1966 HONDA S800C 0.8

Vehicle Overview

Just two years after the little Honda S600 roadster made a triumphant entry into the Japanese carmaker’s automotive business, it came with a new version: the S800C.

Honda already knew that a unibody construction would handle better than an open-top vehicle due to its stiffness. While it was known more for building motorcycles, it started to gain a name for itself for the nimble roadster S600. But people asked for more power under the hood. And Honda provided that.

From the outside, the S800C might be differentiated from an S600 Coupe only by true connoisseurs. The car looked more like a shooting-brake than a coupe, with its longer greenhouse and the hump in the back. A sloped tailgate with exposed hinges at the top and the round tail lamps were specific to the little coupe.

The interior was fit for two passengers, with a carpeted trunk behind them. It was the ideal car for two young people who wanted to go on a trip. A new dashboard, with four dials, replaced the complex one used for the S600. On the center tunnel, behind the gear-stick, the carmaker installed a small storage compartment. In 1966, there were just a few carmakers to think of that.

Under the hood, Honda installed a rev-happy 0.8-liter engine, which delivered its maximum power at 8.000 rpm! That was motorcycle territory, where Honda already gained some expertise. It was mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox and sent the power to the rear wheels. Another unusual feature for that time was the independent suspension in all corners.