An ultra-rare RV that was too far ahead of its time

The Vamos Honda is famous for its unique body shape, but despite many people being familiar with the name, it was an ultra-rare vehicle that was short-lived. Amongst the many famous and stray vehicles that Honda has introduced to the world that were too far ahead of their time, we introduce you to the owner of the Vamos Honda, the RV of the extreme north.

An ultra-rare vehicle with a production run of around 2,500 units

The Vamos Honda, which is now rarely seen at events, was spotted at the “360! All Together in OSAKA” venue in Osaka.

The Vamos Honda made its debut in 1970, using components from the TN360 and fitted with an open body for leisure use, and was characterized by its flat front face with protruding headlights and spare tire. The engine was the same air-cooled four-stroke in-line two-cylinder as the TN360, mounted rear midship and driving the rear wheels.

There were three variants on sale: the Vamos 2, with a seating capacity of two and a top over the front seats only; the Vamos 4, with rear seats and seating for four; and the Vamos Full Hollow, a four-seater with a top over the entire rear cargo bed.

Whether this was because it was too far ahead of its time, however, is not known, but only about 2,500 were produced over a four-year period until 1973, when production ended due to tightened safety standards. This is why it is now an extremely rare model.

Optional side curtains installed

This time, we would like to introduce a 1973 Vamos Full Hollow that Mr. Kobayashi has owned for more than 10 years. Of the four body colors available at the time, the car is clad in Caravan Green, a body color that looks like a military vehicle.

By the way, there are no doors on the body, only an anti-fall bar above the waist. However, this particular car was equipped with side curtains, which were an option at the time, and the interior was completely covered with a hood.

Mr. Kobayashi originally drove a Honda Step Van and was looking for a Step Van as his new vehicle, but happened to find this Vamos Honda and decided to take it over. Incidentally, not only did he start working for Honda as a mechanic when his Step Van broke down, but he also owns a ‘Life Pickup’ and is covered in Honda in both his public and private life.

Shrunken canopies are repaired with ideas

Almost 10 years after it was acquired, the engine is said to be running well, although the odometer readings are gradually increasing. The engine is based on the TN360, which has the same air-cooled four-stroke two-cylinder engine as the N360 and Z. However, the Vamos’ engine is mounted under the floor with the cylinders lying almost horizontally, so it is not easy to transplant the engine from the N360, so the current maintenance of the engine is very careful. The engine of the Vamos cannot easily be transplanted from the N360.

The hood has shrunk considerably after years of use, and the fasteners on the side curtains have been pulled and broken in some areas, making it impossible to close them tightly. It was Mr. Kobayashi’s idea to sew a new fastener on the backside of the curtains so that they could be closed tightly. Even on the cold and sometimes rainy day of the event, the driver was able to drive comfortably to the venue.

translated by DeepL