--- On
Sun, 8/9/09, Paige Hunt
wrote:
From: Paige Hunt
Subject: RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
To:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 4:14 PM
JUST MY 2 CENTS---
isn't it cool to have access to guys like bill and miles?
and on a site where, admittedly, we're all a little nuts to be driving/restoring such oddball metal as the honda 600?
I FEEL LUCKY!
paige
--- On
Sun, 8/9/09, billmyong@earthlink .net
wrote:
> From: billmyong@earthlink .net
> Subject: RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
> To: "Anzhonda600owners" , 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com > Date: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 4:14 AM
> �
> The cost of restoring a Honda 600 being compared to Corvettes built between 1968 and 1982. BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Just because it costs less to make a part for a 30+ year old Chevy does not relate to a 37 year old Honda 600. And E-Bay does not help to reduce the price.
> I have also restored Corvettes, and Cadillac's, Dotson's and other vehicles. Cost of remanufacturing is higher on vehicles where the numbers are low. There are several million Chevy's out there, and a good number of them are Corvettes. If you are going to compare Corvette remanufactured parts to Honda 600's then your figures are flawed. As you say, Corvettes are worth more, and the number of them being restored compared to Honda 600's is different. Where as several thousand Corvette's > are being given ground up, frame off restorations, most Honda 600 owners are just getting them to run. To make a quantity of parts that quantity needs to move off the shelf in a reasonable amount of time. I have Head Gaskets made for the Honda 600's > that I restore and I make them available to other Honda 600 owners. Minimum order is 25 at a time and that supply lasts a year. Each one is almost hand made because of the torque requirements which relate directly to the height of the fire ring compared to the gasket material. 38 foot pounds of torque will not compress a normal fire ring enough to seal the rest of the gasket unless it is made to a tolerance no more that two thousands greater than the gasket material itself. This process costs. Unlike a 350 Chevy where the head torque is 80 foot pounds there are different manufacturing requirements. And, if you apply more than that 38 pounds of torque to the head on a Honda 600 you will crack the cam box above the head.
> Most Corvettes made from 1969 though 1982 used the 350 engine, as did several million other Chevy's. And there were/are a wide range of manufacturers making the parts to maintain these vehicles. And, if a Corvette had it this year then the Camaro, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Nova etc. had it the next year or so. Honda imported a total of 45 thousand 600's from 1969 through August of 1972. I have been keeping a list of Honda 600's since 1996 and there are less than 2 thousand of them left, with maybe 500 +/- 50 that are running and fewer are licensed for use. And, maybe 100 of these are being restored in the United States.
> A new windshield seal for a new Mini Cooper (I use the Mini because it is close to a Honda 600's size) is $300.00 or so. It costs more to make a new Honda 600 windshield seal yet they are being sold for less. But lets take a simple gasket set (heat exchanger gaskets - there are three and each engine normally will need all three) to go over the details; To have the dies made for a single gasket is $175.00 X 3 = $525.00, it costs $15.00 to make a set of of heat exchanger gaskets because there are three different ones for Honda 600 built from April 1971 through August 1972 so they are made by the set. Tack on packing, shipping, time it takes for inspection and repacking along with taxes and you are at roughly $6.00 a gasket. I tack on $3.00 to each gasket to get back initial costs. Which means that 175 > heat exchanger gasket sets will have to be made and sold before there is any profit from this. At roughly 25 engines being built a year that require new heat exchanger gaskets, it will take about 7 years before that profit number is reached. But let's say you can get these gaskets made for less, you are still dealing with 7 years to see any profit from the initial outlay and this is why most manufacturers will not even look at Honda 600's. Manufacturers who used to make parts for Honda 600's will not talk to you unless you want 500 units and they want money up front because the machines that made these items 30 years ago are collecting dust in the back lot if they are even still there. Mike O'Conner makes a nice piston set with rings and pin's for around $300.00 each set of two. Go to a manufacturer like EGGE machine ( >
http://www.egge. com/CATALOG > ) see if Honda is listed, then talk to them about new pistons. 10 years ago is was about $100.00 each without the rings and pin's.
> If you are thinking that a small car relates to a small price, talk to Honda about a new crankshaft if they can find one.
> Bill
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:
> > 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:2cylinderho ndas@yahoogroups .com] > > On Behalf Of > > Kevin Keough > > Sent:
> > Saturday, August 08, 2009 12:43 PM
> > To:
> > 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > Subject:
> > RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date" [1 Attachment]
> > Hi mike&tami some of the stuff your looking for is avaliable for BIG prices. I restore old corvettes and chevelles and the prices are much higher on the repop 600 stuff then the corvette repop stuff and vets are worth a bit more then a 600. but not alot or repop stuff out there for the 600 ill try to keep prices reasonable on the stuff I have repoped just trying to help keep the little car going not trying to get rich. thanks Kevin > > --- On > > Sat, 8/8/09, Mike & Tami Speer > > > > wrote:
> > > From: Mike & Tami Speer
> > > Subject: RE: [2cylinderhondas] Re: "shock up date"
> > > To: 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> > > Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009, 5:36 PM
> > > Hi Kevin,
> > > You mentioned
> > > I get payed well to do this stuff if anybody has any ideas on other reproduction parts let me know ill work on it, some good repro parts would be:
> > Front and rear window moldings with chrome strips, N600. Front only on Z600?
Pop out window seals
Door seals
Trunk seal
Lip seals for roll down windows
Window guide seals for roll down windows.
I know JC Whitney has some all purpose type seals but reviews seemed to be mixed on how well they work, some mention they are too tight. This ranks right up there with garden hose sway bar bushings, anyone can glue a garage door seal in place from Home Depot, but something closer to OEM would be nicer for a better fit and finish..
Mike
> �
> the shocks should be ready in 30 to 40 days thy will be identical to the OEM shock in look and load rate should give a nice ride. Im working on a reproduction gas tank for the sedan any intrest from group members? dont worry guys I get payed well to do this stuff if anybody has any ideas on other reproduction parts let me know ill work on it Thanks for the interest Kevin
> How much do you think the new gas take will cost? Interested BRUCE
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