD
I think that a full garage walk through would be a very popular video. Yes, this video will be extremely long however I feel like everyone would like to see all the different rooms. To help people you could list the start time of each room so people can skip to their favorite room. But I would love to watch Jay go through his cars and do a brief description about the car then move to the next. Thanks for your time can't wait if you do it.
Jay, you ruined the saying... its "Going fast in a slow car is more exciting than going slow in a fast car..." Still, love the episode my dude.
I had a66 S600 in Australia. Great fun . Widened wheels , put straight through exhaust, sounded like a V8! Stuck to road like glue! Fun.
What a great little car. I would love to own this. Americans that self identify with only American cars should really open up their minds and experience what other countries have done. You are not going against your country if you buy or own a car made in a different country, you are just a car person.
Hi Jay: AFAIK, there were no RHD models of your car exported to Canada. (I'm a Canuck living in Japan.) In 1966, I drove a brand new Canadian, LHD, 600 cc import model. I marvelled at the handling and precision. I loved the car and have wanted one ever since. This machine was conceived and engineered when Soichiro Honda was still working on the bench with his young engineers. (He hated the office.) And it shows in this car. We can infer that a lot of the tech came from the GP motorcycles that were startling the moto world of the times. Honda sensei's moto success came from a lifetime of very hard work.
The 'K-jidosha' formula for small vehicles confers tax concessions and other benefits. The regulations have been revised since your car was made. Besides a new maximum wheel base, the engine size has been increased to 660 cc. Still, the engine cannot exceed 60 PS - or is it 65? But, due to variable cam timing and multi speed transmissions, the new K-cars have astonishing torque and highway performance. Alas K-cars are no longer cheap alternatives.
The successor to your car was the Honda 'Beat'. I want one real bad, but then so do a million others - SIGH! A new Honda mini sports car is on the road, but it has taken on the current, appalling ugliness of "modern" styling. The Beat and a contemporary from Suzuki were/are sumptuous looking little sports cars.
What a sound!
I had a 1967 left hand dive S600 with a tonneau cover and a removable hardtop. Basically identical. I loved my "wonder bar" radio. High tech back then! I live in Canada and 66 was the first year of import of this little gem. Thanks for the post it brought back some fond memories.
Honda's first sports car? What about the S500? But damn, that car sounds so, so good, hoping they eventually put some decent sounds in Gran Turismo...
Agreed!
guess what ?? s 360 and yes it.s on you tube
Hat off to Honda once again, and of course, to Jay's rescue team whose responsible to rebuild this beauty and to Mr. Leno himself for his undying enthusatic for cars.
Looks like you should be wearing a fez and driving it in a parade. Sounds badass though.
That's what I love about Jay. He's a CAR guy, not a brand or nation guy.
Actually, Honda made one production sport car before this one: the S500 in 1963. It was discontinued in 1964 with only 1,363 produced.
This is my favorite episode. Seeing the engine apart I found it a interesting mix of motorcycle and car tech from the period. Roller bearing crank, but just 3 mains. 2 valve per cylinder, couldn't tell if it had iron skulls in the head ( std. Honda in the day) or valve seats. Did the cams have needle bearings or a bearing carrier? That is the earliest Honda engine I have seen that was liquid cooled except possibly their hydrostatic drive scooter of the same period. The S600 had a air cooled twin. I had not seen a 4 cylinder from that time. I appreciate Jay's mechanical magicians use Yamabond 4, good stuff. I use myself.
Always great fun, thanks Mr. Leno.
Don H
Awesome sound! I want one!
I love the sound that little engine makes.
Beautiful sounding 4-banger. They usually sound terrible.
love jay's enthusiasm and knowlege, a real enthusiast. Love the double denim ensemble he wears every single day! He must have a wardrobe with 25 pairs of the exact same jeans and 25 wrangler shirts. Hero
4:54 Is Leno watching Mighty Car Mods? :D
+Matej Sommer he is biting their moves... he ll do everything for some recognition..
+h0rr0r100 the hell you talking about? this video was originally uploaded to jays old site back in 08 before mcm really anything.
Probably the best sounding car I've ever heard.
Sounds like a 1980s F1 car....lol love it
Drove one for about 6 months in early 1970 while stationed on Okinawa. Loads of fun to drive.
Jay you said it must of been made for Canada because of the metric speedometer but Canada was not metric until the mid 70 s so must have been built for the UK
The uk is still imperial, ie not metric, so it wasnt made for uk. Every other country is possible, just not uk or usa (or canada)
It was a direct import, Japan was metric in 1964, so KPH clocks
Neil Roberts
Agree it was a domestic model (JDM) although LHD versions were exported.
Japanese cars, even ones made for Japan, often have things written in English on them. Don't know why.
Googlefluff857 Even Russian MBTs (Tanks) that the Iraq's used had English gauges and the operator manual was in English.
What a glorious noise it makes! Jay is so right about smaller engines versus big ones.
10:10 He DOES look like a circus bear driving it! XD
Sounds a lot better than I was anticipating.
to really, have to wait for that HD :)
Nope, this is a retro episode from the days when this was run on a website. Cameras weren't so great back then.
Alfred Munkenbeck
Yeah, Jay still has some black in his hair.
I
For a Honda, it sounds amazing. Reminds me of 60s F1 cars
Cooler than any Civic.
This is one of the best videos Jay's done in a while, more like this!
Someone show this engine to modern Mazda engineers.
...someone show this engine to modern Honda engineers.
It's all about emissions, though. High RPM NA design usually requires the catalysts to be further downstream which means it takes longer for them to get hot enough to start working. These are issues the new Ford Mustang 350R designers have had to face. The free-flowing exhaust design usually means it's louder. And, in an era that advertises NVH and Infotainment improvement more than fresh and daring engineering ideas, it's no surprise that these characteristics don't sell in more common cars.
I love how much care Leno puts into all his cars. I hope someone good stays in charge of these beauties when he dies.
First. I wrote this comment in 1964
Okay; I'll give ya that one. :-)
I believe you, I believe everything on the internet. Makes life really interesting.
LOL!
Finn Fisher His spermies weren't even thought of back in '64 x)
This comment reminded me of Chappelle skit on Tupac
I watch this video at least twice a month, just to hear that engine/exhaust music!!!
the sound of that car is like porn to the gearhead's ears.
sounds almost identical to my cbr 600 f4 with a yoshi can on it,
The sound that little car makes is insane. flowmaster did a great job.
Great sound. The music played during the interlude sections is like 1970's porn music.
It made me laugh. Car porn. I wish I could have got it HD.
My thoughts exactly!
It reminds me specifically of Pornosonic
Love those small high revving engines from the 1950's & '60's. We had 1955 Austin-Healey 100-4, with the sweetest exhaust of any car I have ever driven.
I can't believe the sound it makes. Wow!
This is exactly the engineering detail I was hoping you would do. Awesome job
This video isn't available in HD? Such a gorgeous little car, with so much detail left out.
Bless you Jay for restoring a piece of Honda history!