Okay, what the hell is going on here, exactly? We have a European-looking cityscape, with signage in French, but all the people walking around seem to be dressed in stereotypical German clothing? And there’s a 1975 Honda there? Where is this, exactly? Is it supposed to be confusing? Oh, that upper image doesn’t show all the signs, but I promise they’re in French. Here, look for yourself:
See what I mean? It’s a strange melange of Europe with a Japanese car smack dab in the middle. The whole Honda brochure has dudes wearing lederhosen. Is this because there’s some festival? Is this Oktoberfest in France? It’s a beautiful mystery.
You know what else is a strange detail? Look on the trunk lid there – by the way, that trunk lid as an option instead of a hatch is something that’s always baffled me but I’ve talked about that before – look on the lower right there. See those two holes? That’s strange, right?
I’m pretty sure those are badge mounting holes, as many, or even most versions of the Civic had some kind of badges there, though I have seen other Civics that lacked badges and just rocked a couple of holes: 
What other new car had empty badge holes in its own brochure shots? That’s weird, right? I can’t believe this was once thought of as okay, but here we are. It’s Honda, too, hardly crap, right? Also, what’s up with the strange taillight treatment on that Civic on the right, with its huge tacked-on rear indicators?
But still, holes. In a trunk. Why?
It’s a Slylock Fox mystery, can you solve it?
Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?
I think I prefer the short hatch. I mean, there are benefits to a to-the-floor hatch opening, but the detriment is that you might open the hatch and have stuff fall out.
Breathing holes for the trunk full of French people?
Pretty sure this was in Disneyland on a generic European street….most Americans won’t know the difference. The fact that the holes are there doesn’t surprise me…the fact that I don’t see rust colored lines below them does.
For what it’s worth the woman in the passenger’s seat looks just as confused as Jason about everything.
Add driving to the (opposite) curbside, like you were in Great Britain..
And the fruit guy with that nose and yellow hair, and the meditaranian way of wearing a shirt, isn’t he Greek?
I personally get much dutch vibes from the flower lady..
StillNotATony is correct. I sold Honda cars from 1975 until 1981 along with Honda & Yamaha motorcycles. I sold hundreds of Honda cars. The blue Honda Civic with the small trunk lid that is shown in the photo is a model called the SBA. There was (2) Honda Civic models with that little trunk area. The SBA that’s shown came with a 1200cc gas engine & 4-speed manual transmission. I can recall selling that model for as low as $2,295 brand new on the showroom floor. It was Honda’s price leader. That style was also available with a 1,488cc CVCC engine that was much better on fuel. It was a model called: SGA. The “G’ designates the CVCC engine. Most ALL body parts were interchangeable between those 2 models. The CVCC were notorious for blowing head gaskets. Honda used cast iron for the block & cast aluminum for the head @ drastically different heating & cooling rates. Hence the expansion & contraction was also drastic between the 2 different engines.
Those holes that are circled in the photo were there to mount the CVCC plaque. They were filled in with rubber grommets to keep the water out. The rubber grommets weren’t much help because the fenders & doors would develop severe rust in 2 years. The Civic came with 12″ tires which wore out in 20K miles or less. The Civics with a CVCC engine came with 13” tires & wheels. Back then, there was a nationwide 55mph speed limit. Yeah, we had to suffer through that too. Back then it was just the the wife & I. We would drive my Civic CVCC when we went on vacation. Run up to 64mph with the A/C on & getting 45-50 Miles Per Gallon! And to think we all complained when we were forced to pay $1 a gallon for gas.
They used those holes for different plaques on the SGA, SGC, SGD & SGE Models. “G” designates the CVCC engine, “A” means the little truck in back, “C” means 4 speed manual trans, “D” means Hondamatic Trans (2 speed semi-automatic) & the “E” designates the 5-speed overdrive trans. Those 3 holes were used for everything from engine, trans, Model, and/or the engine. And Honda would make minor changes from year to year. What they used them for in 1976 wasn’t same as 1975. Same with the plaque on the left side. Some years, Honda also had the engine as part of the model.
Ok, I forgot. The cold start referred to the Hondas quick response to starting. ALL HONDAS in 1975 had a manual chock. Simply pull the chock out all the way. Keep your foot off the gas. Start the engine & then push the choke half way in as soon as it starts (it has a “half-way” click to hold it). Leave it in that position for 10-20 seconds to warm up a little. Providing it’s not frigid outside, you can put it in gear & proceed. If it’s frigid, continue to let it warm up for 20-30 seconds. I always liked the manual chokes I had on my previous cars. Didn’t have to worry about carrying carb cleaner to remove the gunk that accumulates in time & prevents the “automatic choke” from closing and/or opening as needed.
My 1977 Accord had a manual choke, too. It was not a problem for me, coming from a motorcycle/yard equipment background, but my GF at the time just couldn’t come to grips with it.
“the people walking around seem to be dressed in stereotypical German clothing” It is not German clothing. It is Bavarian. That’s a difference.
And Austrian, too. Lot of people outside Germany don’t know that Austria and Bavaria have so much in common, especially in the rural areas.
By the way, it was common for the German children to wear the Lederhosen as all-day clothes because the Lederhosen were “indestructible” and durable. They fell out of fashion in the 1960s.
Also, it’s a USDM spec Japanese car. In a town with French signage and people dressed (not German, but) Bavarian. Where I come from in Germany, nobody dresses like that. Bavaria is where they wear Lederhosen. Nowhere else in Germany.
It’s like the European stereotype of a Texan cowboy being representative of all Americans.
Would they wear this garb in Switzerland?
And a significant percentage of the Swiss speak French, my sources tell me..
North American spec, French signage, dirndls and lederhosen, parked on the left.
One-way street in a German-themed theme park in Quebec?
At one time, it was traditional attire for the entire Alpine region – parts of present day Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Switzerland, as well as Bavaria – it mostly died out during the 19th century but held on in Bavaria and to a somewhat lesser extent, Austria
Also, I think some French youth organizations have some history with it, boy scouts or similar
You know what other youth organization in Germany wore short pants? (Sorry, couldn’t resist Godwin-ing a thread with so much discussion of German culture).
And Austria, too. Lot of people forgot that Austria and Bavaria have so much in common, especially in the rural areas.
Re: the trunk vs. hatch design, i remember the hatch (short, USDM) was a $300 OPTION , so it gave consumers a more economical choice! probably cost Honda, tho… and as for those odd tail lights: i think someone just added amber turn signals to be more “foreign” than the stock all-red tail lights; doesn’t look OEM to me.
[ps. my 1st car was a ’75 “sedan” with the trunk]
Same deal as the Ford Pinto, the trunk was the cheapskate model. They were also a little bit lighter and stiffer but that didn’t matter unless you were looking to go into the SCCA Showroom Stock Sedan class, a rare use case.
It’s from a short lived secret German amusement park where the theme was “What if the Axis powers had won”. When the swastika was discovered by the authorities it was ripped off the Civic leaving the two mounting holes. The owners of the park were sent to the USSR to clean toilets in a Lada factory.
That park still exists. Its called “Argentina”.
French is spoken in the western part of Switzerland, the “Suisse Romande.” Four cantons are French-speaking: Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud, so maybe the photo was taken in one of these places.
As for the holes in the hatch, I’m thinking vampire. Big Swiss vampire. Or it’s an homage to Swiss cheese.
Switzerland is my guess, too.
Also, I now want cheese.
Have you not seen The Man in the High Castle?
drainage holes
nah; speed holes
Who cares? Dirndls!!!!
Tourist in Honda: Hello there! Is this Alsace, France?
German: Yes. Zis is France.
Tourist: But… you’re German. You’re all German.
German: Zis. is. France.
Tourist: But I’m looking for…
German: Move along before ve call ze French authorities.
It’s the Alsace region of France, I would guess.
I’m guessing the holes are equivalent to the blanks on your dash, reminding you that you cheaped out. No extra letters on the trunk to denote the higher trim level you could have bought if you weren’t such a skinflint.
Isn’t that where the CVCC badge would go, it it were so equipped?
Or the “Hondamatic” badge.
StillNotATony You are correct! I sold Honda cars, Honda motorcycles & Yamaha motorcycles from 1975 until mid 1981. Those holes were used for the CVCC plaque. I wrote a lengthy paragraph describing the whys & wherefores. Check it out.
The dude stepping out of the Epicerie refuses to wear lederhosen because of the war. Which war? Fuck if I know. There were still people who remembered the Franco-Prussian War kicking it when this brochure was made. Great great grandpa will be damned if he sees his ungrateful offspring dress like one of Bismarck’s men.
What’s the story with the guy with the basket of oranges? Where’s his lederhosen?
He could be the clerk at the store, since he’s restocking the oranges.
The woman on the left looks like she’s late for the filming of Midsommar and picking up some extra flowers for the set.
I mean, the Alsace is a thing…Perhaps this is from there?
Maybe Switzerland? Isn’t French one of their official languages?
Or O’Fest in Quebec?
I guess those Japanese marketers just figured all Europeans look alike.
The American marketers, too.
Japanese publicity shots were often shot in Europe or the US back in the days – and they usually went through the trouble to make faux local plates, although they always look off – presumably because they stuck to the Japanese license plate dimensions.