He even has one of the first Civics, pre-import to the US. Rather the equivalent of a Isetta, I should think. (Google N600)
That's not a Civic! It's a Honda 600. I had one of those, it was my second car. I owned it while going to college, during the second oil embargo. It got 35mpg and, in those days when they were called "service stations", I could yell (so that other drivers would overhear me) "Here's five bucks, fill 'er up!"
They were fairly gutless, however. I grew up in LA and commuted from "The Valley" over the Sepulveda Pass on the I-405. On the north side it's a fairly steep grade straight up to the top of the Santa Monica mountains, and with a running start and noone in my way, I could hold 55mph. As soon as I had to let my foot up, that was it; downshift and move right!
The car doesn't have room for a normal stick on the floor. (Besides, it's front wheel drive.) Instead, the stick pivots off the dash. Reverse is all the way to the right and then you fold it over down past the glovebox. This lets you cop a feel of your date's knee, if you're so inclined.
I would often come out of a party to find my car not where I parked it. It was so cute that inevitably some guys would pick it up and put it on the lawn. Once I came out and realized that I had locked my keys in the car. I went back in and borrowed a coat hanger -- I had seen this done in the movies! I got the hook down past the window seal, but I had no idea what I was trying to do. However, as I worked it and pressed against the door, I managed to pop the door open -- without ever unlocking it!
