The S600 story

Soichiro Honda quickly became a legend, following the destruction of his manufacturing plant in WWII.  Following the war, he used the sparse resources available in Japan to build a motorcycle empire.  In the late 1950s and early 1960s he tried his hand at the auto industry as well.  His first prototypes were powered by 360cc engines, which proved way to be way too underpowered, thus the S360 was never produced for the public.  Displacement was increased to 500cc, giving birth to the S500.  From 1963 to 1964, only 1,363 S500s were made.  Once again, power was insufficient, so Honda increased the displacement to 606cc.  The new more-powerful and refined vehicle was ready for mass production.  Honda's first mass-produced passenger vehicle (11,284 roadsters and 1,800 coupes from 1964-1966), the S600 was to step onto the world's stage, even though it was never to be sold in America.  Thankfully, a very few were brought over by servicemen serving in the Pacific, who fell in love with these wonderful vehicles.

The SM600

Honda recognized the opportunity to increase profits by adding a few amenities.  The SM600 was offered as a special, upgraded package which included, among other items, special paint colors, exclusive badging, a standard radio and speaker, a special antenna in the passenger side sun visor, standard reversing lights, a standard cigarette lighter, a standard heater, better cushioned seats, and a detachable seat track for quick removal of the passenger seat.  The SM600 was a very limited edition, with a total production of only 1,519 vehicles.

Our 1966 Honda SM600
In 1966, Honda produced only 111 convertibles, with only five being designated SM600s.  We are the proud owners of one of the few remaining SM600s.  Our car was purchased in 1966, by a Naval officer honorably serving in Japan.  The car was brought home to the US, to spend the next forty-six years in Florida, with the same single owner.  The car was restored in 2001, driven regularly, and made its way to many car meets.  Needless to say, this car is a one-of-a-kind.  Read more on the history of this car.