1972 Honda Z — big on style, small on performance

by David Burrell One of my all-time favourites is the 1972 Honda Z.  I think its styling is sensational.  So much "design flavour...

by David Burrell

One of my all-time favourites is the 1972 Honda Z. 

I think its styling is sensational. 

So much "design flavour" packed into such a small car. 

The motoring magazines swooned over it.

A school mate was given one for his 17th birthday by his parents. 

When he turned up at school just about everybody came out to the parking lot to see it. 

Everyone wanted to ride in it.

Teachers pulled rank and got the first rides.

Morning assembly was delayed by 30 minutes.

The engine revs were unbelievable, with 7500 rpm gear changes, and 9000 rpm often seen on the tacho.

That little 360cc air cooled engine sure did work hard.

Driving it meant constant gear changes to get it moving forward, a bit like the Civic Type R that followed decades later. 

Keeping up with traffic was a struggle. 

Hills presented a challenge.

Inevitably, as chic as the styling was, the lack of power meant the novelty soon wore off. 

Only once did we take the car to the local speedway on a Saturday night.

Imagine four tall teenagers crammed into it. 

The tiny engine struggled. 

No way could the Z pass cars on the two-lane road out to the track that wound through a mountain range west of town. 

The journey took 20 minutes longer than usual. 

So, it was back to borrowing our parents' Holden/Falcon/Valiant.

The Z was on the market in Australia for a few years, but was put aside when the Civic arrived. 

In Japan however, it went into a second series that was a pillarless hardtop. 

This is the version I have always wanted. 

I've seen only two imported hardtop Zs.

A Z was auctioned by Shannons in 2021. 

The successful bidder paid just $5000.

A COVID bargain, I reckon. 

David Burrell is the editor of retroautos

 

 

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