50 years of Honda in the USA

[Bleach]

June 11, 1959 - June 11, 2009 (tomorrow)

 

Same year Datsun started selling in the USA.

 

Honda recreated their first storefront.

 

http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/2009/06/08/honda-recreates-1959-storefront-in-hq-lobby/

 

[Wharf Rat]

:) I think, no way thats one year from 1960 when I was hatched so it couldn't have been that long ago ........

 

 

 

 

 

Shit

[SurgeL320]

I thought i was the only one interested in classic honda. Im especially fascinated by the history of soichiro honda and the motorcycle side.

[Bandit240]

Very fitting considering that ive been working on repainting my honda helix all day.

 

http://www.slonaker.net/helixforum/viewtopic.php?p=7356#7356

[yellowdatsun]

It's unfortunate that Nissan doesn't give a crap about their heritage.

[datrod]

It's unfortunate that Nissan doesn't give a crap about their heritage.

 

Amen. When they put the datsun heritage museum together and asked for help from Nissan. they never even got a responce from Nissan. So sad :(

That museum is all done by a hand full of ex Nissan employees and some old farts the ran Datsun dealerships. Boy what they could do with a little help from Nissan. It's a nice little museum. But not like the one that Toyota has.

Toyota and Honda seem to care a little more.

[benzo]

yeah that is sad. I like hondas and the respect for where they came and where they are headed. same goes for toyota. sad that Nissan does not put more into it as they have been very important in japanese culture as well as motorsport culture.

[MikeRL411]

If you want to screw up a company's heritage, put the French in charge.

[209-916]

I have had a few hondas, i.e. my gf's 97 Civic EX in my namebadge thingy, my 2 '96 civics, my 94 integra, the 92 integra, etc. and they were decent cars, halfway cheap to fix, decent to modify. Hopefully the truck I'm getting will be similiar in that aspect.

[phiz]

This morning I did a dog & pony show thing for Honda execs at the HQ in Torrance. I brought a couple of concepts for the bussed-in invited guests to drool over, like this Acura ZDX.

As for Nissan not caring about their heritage, I think that's painting with a broad brush.

Nissan does keep a private stable of at least one of everything it makes, and does show highlights of its heritage to the public occasionally, especially when the marketing department sees an opportunity to capitalize on it. They just don’t seem to eager to make the big “museum” commitment.

That may have to do more with the auto industry’s economic woes at large more than anything else….that and typical Japanese industrial elitist progressive thinking.

Re: What’s been done in the past has little bearing on today.

As I recall, Honda used to destroy a lot of their own manufacturing history as eliminating wasteful storage. It wasn’t until about 30 years ago or so that somebody at the big H said, hey, maybe we should save some of this old crap.

Edited June 11, 2009 by phiz

[Figbuck]

The old man Soichiro Honda had a pretty incredible story. I always thought his commitment to racing was obsessive. Some of the F1 cars from the '80s turbo era were so cutting edge we may never see that kind of money thrown at a championship ever again. Besides building a world class brand and iconic business, his contribution to motorcycle racing is legendary too. One of my favorite machines and stories about the vision and tenacity that he had was the development of the oval piston NR750.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_NR

 

I have been a race fan for a long time and so I have seen a lot of history through the years. It doesn't really surprise me to see the current bizarre state of championship racing. It does brings a little tear to my eye that for the first time Honda doesn't support a factory team in AMA National Road Race Series. Oh well. The Old Man is probably turning over in his grave. Don't get me started on MotoGP and WSBK.

 

My favorite quotes are:

 

 

[ggzilla]

Same year Datsun started selling in the USA.

Datsun was selling cars in USA and was the #1 auto maker in Japan. Honda was only selling tiny motorikes.

 

But from such small beginings, Honda is now a larger automaker than Nissan.

[Burabuda]

er, honda isn't doing too much celebrating other than sending out that 50th logo