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Everyone loves Honda's early automobiles, and the N600, produced from 1967 through the early 1970s, combine extreme packaging efficiency and a 354cc four-stroke SOHC twin under the hood. Cute and clever? Yes. Fast? Uh, no.
Until this beast come along, anyway. Found on www.bringatrailer.com, this '72 N600 packs something you don't expect to see under the hood: The V-4 from a 1998 Honda VFR800. According to the seller, "The car is setup for fast road and autocross use, and the seller has spent several years dialing in the build. It features four wheel independent suspension based on shortened Mazda Miata components, paddle shifters for the sequential transmission and a 12k RPM redline. This is a quick N600 that is said to be capable of 127 mph and very nimble." Imagine 127 mph on a 78.7-inch wheelbase. If you're short on imagination, just check out the YouTube video below:
The ad continues: “Though only 200cc’s larger than the original engine, the water-cooled V-4 gives the Honda two extra cylinders and 300 percent of its original output. The seller notes that there is no reverse gear, though because it is lightweight opening a door and kicking the car backwards with one foot is generally adequate. A Forward-Neutral-Reverse box could be added in the drivetrain tunnel.” Best suited for buyers with a circular drive, then.
Beyond the VFR engine transplant, “Both front and rear bumpers are in fact narrowed rear bumpers from a ’67 Camaro. Both have integrated LED lighting, driving lights at the front and the taillights/turn signals at the rear. The build is based on a rust free ’72 N600 shell sourced in California. The front and rear glass is flush-mounted, and the seller had a new windshield made for this application as good used ones are difficult to source.”
Better hurry: The auction for the car, located in Bakersfield, California, runs only one more day.
