Discussion
I've just picked up a 1991 Honda Beat, 750kg, 660cc, 64bhp, and 9200rpm. It's great fun to drive fast without ever driving a speed limit.
I've been on the lookout for one for a few months, finding a good one is difficult. They rarely come up and there's plenty of rough examples out there, I probably paid top money for the car but its mint, it's had the same owner the past 11 years who wasn't mechanically minded so all work from fitting a new mohair roof and timing belts to changing bulbs was completed by a Honda main dealer.
Spec:
1. Full re-spray
2. Beetune integrated front bumper/spoiler
3. Lotus Elise Series 2 driving lights
4. Custom made ABS grill
5. Dezent Z alloy wheels (2 x 13 inch front, 2 x 14 inch rear)
6. Four Hankook tyres (2 x 13 inch front, 2 x 14 inch rear)
7. Clear side indicator lenses
8. Honda Insight wiper blades
9. New wiper arms
10. New spare wheel tray
11. Toyota Yaris space saver spare tyre
12. Original Honda Beat car jack
13. Original Honda Beat tool kit
14. Spare wheel storage bucket and cover (not shown in the pictures)
15. Front tower bar
16. New mohair roof
17. Aeromaster 'Mugen Style' side skirts
18. 'Beat - Midship Amusement' stickers
19 Spiegel rear bumper undertray
20. New Dixel vented brake discs front and rear
21. New Light Sports brake pads front and rear
22. Honda Civic bonnet badge
23. Honda Civic boot badge
24. Mugen exhaust
Interior Upgrades
1. Genuine Beat radio/cassette/CD player
2. CD changer
3. Genuine Beat 'zebra print' floor mats
4. MOMO leather steering wheel
5. MOMO gear knob
6. New Honda Legend ash tray for centre console
7. Leather handbrake gaiter
8. Beat gear pattern plate
9. Driver's seat professionally re-trimmed using original 'zebra print' seat material
10. Beat storage bag
11. Zebra print torch
12, Toyota MR2 Mk1 wind deflector with custom made Honda Beat sticker
13. 'Fashion' roll hoops
14. Windscreen aerial
In the flesh, the car looks brand new. The previous owner kept it garaged and never drove it in the rain, despite it being over 30 years old, it's totally mint.
Some parts such as the steering wheel and gear knob aren't to my taste:
I've already replaced the gear knob with a 5 speed Integra titanium knob and I'm on the lookout for a Momo Prototipo wheel.
I popped along to a local car meet (Bill's Detailing Breakfast Car meet) where it unexpectedly drew a crowd despite it being surrounded by some very tasty metal.
Feel free to shoot any questions and if it's of interest I'll keep updating this thread with updates throughout my ownership.
I've been on the lookout for one for a few months, finding a good one is difficult. They rarely come up and there's plenty of rough examples out there, I probably paid top money for the car but its mint, it's had the same owner the past 11 years who wasn't mechanically minded so all work from fitting a new mohair roof and timing belts to changing bulbs was completed by a Honda main dealer.
Spec:
1. Full re-spray
2. Beetune integrated front bumper/spoiler
3. Lotus Elise Series 2 driving lights
4. Custom made ABS grill
5. Dezent Z alloy wheels (2 x 13 inch front, 2 x 14 inch rear)
6. Four Hankook tyres (2 x 13 inch front, 2 x 14 inch rear)
7. Clear side indicator lenses
8. Honda Insight wiper blades
9. New wiper arms
10. New spare wheel tray
11. Toyota Yaris space saver spare tyre
12. Original Honda Beat car jack
13. Original Honda Beat tool kit
14. Spare wheel storage bucket and cover (not shown in the pictures)
15. Front tower bar
16. New mohair roof
17. Aeromaster 'Mugen Style' side skirts
18. 'Beat - Midship Amusement' stickers
19 Spiegel rear bumper undertray
20. New Dixel vented brake discs front and rear
21. New Light Sports brake pads front and rear
22. Honda Civic bonnet badge
23. Honda Civic boot badge
24. Mugen exhaust
Interior Upgrades
1. Genuine Beat radio/cassette/CD player
2. CD changer
3. Genuine Beat 'zebra print' floor mats
4. MOMO leather steering wheel
5. MOMO gear knob
6. New Honda Legend ash tray for centre console
7. Leather handbrake gaiter
8. Beat gear pattern plate
9. Driver's seat professionally re-trimmed using original 'zebra print' seat material
10. Beat storage bag
11. Zebra print torch
12, Toyota MR2 Mk1 wind deflector with custom made Honda Beat sticker
13. 'Fashion' roll hoops
14. Windscreen aerial
In the flesh, the car looks brand new. The previous owner kept it garaged and never drove it in the rain, despite it being over 30 years old, it's totally mint.
Some parts such as the steering wheel and gear knob aren't to my taste:
I've already replaced the gear knob with a 5 speed Integra titanium knob and I'm on the lookout for a Momo Prototipo wheel.
I popped along to a local car meet (Bill's Detailing Breakfast Car meet) where it unexpectedly drew a crowd despite it being surrounded by some very tasty metal.
Feel free to shoot any questions and if it's of interest I'll keep updating this thread with updates throughout my ownership.
Phunk said:
Super Sonic said:
Lovely little car, looks perfect for twisty back roads. One question, when you said 'Honda Civic rear badge',did you mean it literally?
Apologies, the list is from the chap I bought it from! It's just the 'H' emblem is from a CivicMy only experience of these was years ago when a colleague, who's BIL ran a Japanese import business, chopped in her Prelude for one. I was convinced she'd made a huge mistake given the drop in power, etc, until we went out in it. A fantastic little car and with the top down and the engine screaming it felt like the fastest thing on the road and it was hard not to grin like an idiot. 
Enjoy, OP!
Chris
Enjoy, OP!
Chris
Thanks for the kind words all.
I've been out for a few blasts around some local twisties and it's great fun. My friend had a K20 powered Elise and I can only describe it as a 3/4 version of that!
It's not until you come across other traffic on a country road or drive at 70mph at 6000rpm on the motorway that you notice the lack of power.
I've been out for a few blasts around some local twisties and it's great fun. My friend had a K20 powered Elise and I can only describe it as a 3/4 version of that!
It's not until you come across other traffic on a country road or drive at 70mph at 6000rpm on the motorway that you notice the lack of power.
Some more photos, first the interior. Wheel is getting changed soon! It comes with two sets of mats, seller informed me these original striped mats are super rare.
New gear knob and the gathers stereo, which works perfectly.
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Central subwoofer which unfortunately doesn’t work.
|https://thumbsnap.com/AUqpvv1g[/url]
The massive boot, seller threw in his CTEK which was kind.
Rear of the car, with rare stainless mugen exhaust. You can’t really hear the exhaust when in the car, it’s mostly the individual throttle bodies screaming right behind your head.
New gear knob and the gathers stereo, which works perfectly.
[url]
Central subwoofer which unfortunately doesn’t work.
|https://thumbsnap.com/AUqpvv1g[/url]The massive boot, seller threw in his CTEK which was kind.
Rear of the car, with rare stainless mugen exhaust. You can’t really hear the exhaust when in the car, it’s mostly the individual throttle bodies screaming right behind your head.
Brilliant OP, absolutely love these (and the Autozam and Cappuccino)..
Piss take that something like this isn't ULEZ compliant but then again, I don't think I'd want to drive something this small around the city, nor would it be very fun anyway.
For steering wheels have you thought about a MOMO 'Team'? They were available in smaller sizes like 280/300mm back in the day, I remember them being popular in the VW scene in the small older cars where a ~350mm might've been a little big...
Do these have power steering?
Piss take that something like this isn't ULEZ compliant but then again, I don't think I'd want to drive something this small around the city, nor would it be very fun anyway.
For steering wheels have you thought about a MOMO 'Team'? They were available in smaller sizes like 280/300mm back in the day, I remember them being popular in the VW scene in the small older cars where a ~350mm might've been a little big...
Do these have power steering?
RobFerrari said:
Absolutely adore Honda Beats. Always fancied one as a weekend car, but at 6ft5 I am not sure I will fit!
Lovely example you have there, enjoy!
You'll fit: https://youtu.be/MAgf5OG2Pyg?t=294Lovely example you have there, enjoy!
smithyithy said:
Brilliant OP, absolutely love these (and the Autozam and Cappuccino)..
Piss take that something like this isn't ULEZ compliant but then again, I don't think I'd want to drive something this small around the city, nor would it be very fun anyway.
For steering wheels have you thought about a MOMO 'Team'? They were available in smaller sizes like 280/300mm back in the day, I remember them being popular in the VW scene in the small older cars where a ~350mm might've been a little big...
Do these have power steering?
Cheers, no power steering. With no engine over the front and the entire car weighing 750kgs can't say I miss it!Piss take that something like this isn't ULEZ compliant but then again, I don't think I'd want to drive something this small around the city, nor would it be very fun anyway.
For steering wheels have you thought about a MOMO 'Team'? They were available in smaller sizes like 280/300mm back in the day, I remember them being popular in the VW scene in the small older cars where a ~350mm might've been a little big...
Do these have power steering?
I'm thinking of going for the Momo Prototipo for a wheel, as seen on another Beat from this forum:
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