Daniel is one bloke I can assure you is not afraid of hard work - and when he sets his mind to something, he makes it happen. The number of vehicles in "the shed" and numerous other examples of Kei Class Honda's parked on his property demonstrate his commitment to preserving the marque, and having a collection that is truly unique! The cars we discuss in what turned out to be my longest ever car interview include...
1. 1972 Z360 Coupe (air cooled and made famous by the film Malcolm)
2. 1969 N600 Delux (air-cooled)
3. 1973 TN360 Truck (air cooled)
4. 1964 T500 Truck (air cooled)
5. 1970 LN360 Station Wagon (air cooled)
6. 1972 LN360 Panel Van (air cooled)
7. 1974 Z360 Hardtop Coupe (water cooled)
8. 1964 S600 Roadster Convertible (twin cam, quad carb, water cooled)
9. 1971 1300 Coupe9 (quad carb, air cooled)
In addition to his Honda collection Daniel also has a stunning Celica RA28 that is the sum of no less than eight separate "donor" cars . And like that car, the fully restored 1973 TN360 took seven vehicles to create the perfect example. While this car is undoubtedly the highlight of the collection given it's restored condition - there are some that will soon take the limelight once they have undergone a similar transformation. While Daniel hedges his bets on which car was his favourite, I came away with the feeling that he has a very soft spot for the 1964 air cooled T500 truck - globally very rare, and heading into the uber-rare category here in Australia.
What a collection. And like the infamous Demtel TV ad - "but wait, there's more!" - Daniel also has some old Landy's awaiting their turn to undergo restoration. Time and the elements got in the way of filming these, but I will be returning to interview Daniel about the Land Rovers as there are another two soon to join his collection. For now, though, I hope Honda Kei class car enthusiasts enjoy my walk around Daniel's garage and are not too upset by my total lack of knowledge when it comes to these historically significant little beasts.
The "Kei car" category was created by the Japanese government in 1949, and the regulations have been revised several times since. These regulations specify a maximum vehicle size, engine capacity, and power output, so that owners may enjoy both tax and insurance benefits. In most rural areas they are also exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is available for the vehicle.
Please subscribe to the Unique Cars and Parts CZcams channel, and visit our site:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au
Honda Car Reviews:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda
Honda S600 Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_s500_s600
Honda S800 Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_s800
Honda Scamp Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_scamp
Honda Z / Honda 600 Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_600
Honda 1300 Coupe Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_1300
Honda Civic Series I Review:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info_honda_civic
Honda History
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/heritage_honda
Honda Colour Codes:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/colour_codes_honda
Honda Paint Charts:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/paint_color_reference_honda
Honda Car Brochures:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/brochures_01_honda
Honda Production Figures 1963 - 1979:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/japanese_car_production_honda
Car Shows and Events:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/event_calendar
Buy and Sell your Car of Parts for FREE:
www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/classifieds
Support us on Patreon:
www.patreon.com/uniquecars
Unique Cars and Parts - an absolutely free service since 2001