383/4-Speed: 1968 Dodge Super Bee Project

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Even in its most basic guise, the 1968 Dodge Super Bee is a car that delivered impressive performance figures. Add to this a car that also possessed good looks, and it’s easy to see why these have remained a popular muscle car to this day. This Super Bee will require a full restoration, but it looks like the next owner will be working from a pretty sound base. Located in Manahawkin, New Jersey, it is listed for sale here on eBay. It is a project car that could be yours with a BIN price of $6,900.

Finished in Yellow, the Dodge appears to be an essentially solid car. The floors wear a solid coating of surface corrosion, and I can see some minor holes on the passenger side. These could be patched, but I suspect that the next owner will probably replace at least the front floors to bring the car up to a high standard. There is rust in other areas of the vehicle that will need to be attended to, including the trunk pan, which will definitely need to be replaced. There is also rust present around the rear glass, and I would probably be giving the rear frame rails a serious look because the corrosion there is quite heavy. To help kick the restoration project along, the owner is including a fresh set of quarter panels, trunk drop-offs, and outer wheel wells. It appears that the majority of the exterior trim is present, but some of it is going to require some restoration work before it finds itself being reattached to the body.

As you can see from this photo, the interior of the Super Bee is also going to require a full restoration, and there are a number of items that will need to be replaced. This is because some components are beyond restoration, while others are missing completely. The rear seat is present but will need a new cover. The pair of bucket seats included with the car aren’t the original items, so a replacement set will probably need to be found if originality is the ultimate goal with this car. All in all, the next owner will need to budget for what will amount to virtually a full interior replacement.

The 383ci V8 under the hood is date-coded as a 1968 model, and while he doesn’t seem to be completely sure, the owner believes that it might be original. There is also a 4-speed manual transmission, and an 8¾” Sure Grip rear end. According to the owner, the engine will require a full rebuild, but the end product should be a car that possesses pretty decent levels of performance. When it was new, the 383 would have produced 335hp. This was enough to launch a 4-speed Super Bee from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds. Equally as impressive, the ¼ mile could be demolished in 14.3 seconds. Those aren’t bad figures in anyone’s book.

My own opinion is that while this Super Bee appears to be an essentially solid car, the only way to do it justice in restoration would be to strip it right down to a bare shell. There is plenty of surface corrosion present, and if future rust problems are to be minimized, then a full strip-down and media blast would probably be the best approach. Once restored, it would be a handsome and potent car, and the effort would be well worthwhile when you roll down the road and receive plenty of admiring glances from the people that you pass in your travels.

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Comments

  1. TimM

    Great car and doesn’t seem destroyed by rust but there’s still some metal that needs replacement!! Good combo too!!

    Like 3
  2. Gaspumpchas

    got some meat to work with and the extra parts might be a cool but ambitious project. Would look great back in yellow. Wonder why the hiney is hiked up?? Good luck to the new owner!
    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 2
  3. KevinLee

    The air shocks are definitely doing they’re job.

    Like 2
    • KevinLee

      Oops, I meant their

      Like 7
  4. glen

    Townships can be so irritating, forcing people to get rid of their possessions, their passions.

    Like 5
  5. steve

    Frame rails look good, torsion bar anchor rail is rotted on outer end, wrong yellow for 68, looks like it was a gold car, no fender tag. Trunk is toast, buckets are ugly.
    Good project for the do-it-yourselfer to have fun with.

    Like 3
  6. the one

    I really dig the wasp nest, a real Super Bee.

    Like 2
  7. James Martin

    What no 6 figure mopar here? What is this guy smokin? Or should I say not smokin. Looks like a good start to for a 4 speed car.

    Like 2
  8. Del

    Haul to wrecker.

    Save money for a driver

    Like 1
    • glen

      Wrecker, really?

      Like 3
  9. Troy s

    Those performance claims seem a bit optimistic for a 383 Magnum anything, at least stock. Somewhat more interested in the red Malibu with slicks parked next to the Bee.
    Jacked up like that the Super Bee looks to have small feet.

    Like 0
    • the one

      These were 14 second cars, period. I used to smoke those guys in my 65 valiant 340/727 83/4 323;0 positraction. 13 second car.
      Seeeee yaa!

      Like 1
  10. Roy Blankenship

    The 383 was an under-appreciated motor. I had a ’66 Caprice with a 325-396 in the 70’s, I could beat Z-28’s and ran 14.9’s at an NHRA track, but got my clock cleaned by 383 Road Runners and 340 Challengers. I think this Super Bee would be a great project for someone with the skills, I owned a ’68 GTX in the late 80’s that needed the same sheet metal, after putting the car on a rotisserie, sand-blasting and rewelding the whole car, it was solid and like new. The car shows make it look easy, but it is a lot of work and very rewarding in the end.

    Like 4
  11. stillrunners

    Dodge Scat-Pak…..look it up…..and RTS Plymouth while your at it……..

    Like 0
  12. Dave

    supposed to be original engine to a 4 speed car but it has a flex plate? Not a bad project if the money is right.

    Like 0

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