The first generation Honda Vamos is a simple car lacking any form of luxuries or modernity. Its small body has no doors or roof, only metal bars and the windshield separate the occupants from the outside. This exposure to the road makes the Vamos a unique car with a special presence on the road.
It’s powered by a 354cc air-cooled two-cylinder OHC engine which is located under the second-row of seats, the gearbox is a 4-speed manual. The fact that it’s “mid-engined” also makes it a peculiar car. The front is also unusual, with the spare tyre fitted between the protruding frog-eye headlamps, which together with the small body, gives it a rather cute look. On the other hand, the bare interior and simple dashboard gauges gives the car a military vehicle feeling.
This vehicle was on display at VEHICLE STYLE, an outdoor event specialising in recreational vehicles, held in April this year. Mr. Ikeda had been looking for a Vamos for some time and decided to buy it immediately.
The Vamos was designed to be a vehicle that could be used for leisure activities as well as field work. It was marketed under the catchphrase “A vehicle only limited by the drivers’ mind”. The compact body and ease of loading and unloading luggage made it a practical vehicle in various situations.
However, the avant-garde design of the Vamos was not well accepted at the time, and it is believed that it was produced for only three years and only about 2,530 units were made.
There were three types of Vamos: a two-seater, a four-seater and a full canopy type which covered the whole top. The full canopy model was produced in the smallest numbers making it extremely rare to find an original one in such good condition. The paint is original and the interior has not been altered.