The L700 is a commercial station wagon from Honda. Produced for only eleven months beginning in October 1965, it shared the S600 roadster's mechanicals and used a bored out version of that car's high-tech inline-four engine.[3] At 687 cc, the DOHC engine produced 52 hp (39 kW) with twin side-draft carburettors.

Honda L700
Overview
ManufacturerHonda
Also calledHonda L800
ProductionSayama Plant, Sayama, Saitama, Japan
L700: October 1965-September 1966[1]
L800: September 1966-November 1967
Body and chassis
ClassMinivan
Body style3-door wagon
LayoutFR layout
RelatedHonda S600
Honda S800
Honda T500
Powertrain
Engine
  • 687 cc DOHC I4
  • 791 cc DOHC I4
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,245 mm (88.4 in)
Length3,690 mm (145 in)
Width1,485 mm (58.5 in)
Height1,400 mm (55 in)
Curb weight800 kg (1,764 lb) (LM700)[2]
Chronology
SuccessorHonda Odyssey Shuttle
Honda Civic Shuttle

The L700 was designed for commercial deliveries and was referred to by Honda as a light van, but it appeared as a conventional station wagon, seating five. Only a four-speed manual transmission was available, the front suspension was an independent MacPherson struts while the rear was a conventional leaf sprung live axle.[2] Two models were built — the basic LA700 and better-equipped LM700.[4] A third version, called the Honda P700[5] was a small pick-up truck version, with an exposed load bay and a standard cab situated behind the engine, using the same chassis as the L700 (front engine, rear drive). It appeared a month after the L700. 12,763 L700 and 1328 P700 were built.[3] Payload for all L and P-series models was 400 kg (882 lb).

L800

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The L700 was replaced in 1966 by the L800. Basically an L700 with a 58 hp (43 kW) 791 cc engine, the L800 was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1966. The engine came from the S800 roadster but used a single side-draft carburettor. It was available in LA and LM trim levels like the L700, and about 12,500 were produced through 1967. The "L" prefix is a naming reference to lorry, from the British word for "truck." 7275 L800 were built, alongside 1079 P800.[6] In total, 22,445 of all L- and P-series models were built; very few remain.

References

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  1. ^ "L700". Honda クルマ製品アーカイブ [Honda Car Archive] (in Japanese). Honda Motor Co.
  2. ^ a b "1965 / HONDA L700". Honda Collection Hall. Honda Motor Co. Archived from the original on 2015-12-27.
  3. ^ a b Ozeki, Kazuo (2007). 日本のトラック・バス 1918~1972 [Japanese Trucks and Buses 1918-1972] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Miki Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-4-89522-494-9.
  4. ^ "Honda L700 1965". This Old Honda. Archived from the original on 2007-08-14.
  5. ^ "P700, 1965 - 1965, This Old Honda, Antique, Vintage, and Classic Honda and Acura Automobiles, Model Generation". Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2012-08-21. 1965 Honda P700 truck
  6. ^ Ozeki, p. 162