VIDEO: Restoration of the first US-market Honda begins

Last year we showed you one of the most significant Honda automobiles in the world. Many spectators at JCCS walked right by the decrepit Honda N600, not realizing that it was serial number N600-1000001. That makes it the first Honda automobile built for US export, a move that expanded Soichiro’s global reach exponentially. Honda USA has entrusted our friend and N600 guru Tim “Merciless” Mings with the restoration of the car they’re calling “Serial One,” and the first episode of the series just launched. 

“I stand in awe,” says Tim, “How this is the very first one made, restoring it, and knowing at the end of the day it’s gonna go to the Honda Museum.” Tim bought the car at the Pomona Swap Meet a decade ago without realizing its significance. Only three of the original 50 1967 N600s destined for export have survived. It wasn’t until years later that he scraped the grime off the serial number and discovered its provenance.

“I’m the first person to take it apart since it was put together in 1967,” Tim says humbly, seeming to scarcely believe that he’s the one that gets to do it. Of course, Tim is no stranger to restoring N600s for Honda. The blue one at the Honda Museum was his work as well. We’ll be following Tim and car’s journey, and so can you at the new website, SerialOne.com.