America’s Car Museum: Honda Automobiles (Photo Diary)

Harold LeMay, a Tacoma businessman, loved cars and managed to collect more than 3,000 cars, trucks and motorcycles in forty years as a collector. Some of the vehicles from his collection form the core of the LeMay – America’s Car Museum. This collection of more than 300 cars, motorcycles and trucks is displayed in a four-story building in Tacoma, Washington. A special exhibition, Shinka: A Captivating Japanese Motor Showincluding a number of Honda automobiles.

The Honda story begins not with cars, but with motorized bicycles. After World War II, bicycles were the most common form of transportation in Japan. In 1946, Soichiro Honda (1906-1991) began converting war-left Imperial Army 50 cc two-stroke generator engines used to power wireless radios to provide auxiliary power to bicycles. These were an immediate success and a year later Honda developed the A-Type Honda engine.

In 1949, Honda produced its first motorcycle, the D-Type. In 1959, Honda was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.

In 1963, Honda began automobile production with the T360 mini truck and the S500 sports car.

1971 Honda N600 Sedan

The N600, the precursor to the Civic, was Honda’s first import into the United States, according to the museum:

“It was known for its reliability and affordability and served as an economical means of transportation.”

It features a 36 hp 600 cc inline two-cylinder engine with a 4-speed manual transmission. The maximum speed is 80 miles per hour. The original price was $1,395.

1981 Honda Accord LX

This car features a 1.8-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 75 horsepower and a 5-speed manual transmission. The maximum speed is 80 miles per hour. The original price was $3,995.

1992 Honda Acura NSX

According to the museum:

“Designed as an exotic supercar, the NSX aimed to compete with world-class exotic cars while prioritizing ride quality. It embodied handcrafted craftsmanship with a mid-engine layout for unparalleled performance and refinement. Inspired by F-16 fighter jets, its cockpit-like interior redefined luxury. The NSX aimed to revolutionize exotic cars and combine performance with functionality. It served as Acura’s halo car and established Honda as a leading sports car manufacturer with a new standard of excellence.”

This car features a 270 horsepower 3.0-liter V6 mid-engine with a 5-speed manual transmission. The top speed is 170 miles per hour. The original price was $65,000.

2018 Honda Civic SI Tuner

According to the museum:

“The owner purchased a new Honda Civic SI and hired Leo Tkachuk of VIPwraps to customize it in Gloss Plum Explosion. Every detail, including underhood and interior lighting, exhaust and trunk indicator, was color matched with the help of Baer Jones of DaBaer Essentials. This car features an air suspension system, full under lighting and programmable wheel lighting in different patterns and colors.”

This car features a 225 HP 1.5L 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. The top speed is 135 miles per hour.

2022 Acura NSX Type-S

This car features a 600 horsepower turbo V6 with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The top speed is 191 miles per hour. The original price was $175,000.

Note: These photos were taken on July 12, 2024.

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