Small Car, Big Dreams: Restoring Serial One, the First Honda Car in the U.S.

This year marks our 60th anniversary in America. To commemorate this milestone, we’re looking back at the restoration of our very first car imported to the U.S. Watch Tim Mings bring Serial One back to mint condition before it went on to live in the American Honda Museum forever.
More info: www.serialone.com/
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[@Moracycle]

Shout out to Honda for not adding a ton of ads on this video.

[@darkcrusher-jt1dr]

Bro they played the original n600 ad like 5 times but ThAnKs FoR nOt PlAyInG tO mAnY aDs!

[@TheScottishSprayer]

This video is an ad

[@buckorooster]

@@TheScottishSprayer A damn good one

[@randomrando8350]

The Scottish Sprayer Ur picture is an ad

[@TheScottishSprayer]

@@randomrando8350 lol for a company I dont even like lol

[@NjoyMoney]

"kids in highschool their cars were usually broken, mine was never broken...it said honda right on it" :D

[@DirceuCorsetti]

Sohichiro Honda: you can copy me, I'm flattered. This guy: the finishing on the motor is a trade secret.

[@keeganwebber]

It's just vapor blasting, used a lot on old bmws. No idea why he said that

[@notaberger_3216]

Didn't even realize this was on the Honda channel. Probably the only time I've spent more than 5 minutes on a corporate KZbin channel.

[@kennithchapman9689]

Sounds to me like the perfect person found that car and did exactly what should have been done with it. I think it's called Destiny or fate. Ether way, perfectly done!!!!

[@davidparker9676]

It's hard to call it fate or destiny when the guy obsessively scours the internet for anything related to these little Hondas. Persistence pays off when you spend your time and resources on a goal. I am glad it has been restored and placed into the Petersen museum for others to appreciate.

[@seedlessgrapes2605]

@@davidparker9676 or possibly Fate 😆

[@davidparker9676]

@@seedlessgrapes2605 Or possibly hoarding or unhealthy obsession...for men.

[@richardkoo7869]

The restoration is powered by nothing but love.

[@rodolfoandrade7453]

VTEC aint got nothing on it.

[@mitchellsteindler]

and dreams

[@lvbuckeye]

And dreams. The Power of Dreams.

[@michaelmoss5976]

I'm not a Honda driver but I appreciated this well-made documentary. The craftsmanship is superb.

[@DeadKoby]

This is cool... Even coming from me, a loyal Ford driver. Nothing like saving history.

[@ivancuellar4290]

Ford guy here too

[@Foeleyable]

@@TheProrage509 You're thinkin of a FIAT Dale

[@StaticImage]

You know what else is cool? You being the kind of person to say something like that. I was expecting to read a bunch of goofy comments from anti-foreign car people, but the first comment about anything American was this and it made me happy. Keep being awesome!

[@jeffbanfieldsflwr3537]

I admire the passion. It's hard to deny his love of automobiles, regardless of maker.

[@JeffDeWitt]

Yep. I drive a Mustang and an old Jeep Cherokee along with tinkering with Studebakers. I've never had a Japanese car and don't really want one, but this was great. The little bit toward the end of the credits was pretty cool too, never heard anything musical in popping out dents before!

[@szymonkazimierczak4723]

Wow. That film literally made my day. Almost 29 minutes of automotive perfection. Everything showed in this video is a pinnacle of what can be achieved thanks to passion, patience and modesty. Great story and above all else, great people - the only kind you can meet on a Honda.

[@mikeyerke3920]

I’ve restored a lot of different vehicles, but restoring a Honda is always a real pleasure. I always equate restoring a Honda to helping an old friend. 🇯🇵🏁

[@michelmoonen3433]

You make Honda proud, just as proud as the Honda engineers were, crying on Max Verstappens unbelievable F1 victory today in Austria. 🏎

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

The shop cats are too awesome.

[@doom2ruler]

I'll be honest, I'm not a Honda guy. Just personal preference. That having been said, I absolutely respect the amount of work, time, energy, and love it takes to restore these types of cars. I'm glad to see the restoration turned out as beautifully as it did! Let's hope that the museum that gets to take care of it from now on does it the right way. May it never succumb to the ravages of time and neglect like it did once before.

[@fredericrike5974]

The Petersen starts with a caretaker's attitude. Not to shabby for an old dry lakes hot rodder!

[@quentinstacy35]

Great show. Loved the musical ending. Peterson Museum is a fantastic place to display this beauty. Well done to all involved.

[@philipbarrett3151]

During the basement tour at the Peterson (well worth the extra $10) the curator pointed at the Honda (sitting next to everything from Cadzilla to a 1956 Ferrari) and said "this may be the most significant car in our collection!"

[@lsswappedcessna]

A better place would be on the road, where cars belong.

[@nortonnewmann3711]

Wish it was in Marysville... only about an hour away from me! We've had several Honda products over the years. My first was a 1971 SL100. Then an Accord, two Civics and the original year 2003 Pilot... The 1981 Accord suffered summer vapor lock, but the rest were bulletproof!

[@purpleknight1396]

“It’s very possible there’s 100 hours in this, sure, but when you’re having fun you’re not keeping track.” Very well said, sir.

[@stuffnuns]

Omg, the first car I bought was an orange 600Z. I loved it. Damn, I’d love to get another one. What a good documentary. Respect to all the skilled craftsmen/artists who did a stellar job on restoring a classic and important car. Real dedication and love the car shines throughout. Kudos.

[@ziggyspiz9783]

Thank you for such beautiful restoration of that piece of automotive history!

[@charolettebacon6740]

It always warms my heart when people restore old cars, especially ones that are historically significant like this one.

[@TornadoOfSouls777]

This vid hit home so much. One weekend in 1976, I learned how to drive a stick at 8 years old in my dad's 1972 N600 at his company's parking lot. Been a big Honda lover ever since...

[@johnrossi6212]

So incredible that it was still around. And so crazy that the three automatics were still around also. Such awesome history.

[@jayshimada6893]

Thank you very much for making this wonderful video ! Please make this video translated in Japanese and available in Japan. We need remind ourself the history of Honda ! Meanwhile I am gonna drive my S2000 ! Thank you !!!

[@DavidHamster88]

Thank you for this film. My parents bought a new red 600 in 1971. My dad rebuilt the engine a couple of times, and repainted it (my brother might have done that). We all probably know every contour of that car from washing it so many times. I was happy to see this 001 car at the Petersen with my son. He has a white ‘92 Civic hatchback, the great great grandson of this 001.

[@tomtalk24]

Lovely to stumble on this video, put a smile on my face. Im so happy Honda are back in Formula 1 making decent competitive engines! Competing with engines by Mercedes and Ferrari, well done!

[@sblack48]

My 2007 Fit just turned 300,000 km. Runs great.

[@mikescudder4621]

Does it have the cvt transmission??

[@konsejitos]

Well done sir, the fact you got emotional there at the end really shows your passion for these machines, plus you are a man who loves Cats as an added bonus.

[@BeanieandCecil]

A Honda lover AND a cat lover. Bless this guy and all the true artisans that strive for perfection in their work.

[@bluemoondiadochi]

I dont know why, but i found especially heartwarming to see all the people and their small businesses who were engaged in restoring this car. just speaks something about beauty and importance of having dedicated, hardworking "ordinary folks" in a country's economy.

[@1stanich]

I owned both Honda 600 Coup and Sedan. These were my first two cars as a young boy in 1980’s. I knew these cars inside and out and became a mechanic rebuilding these engines. I was the main contact here in the state of Oklahoma, with even the local Honda dealers calling me for parts. I could drop the engine in 45 minutes flat. The memories from seeing this video sure brings me back in time. Some of the best days in my life. 🙂👍

[@vernonzehr]

I love these kind of stories. Especially when they keep as much as possible of the original car. So many car "makeovers" on television simply throw out everything and recreate it from scratch or buy reproduction parts. There's barely anything left of the original car. I prefer seeing this type of restoration. I suppose it's more important in this case due to that serial number but this is still my favorite type of restoration to watch. I've seen some shows where they basically get all new parts to build a car, put it on a new frame, slap on the emblems and knobs and call it a "restoration". Had to buy a very affordable used car recently. Bought a 2004 Honda Civic with over 250k miles on it. Drives like a champ. Had to get a few odds and ends fixed but everything pretty much worked "out of the box". It's a wee bit tight for a tallish guy like me but can live with it. I knew getting a Civic was a no brainer even with so many miles on it, but I had no idea was buying into such a rich history of automobiles.

[@nicholkid]

This is absolutely amazing. Take notes car companies, I would watch this type of video all day.

[@Gretschdude1412]

My father has had more n and z 600s than I can count. He still has his original 600 coupe from when he was 15 years old! Amazing little machines.

[@JR-bj3uf]

I had a 1969 N600 that my next door neighbor brought back from over seas. It was wonderful. The innovations were legion. There was a T handle to pull to open the gas cap door. If you clocked the car door the gas cap was locked as well. The windshield washer was a rubber bulb and the windshield washer fluid was in a bag. Pump the bulb and wash the windshield. No electrical pump. The belt drove the cooling fan which doubled as the alternator. If the charging light came on it was a good bet that you were not cooling the engine as well. It had a single CV carburetor like a motorcycle. It had plenty of power and I had mine up to over 80 mph (indicated.) Several years later I got a Avocado Green Z600 and that was pretty cool too.

[@ncautoman57]

I can tell you from experience the restored serial # 1 is better than factory. I worked on early Honda's and the paint and finish left a lot to be desired. Great job on restoring this rare Honda 600

[@adamgaber4711]

This is truly a unique type of restoration, I hope that n600 will exist forever to show how that car changed the landscape of America forever. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@matthewyork9086]

Great video Tim. Thanks for stopping by the other day and for all your help throughout the years. Its a pleasure to know you.

[@AlteredCarbons]

that ending had me , loved that. great build man , you and your crew do great work

[@MarkMeadows90]

That was a marvelous documentary. Proud owner of Hondas for over 13 years now

[@TomC-kv8pl]

John Carambia is my uncle. Super awesome video and car 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@davidparker9676]

Bob's my uncle. Thanks for sharing (and name dropping)

[@patrickmason6971]

I’m never been a huge Honda fan but I’ve always respected the dedication towards quality. I really liked this video.

[@daveg7878]

I can only give this one thumbs up. Wish I could give it more. This was very good: the story, the work, the result and the movie telling it. Well done!

[@GpD79]

This is an awesome video. Tim Mings should be proud; Honda should be proud. Thank you for capturing the journey.

[@ayo0o0o0o0]

Tim Mings is a piece of sh!t human being. He fixed my ‘72 N600 and secretly did other stuff we did not agree upon. He then took me to court cuz I couldn’t and wouldn’t pay for things we never spoke about. He lost in court and hope he learned his lesson. I left the court with a power fist in the air and a loud “WOOOO-WHOOO!” on my way out of the courtroom. He tried to take advantage of myself being a college kid, thinking I don’t know what’s legal and what’s not. He chose the wrong “victim”. 🏆

[@DaleDriven]

congratulations Honda for a win at Formula 1! Congrats on this build and the power of dreams truly is powerful. This documentary was amazing. I nearly cried at the end.

[@AlexScene]

I've only ever owned Hondas. My mom got me a 97 Honda Civic LX with a manual transmission and that started it all. I love Honda.

[@jwhitaker1507]

My first car was a Honda and I’ve been friends with Merciless Ming’s, love the N600s and lucky enough to drive one of Tim’s cars.

[@alexc7864]

Wow. I remember seeing the beginning of this journey here on KZbin 3 years ago. I completely forgot about it but damn did KZbin recommendations come thru 3 years later with this video. Well worth the wait this is truly something spectacular to watch.

[@stevevassallo4323]

Dude! You’re a champ. I’m not that old but I lament the simplicity of the cars that we used to drive. Love what you’re doing.

[@DonnDIY]

What an amazing build. Very inspiring. Thank you for this video!

[@ghanshyamghyani5854]

I'm all teary eyed now. The goosebumps! Man... So real

[@whalesong999]

Great story and video. I managed to spot a Tohatsu Runpet Sport motorcycle along with glimpses of a few very special Honda race bikes. I began as a Honda bike mechanic in '62 and helped a new dealer start up in Westchester Co., N.Y. in '64. Quite a trip listening and seeing you're detail involvement with early Hondas, quality stuff.

[@darrelltiencken2413]

I have a Honda CR-V, Honda Civic, and my daughter drives a Honda Fit and works at the local Honda dealership,I had a 1975 Honda Civic in 1978.....I guess that’s why I enjoyed this video so much!...GREAT video really enjoyed seeing such a fantastic restoration!

[@bake162]

How times have changed for Honda, in the 70’s they were regarded as cheap almost disposable vehicles, now they proved they make a lasting quality product. I hope your proud of your achievements.

[@iarpak]

Have been driving Honda's since my teens in the '80's. Preludes, Civics, Accords, even Odyssey's. My current daily driver is an '06 Accord VP sedan with a 5-speed manual. 162k miles and still drives amazing. Nothing has broken on it, just regular maintenance. Have always loved how Hondas drive. Fun, reliable cars. This was an amazing story done so well. Thank you!

[@frankdillon6127]

agree completely bought a new N-600 in indianapolis indiand in 1971 dark red with a black vynil roof. car was perfect even in the snow/cold always started and ran perfect. i drove the car to Tucson Arizona and traded for a new Plymouth with air conditioning. im 80 years old and to this day wish i had that car back!

[@SilverScarletSpider]

Honda is one of the most American car company nowadays. Thank you for not outsourcing good paying American Honda factory jobs to foreign countries Mexico and China like GM, Ford, Dodge, and Tesla always do. Thank you for being humble, friendly, and affordable.

[@Crewsy]

Dreamy 6 of the Top 10 vehicles on the American Made Index this year are Honda products. www.cars.com/american-made-index/

[@diablalexfull]

You know tesla are built in the USA. the only not usa parts are some third party suppliers from mexico and some electronics from china. You should take a look at the factory, that would change your mind

[@SilverScarletSpider]

www.theverge.com/2019/1/25/18197866/tesla-fined-osha-safety-hazards-model-3-tent www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-model-3-design-profits-20181017-story.html%3foutputType=amp www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jun/13/tesla-workers-pay-price-elon-musk-failed-promises futurism.com/elon-musk-wanders-tesla-factory-firing-workers Funny, you google “Tesla Factory” and you see articles all talking about a billionaire treating his own workers, employees, and company like dirt.

[@prometheus575]

Watching this video reminded me of back when I had an '85 Aero 50. I had the most powerful and fastest unmodified moped ever made, and I couldn't have loved it more. I had to sell it to move, but I still miss it to this day, 24 years later. I hoped that I would find another one, but I don't see them around anymore, sadly. Nothing would make me happier than to find one and restore it like in the video, like I wanted to do when I had it, but I did tear it down to clean/lube it enough that I know that bike well. Ah, nostalgia...

[@atomicat]

Oh my.. This is so lovely to watch.. This is when passion bring everything up together.

[@PRL1290]

my parents gave me my first car in high school as a Junior, 86 Honda Prelude 2.0 Si 5-speed in 2002 with 210,000 miles, Never broken, 100HP of pure terror that ate Civic EX's with bolt ons alive. That car was so cool I loved it, I drove it to School, Drove it for work (Pizza Delivery) and drove it for everything in between, it was my everything in my teen years. After this car, I bought 2 more Hondas, a 2001 Prelude and a 2001 CBR 929RR.

[@clanrobertson7200]

Impressive to see a master craftsmen and the kind passion that they put into their work. A real example of integrity on every team that added their skills to his dream and realizing that what they did had to match or exceeded his expectations. I have followed the evolution of the design and mechanics of Honda cars and motorcycles throughout my life. There products are number 1 even down to my lawnmower. I am not a Honda aficionado, I am a Volvo fanatic. And yet I grew up with my father working on American cars in the 50s and 60s and he was a Naval Air Pilot who would not settle for anything less than correct. Even if you loose money, because your name was attached to your work. I became a Landscape Architect and carried my mechanics mentality into a different kind of problem solving. An unexpected marriage and a social paradox that gave me the commitment to serve my clients in a manner that I would want to be served. Kudos for this video and congratulations for doing everything that it took to meet your deadline. This is a great example to anyone that wants to demonstrate their focus and skills no matter what the task undertaken. Roll on. The old professor

[@josephesposito70]

Yes great video was hoping Honda would pay this man alot of money for his effort and that they would want the car in there museum. But still an amazing restoration. Serial 1 is trully beautiful.

[@StaticImage]

I can think of nothing but great things to say about this video. It was so nice to watch, every single piece of it.

[@williamc.hensel130]

Dreams and joy are part of Honda's DNA, and surely Tim Mings and his associates embody those virtues. Great story, great car, great company!

[@thomaswalz3515]

I bought a '72 Z off the showroom floor. As a young man, I beat the hell out of it. I drove it to S. Call and back to East PA. It blew out the first crank rod bearings. I ended up changing out 3 more cranks. My sister bought a used Z. She didn't like it, so I used it. I kept both running until 1982. I sold both to a guy in Philly named Fisher. I also gave him my factory repair manual, and... my flywheel removal tool. I miss my Z. I'm retired now... I heard there was a guy near here with a barn full of 600's. I'd like to see if I can find him. It'd be cool to have one again. Enjoyed this video. Thanks!

[@Smurphenstein]

I remember my friend's Mum had a Honda Scamp. First time I saw it I had heard it coming from behind me. Sounded like some screaming exotic supercar. I had never heard anything like it. It sounded like it was coming at 100 mph. In the end the suspense was killing me and I turned, to see this tiny toy car cruise past. The reveal bought a tear to my eye, what a special little car. I am a Ford guy but also had one of those orange NC50 express scooters I saw in the background as well. I had just as much fun on that as I did in some of my cars.

[@carpenterfamily6198]

What a great story ! A great team, from Mr. Honda to the whole restore team, to his dad and wonderful wife. Thanks again for sharing this. So many good people in the world. And I LOVED the music at the end.

[@DonnieD1996]

Now that's the definition of passion!!! Thank you for sharing this with the world.

[@DoubleD42]

You guys are heroes to me, thank you.

[@Fotosaurus56]

1978 Honda Civic Hatchback, it never ran out of gas.

[@robertremes50]

My first car was a 1977. I was amazed how good the gas mileage was.

[@jimchesnutt7879]

What a fun vid! I love that we got to see the platers, powdercoaters, upholstry shop etc. Well done on the content and not overwhelming with obvious advertising. I actually didn't realize this was on Honda's channel until I finished the video and went to subscribe to Tim's channel. ;)

[@mstrshkbrnnn1999]

Not sure why but this kinda overwhelmed me w emotion. I kinda wanted to cry. Great video

[@frankenelimtangco2400]

Thank you HONDA! Thank you Mr. Soichiro Honda. Thank you for the Power of Dreams! Honda Forever!

[@Zeem4]

Thanks for this - the first car I can remember my dad owning was a Honda N600 - this was in the UK, in the early '80s. I think they were pretty rare in the UK due to import taxes, but my dad would have bought it when it was old and cheap (and rusty if I remember correctly). It's fantastic that they're getting such love and attention, in any part of the world.

[@peterpodruchny5057]

That little Honda was beaming in the end. Tim, thanks for loving this car back to new.

[@ChrisSmith-uo7fn]

Over the years I've had 6 of these early 600 cars. Loved mine and have very fond memories

[@Vuzin]

"Without this car, we may not be having this conversation" We got a genius right here guys

[@rjs2005]

I've loved the N600's since I saw my first one as a small lad in Panama City, FL in 1970. This is one of the very best documented restoration projects, if not THE best one I've ever seen. What a labor of love for Tim Mings- I hope I can put even a fraction of love and care into my own restoration that he has.

[@basithph8958]

Love this restoration series It’s good to fix up an old car like this Honda

[@wesguitarguy9536]

How can you not love Honda?

[@XEFairmont]

"Honda change stuff they change it for a reason"... After being a Honda dealer for 11 years (and Honda-ist most my life) a truer statement has never been made.

[@freeaudiobooks7469]

Except their clear coats

[@Whateva67]

Awesome. I’ve been into Hondas for over twenty years now,I have a 92 Civic SI with 438 thousand kms on it and I would literally drive it around the world right now without even worrying about it,also have a 2001 Prelude and an 05 Acura TL. This was a great video,would like to see restoration vids on the old 60s and 70s Z50s if there is any on KZbin

[@MBCARIOTI]

As a loyal Honda customer, I really appreciated this video! What a great restoration project to share.

[@FMHammyJ]

Bravo Mr. Mings!.....I saw a Honda 600 Z coupe car for the first time in 1973 on a trip to Disneyland with my folks. I fell in love with Honda's on that day.

[@johnwhitley2898]

Great work on #1! As a Car Guy, a Big Blue Oval man who's gone this deep on a resto, I can really appreciate what you do as a passion for fun! This is great! It was ready when it was ready to go, and not before!! My hat is off to you and your work!

[@Dave_Boyer]

Beautiful, amazing work, true craftsmanship at its best.

[@johnl9943]

THANK YOU Tim! You, your team, everyone involved with this project, and everyone involved with Honda on any level, should be proud of this story and proud of the contribution being made to the history, and future of Honda. Again, THANK YOU! Mr. Honda would be more than proud!

[@HighMXHubby]

Thank you for an incredible video covering the restoration of serial #1! We are a Honda family and will continue to be.

[@mikefedele4521]

Honda has been a part of my life since forever. My dad got one and well I was hooked. I've worked on thousands of them new old now classic..... If I could I would save them all. I hit that key and that magical sound still puts a smile on my face. Thank you for sharing. It made my day😁

[@512Berlinetta]

This brought a massive smile to my face! My aunt had one and she used to take my mom and the four cousins in it. Every hill, the kids had to get out and walk up the hill 😂 great memories!!! Thank you.

[@marcusvigil4618]

I’m not a Honda guy. But this is a great video,you can see the amount of love and attention he puts into this history machine.

[@cjvx7208]

This was an emotional restoration. Such an awesome way to respect the history of a vehicle

[@djaydeved]

im sure honda would be proud... hell im sure honda would personaly visit this guy for restoring that car

[@ralphmadera4366]

God bless you sir, without people like you America wouldn’t be America,dreamers and creators .

[@sanoronha1963]

Totally spellbound by what you represent. You and the team are a rare breed. I am a HONDA fan myself. Just started with a small motorcycle. But I'm hooked. Keep these videos coming. I'm subscribed

[@brazilchannels6821]

My first car was 2 600s restored one with both of them in 1984! Best and funniest car I have ever owned. I paid $200 for both! So awesome to see this!

[@WitchTrials92]

Correction on the guy story beginning at 12:14 Mr Honda bought a 1973 Impala with a 5.7 v8 had it air freighted back to Japan and told his Engineers to design a cvcc system for the GM V8 then had it shipped back to be tested by the EPA

[@tubeMonger]

No, that's not correct.

[@PredaFran]

@@tubeMonger it is

[@theamishsoylentretailersof1952]

Is

[@theamishsoylentretailersof1952]

Isn't

[@theamishsoylentretailersof1952]

Is. Sorry I let that get out of hand.

[@MRrwmac]

Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship by you and your team Tim! You really are an artist! Thank you very very much for the restoration of a wonderful machine!

[@FalconClubFCA]

What's wrong with you 19 people that dislike this video? It's a serial number one car the guy put in one of the most prestigious auto museums in the country instead of selling out!

[@okeydokeylocksmithhouston4535]

Happy 60th anniversary Honda!

[@FalconXE302]

One of the best car restoration video's I have ever watched... and I have watched a lot. This is proof it is not what you restore, it is what the type or particular car means to the person that counts.

[@japan743]

Thanks for ever Soichiro Honda!!!!

[@joeberkman3690]

Bought a 1975 Civic cvcc 5sp. in 1975. Kept it 10 yrs wish I still had it. Wonderful video, wonderful work by a true craftsman. Cats surely helped him!