Four Cylinders Between Them: 1972 Honda Z600 vs 1972 Suzuki LJ10

Welcome back! Since we have a short week because of the MLK holiday yesterday, I thought we’d spend it looking at some project cars. Today we’ve got two adorable little vehicles from Japan that both make do with two-cylinder engines. Neither one is drivable as it sits, but they both look like decent projects to me.

On Friday, we looked at two cars that complemented each other well enough that I gave you a “Both” option in the poll. But the old Volvo wasn’t enough of a pull to put that option at the top – and the little Datsun pickup handily outscored it by itself. The love for simple little old trucks continues, it seems.

I still like them both, but if I had to choose, my imaginary $3,500 is going to the Datsun as well. It’s just so damn charming. And you never see them that clean anymore, especially for that price.

It took a while for Japanese cars to be taken seriously in the US. Yeah, they were cute and all, but when you could just as easily go to the Chevy dealership and get a Malibu with a V8 and air conditioning and seats like a Barcalounger, they were a hard sell. But the early adopters did love them, and of course, the rest of the market caught up pretty quickly. And now, those rare early Japanese imports are becoming true collectibles, when you can find them. I found a couple for sale that both need some work, but also don’t cost a whole hell of a lot. Let’s see which one you prefer.

1972 Honda Z600 – $2,900

Engine/drivetrain: 598 cc overhead cam inline 2, four-speed manual, FWD

Location: Bakersfield, CA

Odometer reading: unknown

Operational status: Ran and drove before being parked for restoration

The Honda Z600 was the “sporty” version of the N600, a tiny hatchback that pre-dated the Civic. I guess, in a way, that makes the Z600 the predecessor to the beloved CRX. It’s a two-door hatchback, basically a two-seater, meant to add a little style and sportiness to the economy car formula.

Like the N600, the Z is powered by a 598 cc twin, with roller bearings on the crankshaft which allow for an absolutely ludicrous redline. This tiny engine makes 36 horsepower at a mind-bending nine thousand revolutions per minute. It drives the front wheels through a four-speed manual. This example was running and driving before it was parked and disassembled, the seller says, but it has been sitting for a while and will need reviving.

Someone already put some work into this car; the interior has been gutted, but the front seats have new upholstery. The rest of the interior panels aren’t shown in the photos, but the seller says they have “every part plus some,” and show boxes of stuff that comes with it, so I assume and hope that the rest of the interior and glass is in there somewhere.

There has been some work done on the outside as well. Most of the original orange paint has been covered up with primer, and it looks like someone was getting it ready for paint. This looks to me like a perfect candidate for attempting a DIY paint job: it’s small, half the work is done, and all it needs is a simple bright color to look really cool.

1972 Suzuki Jimny LJ10 – $2,250

Engine/drivetrain: 359 cc two-stroke inline 2, four-speed manual, 4WD

Location: Monrovia, CA

Odometer reading: unknown

Operational status: “Does not run yet”

Suzuki’s little Jimny 4×4 is a legend among car folks. It was sold in the US as the Samurai for a number of years, and sold well despite a hatchet job by Consumer Reports over “unsafe” handling allegations. (I mean, it was no Miata, but it was not nearly as bad as they made it out to be.) We lost the Jimny in favor of the larger (and presumably safer) Sidekick/Vitara after that, but a lot of enthusiasts, including me, have loved the Jimny from afar ever since. But the Jimny’s story goes back even further, all the way to this little off-roader, the very first 4×4 to meet Japan’s Kei specifications.

The key to reliability when it comes to off-roaders is simplicity, and engines don’t get much simpler than this. It’s an air-cooled two-stroke two-cylinder, displacing 359 cubic centimeters and putting out 27 horsepower. It won’t even hit 50 miles an hour, so don’t expect to drive it on the freeway, but that’s not what it was made for. It’s made for going places other vehicles can’t, and at that, it excels. This one doesn’t run at the moment, but it sounds like the seller has done some work on it and it’s close to firing up.

This era of Jimny was never imported to America by Suzuki, but you may notice that it’s left-hand-drive. Suzuki did intend the LJ to be exported to other markets; it was brought here by a company called International Equipment Co. I tried to look them up, but the only company by that name I found here is in Tennessee, and specializes in fire suppression systems for buildings. I have no idea if it’s the same company, but if so, they certainly were diverse.

It’s complete except for the bumpers and grille, and the seller says the only rust that’s a problem is in the passenger’s side floor. Obviously it needs complete restoration, but it looks like a good candidate for it. The little two-stroke engine won’t be up to much, but it could be a fun little in-town runabout or a unique way to get around a big property.

The advantage of little cars as projects is that you can fit the car and all the parts for it in one garage stall, with plenty of room to work. You’ll have your work cut out for you with either of them, but they both look like fun rides once they’re finished. So which one are you willing to take on?

(Image credits: sellers)