Bring that Beat back... 1991 Honda Beat
Discussion
My search for pre 2000, roof down, cheap driving thrills is over. I've been lucky enough to have some fairly focussed drivers cars over the years and have been looking for a cheap small toy ever since selling my very temperamental Honda'd Elise.
Ideally I would love something classic like a Frogeye Sprite or a Westfield 11 but current funds just don't allow a classic toy in that price range. Also don't get me wrong I love faster exciting cars but like many I now hanker for a real back to basics driving experience that is involving and feels fast but actually isn't, I'm after the sensations without the license losing potential and something which will work well on small Essex B roads, I have other options if I want to get somewhere in a hurry or a speed fix.
A mk.1 MX5 is the obvious choice or maybe MR2 roadster but both just a tad predictable ? Sheddy MG midgets almost just in budget, but I wanted something different.
Whilst walking through Pimlico in my lunch break I spotted this tiny car parked up, it was as they say a bit of a eureka moment, next was back to the office and on to Google, Youtube, Autotrader and subsequently the UK Honda Beat forum for sale section, interestingly Pistonheads search shows up very little about them.
Like many on here I consider myself quite knowledgable on 90's sports cars but truth is I had all but forgotten about the Honda Beat, to me the Suzuki Cappuccino is the small Japanese kei sporty car that springs to mind and I am a fan. After some Youtubing, mostly of excited Americans thrashing the little 3 cylinder 660cc n/a Honda to 9,000 rpm I was getting further drawn in, then someone mentioned 'mini NSX' and at that point I had to have one !
So I have ended up with a very tired looking 1991 Honda Beat with 179,000 kilometers on the clock which has sat for 4 years outside and unloved, little or no history and apparently smoked like a trooper before being laid up. I paid £550 for the car and £200 for new hood which has never been fitted. At this point no doubt someone will point out I could have bought a half decent one for circa. £3-4k, well maybe soon I will wish I had ! But where's the fun in that ? As always with my man maths the initial low outlay won out plus I feel like I am saving it from the scrap heap.
I now have to hands up that I will not be doing the work, sadly I just do not have the room, the time or most importantly the talent, so enter a mate who among other things is just about to finish restoring a lovely little 70's Innocenti Mini and in need of another project, he may regret saying that last bit...
The car was picked up last week and sent to Peters place for thorough examination, intention is to check it for rot and then repair, engine out and rebuild with new valve stem seals and piston rings, suspension and brake refresh. I had toyed with chopping the windscreen off and going for aero screens to really enhance the experience but actually I'd like to try it as is first so that maybe a job for another day when I get bored.
The good news is Honda have started to make some spares again for the Beat which should help a lot, but in the meantime anyone on here speak or read japanese or know about buying 2nd spares off japanese auction sites ?
So here it is, the last car signed off by the late great Soichiro Honda.
Further updates coming soon...
Ideally I would love something classic like a Frogeye Sprite or a Westfield 11 but current funds just don't allow a classic toy in that price range. Also don't get me wrong I love faster exciting cars but like many I now hanker for a real back to basics driving experience that is involving and feels fast but actually isn't, I'm after the sensations without the license losing potential and something which will work well on small Essex B roads, I have other options if I want to get somewhere in a hurry or a speed fix.
A mk.1 MX5 is the obvious choice or maybe MR2 roadster but both just a tad predictable ? Sheddy MG midgets almost just in budget, but I wanted something different.
Whilst walking through Pimlico in my lunch break I spotted this tiny car parked up, it was as they say a bit of a eureka moment, next was back to the office and on to Google, Youtube, Autotrader and subsequently the UK Honda Beat forum for sale section, interestingly Pistonheads search shows up very little about them.
Like many on here I consider myself quite knowledgable on 90's sports cars but truth is I had all but forgotten about the Honda Beat, to me the Suzuki Cappuccino is the small Japanese kei sporty car that springs to mind and I am a fan. After some Youtubing, mostly of excited Americans thrashing the little 3 cylinder 660cc n/a Honda to 9,000 rpm I was getting further drawn in, then someone mentioned 'mini NSX' and at that point I had to have one !
So I have ended up with a very tired looking 1991 Honda Beat with 179,000 kilometers on the clock which has sat for 4 years outside and unloved, little or no history and apparently smoked like a trooper before being laid up. I paid £550 for the car and £200 for new hood which has never been fitted. At this point no doubt someone will point out I could have bought a half decent one for circa. £3-4k, well maybe soon I will wish I had ! But where's the fun in that ? As always with my man maths the initial low outlay won out plus I feel like I am saving it from the scrap heap.
I now have to hands up that I will not be doing the work, sadly I just do not have the room, the time or most importantly the talent, so enter a mate who among other things is just about to finish restoring a lovely little 70's Innocenti Mini and in need of another project, he may regret saying that last bit...
The car was picked up last week and sent to Peters place for thorough examination, intention is to check it for rot and then repair, engine out and rebuild with new valve stem seals and piston rings, suspension and brake refresh. I had toyed with chopping the windscreen off and going for aero screens to really enhance the experience but actually I'd like to try it as is first so that maybe a job for another day when I get bored.
The good news is Honda have started to make some spares again for the Beat which should help a lot, but in the meantime anyone on here speak or read japanese or know about buying 2nd spares off japanese auction sites ?
So here it is, the last car signed off by the late great Soichiro Honda.
Further updates coming soon...
Oooooh hell yeah. Love the seats too! Good luck. 
https://www.ghacks.net/2014/09/22/how-to-buy-items...
Rocket. said:
The good news is Honda have started to make some spares again for the Beat which should help a lot, but in the meantime anyone on here speak or read japanese or know about buying 2nd spares off japanese auction sites ?
You need a Japanese address and bank account to buy off yahoo.jp so there are a load of agents that will pay for the item, have it shipped to them and then on-ship it. Some will combine many deliveries into one large one to save on shipping too. Not sure if there are size restrictions, but it's probably not a problem with Beat parts! I've not used any of the ones mentioned in the article below, but I've got a Seiko addiction so it's only a matter of time...https://www.ghacks.net/2014/09/22/how-to-buy-items...
Rocket. said:
The good news is Honda have started to make some spares again for the Beat which should help a lot, but in the meantime anyone on here speak or read japanese or know about buying 2nd spares off japanese auction sites ?
k.Excellent stuff, I have a soft spot for these - I remember them being featured in one of the first car magazines I ever bought in the 90s alongside skylines and supras, but I was more drawn to these.
I like the odd shape of the headlights and the way they meet the wheel arch, the odd profile of the wheel arches themselves, the line that runs from the front arch to the vent in front of the rear arch, and of course the interior. All very unique at the time.
I have an eBay alert set up and if I had more money, balls and space - and fewer kids - I’d probably buy one.
I also think prices and interest seem to have dipped a bit recently and now might be a good time to buy - for £550 though any time is a good time to buy!
I think you’d need 10x that for a clean one so you’ll be laughing whatever you do. Looking forward to seeing it up and running.
I like the odd shape of the headlights and the way they meet the wheel arch, the odd profile of the wheel arches themselves, the line that runs from the front arch to the vent in front of the rear arch, and of course the interior. All very unique at the time.
I have an eBay alert set up and if I had more money, balls and space - and fewer kids - I’d probably buy one.
I also think prices and interest seem to have dipped a bit recently and now might be a good time to buy - for £550 though any time is a good time to buy!
I think you’d need 10x that for a clean one so you’ll be laughing whatever you do. Looking forward to seeing it up and running.
Thanks for all the comments. Regarding the styling it was by Pininfarina I think.
The seats are staying they were part of what sold it to me, I mean come on 90's zebra/ tiger print ! Sadly they are in a bit of a state so will need some work.
Thanks for all advice on buying from Japan, I've found a few of the proxy websites to buy on my behalf so will give one a try.
UK Honda dealers can source parts too, I am led to believe that an exhaust is £165 but with a 3 month wait...
Prices vary a lot, a decent looking yellow Beat sold a few weeks ago on ebay for sub £3k, I prefer silver and wanted the pepperpot alloys.
Anyway back to some pics and what we have discovered so far...
In it's new home
Dread to think what's in here, hopefully brake fluid
New hood in dark blue
Boot is more of a glove box and a third of it is lost to battery !
Air filter off shows been breathing a bit of oil, 3 inlets for the MTREC individual throttle bodies
Up front under the spare wheel are rad and aircon condenser which I think we will ditch to save weight, oh and lots of snails...
First job is remove the boot lid and roof to make access a little easier
The seats are staying they were part of what sold it to me, I mean come on 90's zebra/ tiger print ! Sadly they are in a bit of a state so will need some work.
Thanks for all advice on buying from Japan, I've found a few of the proxy websites to buy on my behalf so will give one a try.
UK Honda dealers can source parts too, I am led to believe that an exhaust is £165 but with a 3 month wait...
Prices vary a lot, a decent looking yellow Beat sold a few weeks ago on ebay for sub £3k, I prefer silver and wanted the pepperpot alloys.
Anyway back to some pics and what we have discovered so far...
In it's new home
Dread to think what's in here, hopefully brake fluid
New hood in dark blue
Boot is more of a glove box and a third of it is lost to battery !
Air filter off shows been breathing a bit of oil, 3 inlets for the MTREC individual throttle bodies
Up front under the spare wheel are rad and aircon condenser which I think we will ditch to save weight, oh and lots of snails...
First job is remove the boot lid and roof to make access a little easier
Edited by Rocket. on Wednesday 26th September 18:54
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff