Honda 1300 77 Deluxe sedan
Honda's first serious family sedan used racing-inspired ideas, front-wheel drive and a remarkable air-cooled 1.3-liter engine.
1969 Honda 1300 Series 77 sedan · Sicnag · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
Honda unveiled the 1300 in October 1968 and launched the 77 series in May 1969. The four-door sedan was intended to combine compact-car economy with much stronger performance than its displacement suggested. The 77 Deluxe sat between Standard and Custom in the seven-model launch range and used Honda's distinctive DDAC air-cooling system.
Look a little closer.
DDAC wrapped the combustion chambers in a second structure that guided fan-driven cooling air. Honda chased even temperatures and high output without a radiator. It was an audacious solution, but its extra castings and airflow hardware reduced the simplicity advantage people normally expect from air cooling.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
An air-cooled engine that carried its own ducts
DDAC wrapped the combustion chambers in a second structure that guided fan-driven cooling air. Honda chased even temperatures and high output without a radiator. It was an audacious solution, but its extra castings and airflow hardware reduced the simplicity advantage people normally expect from air cooling.
Source: Honda — World-class super sedan HONDA 1300 ↗A motorcycle company builds a family sedan
Honda entered this class without years of conventional sedan habits. Front-wheel drive freed cabin space, the engine revved unusually high, and active safety was linked to acceleration, braking and controllability. The 1300 therefore reads like a bold engineering statement as much as a practical car.
Source: Honda — World-class super sedan HONDA 1300 ↗Where these facts come from
- Honda — World-class super sedan HONDA 1300
- Honda Auto Archive — 1300 77 Deluxe specifications
- Honda Heritage — Launching the Honda 1300
- Honda technology — H1300E DDAC engine
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 4, 2026.