Description
✨ Honda S800 Cabriolet 1968
The elegance of high revs, the soul of an engineer’s roadster
In the late 1960s, the automotive world still looked at Japan with a certain degree of skepticism.
Honda was known for its motorcycles, for its high-revving engines, for competition… but a true sports car?
A car with character, capable of standing alongside European rivals?
Honda answered quietly.
But with precision.
The Honda S800 Cabriolet was not designed to impress with displacement or brute power.
It was created to defend a bold idea for its time:
👉 performance can come from revs, engineering, and intelligence.
Under the hood lies a four-cylinder engine of less than 800 cc.
Yet this engine is capable of climbing to 8,000 rpm, fed by four carburetors, delivering a soundtrack closer to a racing machine than to a simple roadster.
This engine is the work of engineers who, just a few years later, would lead Honda into Formula 1.
🏁 A car for those who know
The Honda S800 Cabriolet 1968 was never a mass-produced car.
It never aimed to be.
Lightweight, lively, precise, it is made for those who truly drive, not merely travel.
For those who enjoy feeling an engine climb through the revs, interacting with the mechanics, understanding the road.
The Cabriolet version, far rarer than the coupé, now holds a special place in the collector car market.
At a classic car gathering, it is not uncommon to see… none at all.
Or just one.
🛠️ The story of a passionate owner
This Honda S800 Cabriolet from 1968 was not restored in haste.
It has been maintained, made reliable, and respected.
Its owner is a long-time enthusiast with over 50 years of experience in the world of classic vehicles.
At the age of 70, he acquired this car as one might grant oneself a reward.
An achievement.
A symbol.
Every intervention was carried out with the goal of preserving the car’s authenticity while ensuring its reliability:
brakes, clutch, transmission, fuel system, exhaust, electrics…
The work was done seriously, without unnecessary cosmetic tricks.
And above all, the underbody tells the truth:
👉 a sound, clean and coherent chassis,
exactly what knowledgeable collectors are looking for.
📜 A Honda that inspires confidence
This Honda S800 Cabriolet benefits from:
- clear and transparent documentation,
- a F.I.V.A. passport,
- a technical and historical inspection carried out by a recognized specialized commission.
Nothing is hidden.
Nothing is exaggerated.
It is a car presented with honesty and transparency.
🌱 The next chapter
Today, this Honda S800 Cabriolet 1968 is ready to write a new chapter.
With an owner who will appreciate:
- its rarity,
- its unique mechanical character,
- its intact personality,
- and the rare pleasure of driving something most others do not have.
This is not a car for everyone.
It is a car for someone.
Perhaps you.
✨ The Classic-Vintage-Car spirit
At Classic-Vintage-Car, we do not select cars based on numbers alone, but on the stories they tell.
The Honda S800 Cabriolet 1968 perfectly embodies our vision:
an automobile designed by engineers, not marketing departments.
A light, intelligent and demanding car, focused on mechanics, driving feel and precision rather than excess.
Rare without being ostentatious, discreet yet deeply engaging, it speaks to enthusiasts who understand its singularity.
It does not try to impress everyone — it appeals to those who know.
Its high-revving engine, compact format, rarely produced cabriolet version and sound overall condition reflect exactly what we stand for:
authentic, coherent, well-documented vehicles with real history and genuine driving pleasure.
This Honda S800 is not a static object.
It is a car to be driven, enjoyed, shared at events, and passed on.
For all these reasons, it has naturally earned its place within the Classic-Vintage-Car selection.
🏁 Honda S800 Cabriolet – 1968
Iconic Japanese roadster – rare cabriolet version
The Honda S800 Cabriolet is one of the most fascinating Japanese cars of the 1960s.
As the final evolution of Honda’s S-series, it represents a unique approach to sports cars: lightweight design, high-revving engines, mechanical precision, and direct inspiration from motorcycles and motorsport.
The Cabriolet version, far rarer than the coupé, is now highly sought after by collectors.
🔧 Technical specifications
- Year: 1968
- Engine: 4-cylinder – 791 cc
- Power: approx. 70 hp at 8,000 rpm
- Induction: four carburetors
- Transmission: manual
- Layout: rear-wheel drive, high-revving motorcycle-inspired engine
- Brakes: front disc brakes
- Body style: Cabriolet / roadster
This engine, capable of extremely high revs, is one of the most defining features of the S800 and a key part of its unique character.
🧾 History & usage
- Odometer reading: 30,862 km
- Vehicle used over a period of approximately 9 years, exclusively during the summer season
- Usage fully consistent with a well-preserved collector cabriolet
- Owned by a passionate enthusiast with more than 50 years of experience in classic vehicles
🛠️ Maintenance, services & improvements
Mechanical & technical
- New battery
- Complete electrical system check (lighting, indicators, wipers, horn, etc.)
- Fuel tank cleaned
- Complete carburetor cleaning with replacement of seals
- Carburetor synchronization planned before recommissioning
- Thorough engine cleaning
- Engine oil change and filter replacement with flushing
- Starter overhauled (new chain and reconditioned freewheel)
- Gearbox oil change
- Differential oil change
- Replacement of tachometer cable
- New wiper arms with fresh blades
Brakes & clutch
- Complete overhaul of the handbrake
- New rear wheel brake cylinders
- Full overhaul of front brakes
- Complete overhaul of brake master cylinder
- Full system bleeding
- Overhaul of clutch master and slave cylinders
- Pedal adjustment
Drivetrain & suspension
- New front wheel bearings
- Repair of driveshaft and universal joint
Exhaust system
- Complete system overhaul
- Manufacture of new components
- Sandblasting and repainting
🎨 Bodywork & presentation
- Treatment and repair of corrosion-sensitive areas (sills, front fenders, right door)
- Localized repainting carried out correctly
- Consistent panel alignment and presentation
- Convertible top in good condition with clear windows
- Interior correct, clean and well preserved
The underbody and visible mechanical components confirm a sound, well-maintained vehicle, far from purely cosmetic restorations.
📄 Documentation & compliance
- German registration documents
- F.I.V.A. passport (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens)
- Technical and historical inspection validated by a F.I.V.A.-member specialized commission
- Transparent history, no hidden intentions
📝 Key points
This Honda S800 Cabriolet is intended for a knowledgeable enthusiast looking for:
- a rare roadster,
- an original and expressive mechanical experience,
- a well-documented, sound and coherent vehicle,
- with real driving pleasure and long-term value potential.
📩 Interested in this model or searching for a Honda S800?
Feel free to contact us for further information or to discuss your automotive project.
🔧 Current status & recommissioning
The car is currently in its final recommissioning phase following winter storage.
The fuel system and carburetors are being reinstalled and synchronized.
An engine start-up, a test drive, and a driving video will be completed before any final agreement or delivery.
