The owner loves the N360, the original of the Honda N series
This was the second Toda Classic Car Reunion, held on 23 November 2023 at the Doman Green Park in Toda City, Saitama Prefecture. The atmosphere is one in which owners who have met each other for the first time can easily interact with each other, and many people participate with their maniac models. This time, we spoke to the owner of the N360, the origin of Honda’s N series of light cars.
Bought from a friend for 150 USD, the 1969 model has been his partner for over 40 years
While today, Honda’s N is associated with the N series, including the N-ONE, the N360, which debuted in 1967, was loved by many people under the nickname ‘N-koro’.
Mr. Ito, who we spoke to at the Toda Classic Car Reunion, is an automobile hobbyist who knows exactly about the N-Koro era, and has been using the 1969 Honda N360 N II TS he drove on the day of the event since 1981. He also owns another N360 N I (an early 1967 model).
“At the time, it was fashionable to have a second car, so I bought an N360 N II from a friend for 35,000 yen (approximately 150 USD at the exchange rate at that time). The Touring series, which had a twin-cab version with a 36 hp maximum output engine, came in grades T, TS, TM, and TG, and mine was a TS.”
After driving a variety of domestic sports cars, he settled on the N360
“I drive it when I attend events like this one, where there are a lot of classic cars, but I only own N I and N II N360s, so I use the N Koro as my car. This N360 N II is still in use today, although I replaced the exterior rubber parts when I painted the body all over in 1982.”
The fact that Mr Ito, who used to drive a Model 20 Corolla, Cherry, Pulsar, Civic, TE61 Sprinter Trueno, and EP61 Starlet, now drives only two N360s daily is The fact that he now drives only two N360s daily is testimony to the fact that the N Koro is so appealing.
Car enthusiasts who are thinking of buying a classic car should consider the N360 as a potential car to love, not only as an entry model for the automotive hobby but also as one of the Agari cars.
translated by DeepL