Honda S600 coupe - Why this was the '60s godfather of Vtec and Type R // The Late Brake Show

In this Late Brake Show Jonny drives his rare Honda S600 coupe for the first time. This is almost the '60s godfather of Vtec and Type R, as with a tiny 606cc engine Honda proved to the world that size didn't matter - what did matter was intricate obsessive engineering and the ability to rev to 10,000rpm and almost get to 100mph with such a small engine displacement. Ok, so strictly speaking the S600 wasn't the first production car - that was the S500 - but it was the first mass produced four wheeled Honda. After three long years Jonny drives his 1965 Honda S600 coupe project car for the first time. This can be credited with cementing Honda as a serious car manufacturer of sports cars. Without this the S2000 - and possibly the Type Rs or NSXs - would have never been born. The S600 started life in 1964 and was the last vehicle Mr Soichiro Honda signed off personally. Soichiro was obsessed with motorbike racing, and set Honda on its mission to dominate the likes of Isle of Man TT road racing, as well as world circuits. This motorcycle racing engineering would be translated into the build of the early Honda sports car series; double overhead cams, four carbs - one for each cylinder, aluminium finned brakes, aluminium engine with needle roller crank bearings and crazy complex independent chain drive rear axle. The S800 replaced the S600 in 1966/67 and the crazy chain rear axle set up was switched to a more conventional live axle. Jonny's South African RHD coupe is thought to be one of only two S600 coupes in the UK. It has been repainted by Walter Chrobok ( see @Retro_Classica on Insta) and mechanically rebuilt by Project Heaven (http://project-heaven.com). In this episode you can watch and hear it max out on the rolling road dyno, then get driven on British roads for the very first time. Have you heard a 1960s 0.6-litre car comfortably rev to 9000rpm at 90mph before? 1964 S600 factory engine spec: 606cc inline four cylinder, four carburettor, watercooled, 45-degree, DOHC, needle roller bearing crank Aluminium finned drum hydraulic brakes Rack and pinion steering Suspension: front torsion bar and wishbone, aluminium independent chain drive rear axle Power: 57PS @ 8,500rpm Torque: 37.6lbft @ 5,500rpm Speed: 90mph (145km/h) Dimensions Length: 3300mm Wheelbase: 2000mm Width: 1400mm Kerb weight (wet): 720kg ********** Want to be a CarPervert Patreon supporter? https://www.patreon.com/thelatebrakeshow ********** Thank you for watching. If you haven't already, SUBSCRIBE to CarPervert for a broad-church of automotive appreciation spanning EV, classic, modified and future tech. Filmed and edited by: Matty Graham @ Pixel Click http://pixel-click.com Thumbnail by: Matt Tarrant Design https://matttarrantdesign.com **************** Jonny Smith Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since '98 Website: http://www.carpervert.com Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jonnycarpervert Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carpervert CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:50 Project Heaven sexy scrap yard 1:47 Meet Pete 4:10 Rolling road dyno session 4:42 Full throttle 5:00 9,000rpm at 90mph! 6:08 Post-dyno analysis 8:27 Stainless exhaust layout 9:24 Crazy enclosed chain independent rear axle 10:53 Outside in the sun 11:09 Cabin and dash layout 12:15 Revving 12:53 FIRST TIME ON THE ROAD 17:50 Tech spec 22:40 Small, economical screamer classics - the future? 23:52 9,000rpm full throttle through gears 25:00 Side profile closer look 26:09 Repaint 26:43 Verdict and outro

Added 20 Jul 2026