Honda Z600: 1970–74 Subcompact’s Shift From Air-Cooled to Water-Cooled Twins

The Honda Z600 subcompact, produced from 1970 to 1974 alongside the smaller Z360, saw notable engine and design changes as Honda transitioned from air-cooled to liquid-cooled inline-twin engines, both rated at 36 hp.

Early Z600s used the air-cooled twin and featured a lower spare-tire compartment door and different grille treatments, while later Z600s adopted a water-cooled twin and revised front and rear detailing. The changes occurred during a broader technical shift at Honda when founder Soichiro Honda moved from engineering toward company leadership.

The Z600 was offered with fixed rear side glass or pillar-less hardtop bodywork, showed styling cues later seen on early Civics, and featured clever packaging and a high-revving engine that could reach about 9,000 rpm.

This report is based on information originally published by The Autopian.

Read the full article at The Autopian.

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