While the Plymouth Road Runner was the high-performance volume play for Chryco in the late ’60s and early ’70s it wasn’t the only member of the corporate line up to occupy that entry-level spot. There was another, less common, but an equally capable performer in the form of the Dodge Super Bee. And here is a 1970 example, located in Ontario, New York, and available here on eBay for a current bid of $19,300, no reserve and 29 bids tendered as of this writing.
The Super Bee was a stripped-down version of the Dodge Coronet but powered and equipped in a similar fashion as the aforementioned Road Runner. Introduced in ’68, the Super Bee continued on through ’70 as a Coronet based package and then moved over to the Dodge Charger model for its final year in ’71. The name has been used off and on over the years on both Mexican and U.S. models with the last use of the name occurring in 2014 on the Charger. The focus here, however, is on the original run.
The seller informs us right off that this is a southern car that has been relocated up north. I know how that feels as it happened to me once. Anyway, as you can see from the snow, this Dodge is no longer down south but it does present itself really well so it has been stored appropriately and not used in typical winter weather. It is a two-door sedan or coupe, as opposed to a two-door hardtop and the VIN supplied appears to verify the claim of what this Dodge purports itself to be. The finish looks pretty strong and there are no glaring or obvious issues with the body as this Super Bee underwent restoration many years ago. The seller adds that the underside of this car is solid. The dual loop bumper is one of the most recognizable aspects of this ’70 Dodge. Enthusiasts seem to either love it or hate it. While I prefer the front end on the ’69 version I’m neutral on this ’70; it’s subjective as styling always is. Finally, the seller states that this is a “driver quality” car which I find to be an advantage – what fun is it if you can’t take it out and not worry about it?
Under the hood, the original 383 CI engine has been swapped for a 440 CI V8 of unknown provenance other than the verification that it is a ’70 version. The seller claims that it, “runs strong and shifts great” with its 727 three-speed, automatic transmission. A 3.23 rear gear set is present and that tends to be a nice all-around ratio for both performance and cruising. I suppose this engine swap could be an issue with the “matching-numbers” set but this motor really is a nice upgrade for a driver quality car.
The interior of this Super Bee looks pretty good. The seller adds no details other than to state it is original. The bench seat parchment upholstery is starting to discolor and crack in places but it is still very presentable. The carpet shows little wear which belies this Dodge’s reported 108,000 miles. No word regarding the dash instrument’s operability.
Mopar muscle of this era is always a big draw and I expect this Super Bee to move upwards on bid tenders over the next five days. The underhood visual modifications to the engine are minimal but then you have the advantage of the 440 CI motor and that is a very significant upgrade. This coupled with the solidity of this car’s structure (I frequently find this vintage Plymouth/Dodge with more rust than steel) is really encouraging. The seller tells us that the fender tag is missing, it got misplaced – which sounds suspicious, but the VIN appears to check out. I would ask our Mopar experts to comment on that matter. I have to ask the question, what’s not to like? I can’t come up with anything.
The blue rust bucket was not much less than this!! Although it was a 4 speed car the price isnt a big difference for a more solid car!!
True, at this point. However, there are still 5 days left in this auction.
Steve R
And that could mean +50%.
Nice car though ..
Good looking machine with 440 inches to back it up. Don’t recall all that many ’70 Super Bees, ’68-69’s more so.
I personally think all Super 🐝 should be yellow and Black…
The NOM 383 gone makes it non original in price so why not swap manual trans and rear since its no longer full pedigree.
Question: Should One also should add Bee Gees eight tracks for music. “Tragedy” song is a good one due to missing engine 🥺 Barry Gibb and Andy Gibbs probably each drove muscle ones to help with other song Jive Talking at drag racing too 😂🐝😂🐝😂
I thought the Bee Gees were an all girl band?
Bob
They were.
My wife, when she was a very young girl, thought BG’s stood for Beatle Guys since they were English and had long hair. True story. 😃
Maybe as to the comment about being an all girls band but they made a hell of a lot more money than most of us reading Barn Finds and us commenting.
Nah, too real, too much substance between the fenders for the disco crowd.
“Disco sucks!”
Oh, how soon you forget. In the sixties, the Bee Gees had four members, not three, and they played solid pop music. In wasn’t until the late 70s when they turned to the dark side…disco.
Actually, they had 5 for awhile, then one guy quit, next Robin quit to go solo.
Disco was pretty much dead by the time the Bee Gees hits came out. They helped prolong it.
The Bee Gee’s were Australian, 3 members, brothers Barry, Robin & Maurice. Hence “Bee Gee’s” “Brothers Gibb”
They are Brits unless they changed nationality which I have not checked.
British, 3 were brothers. Early on, there were 2 more members.
The BeeGees were born in England but later moved to Australia, and they had a BUNCH of hits before the disco era, but you guys are too young to remember.
I don’t think brother Andy, who had a solo career and died tragically at a young age during the disco era, was ever >>officially<< in the band. Keep in mind since their inception, there could be many band members to produce the sounds you heard in concert…but only three Brothers Gibb in the Bee Gees.
Nope, only 3 persons in the Bee Gees had the last name of Gibb. Andy was never in that band. There were 2 other members early on, in the 60’s. They did not make it into the ’70’s IIRC.
Here is the Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees
$19,300 with 5 days left? We ought to be taking wagers on where this will end up.
Put me down for $38,600.
$31,000.00
35.4k :)
40,001
My personal preference has always been the ‘69 Super Bee. To me, this is one of Chrysler’s most epic styling failures with that front end treatment, which tends to explain why so few were sold.
On the other hand, I have a mate who is a frothing Mopar fan who just loves these things precisely because they are so ugly.
No accounting for taste, I suppose.
I guess I’m one of the few that like this front end.
I like it. Having owned one since 78, I like the one year only design.
Ever wonder why it was only a one year design?
That odd rear window has got to be hard to find.
Is Dana rear necessary with big motor & automatic?
69 69 and 70 b bodies all had that same rear window, easy to find. just fyi.
Have a 69 283 . I have 2 extra rear windows.
“What’s not to like?”you ask?For my personal taste,it needs a pair of bucket seats with a pistol grip 4 speed sticking out from between them.And I’d swap the 3:23 gears for 3:55s
And you’d notice zero difference between the two gear sets.
I think the 4 speed ran a 3:73 rear ratio stock. I knew 2 brothers that had ’68’s 1 auto(3;23), 1 4 speed(3:73). I thought the 4 speed pistol grip looked cool with the bench seat.
3:73 was never an option with Mopar in this era. Either a 3:23 or an optional 3:55 or a 3:91 in a performance axle package.
20,100 at this time. It is climbing!!
I bought a 1970 Dodge Superbee from the original owners over 20 years ago. 383 with the auto column shift like this one with a bench seat as well. It is on a B Body platform and it had the N96 hood scoops that allowed cold air induction into the carb via a pull handle under the dash. I had the 383 rebuilt and that was a strong runner! The B bodies are a longer wheel base than the E body Cuda, Challenger, and it was was a smoother ride as compared. I liked the ’70 model, it had an aggressive look.
Whats puzzling to me is why upgrade to a 440″ and not put tri-power on it, very nice car. What gives with the fender tags being removed on so many cars, why ? This isnt the first time this has happened, its an old story .
Because it probably close to $1,500 to $2,000 to do the swap with used parts. If you went with new carbs, the three will start at almost $2,200 then you need to add the manifold, fuel lines, linkage and air cleaner assembly, not to mention the finishing touch of the Ramcharger cold air induction.
Steve R
Something is fishy here and it’s not a barracuda.
No fender tag . This will affect price.
Will not go over 25 grand
By the way, Disco is great and the BGees were Australian.
Not Brits.
Use Google
oh my. My Bad. They were born in Britain.
I used Google
Yep :) I was just about to be all over that.
Born on Isle of Man which is a strange place .. a self governing crown dependency but grew up in Manchester like many other great musicians.
They did live for short while in Australia though.
Don’t they have some kind of crazy motorcycle race on Isle of Man? I read about it one time in a magazine.
Yes, that’s the IOM TT. A crazy street race.
Isle of Man TT Manx Grand Prix 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDhYQFUsV8M
RE: ISLE OF MAN TT RACE, first off how do they ride the motorcycles so fast, with cahonies that big its got to be very uncomfortable, and secondly I always thought that TT riding was Tavern to Tavern, they didnt stop anyplace for a pint ?
wow!!!
If you sre going to swap the tranny ( which I agree), nows the time to upgrade to a 5 speed or 6 speed with OD. That way you can also put in a faster rear end for faster performance off the line.
If you are going to swap the tranny ( which I agree), nows the time to upgrade to a 5 speed or 6 speed with OD. That way you can also put in a faster rear end for faster performance off the line.
I would not trust that body shop with my 70 RR. Lost fender tag. No excuse. It has gotten to the point people walk around at car shows with a Phillips screw driver looking for them. Mine is in my fire proof safe. A factory N96 car. No way is some jack was stealing my cars tag.
Geo passes on.
Wife has no idea what a fender tag is and tosses them out.😂
Not a mopar guy at all,but I built and installed a 383 for a customer few years ago in his 69 super bee. I thought I remember an H designating the 383 or did this change by the years for the super bee if I am correct about the H for 69 being a 383 born car? Thanks😁
Stalled at 22600.
Fender tag makes a diff.
If the 22600 guy shows up, I would be surprised too.