The mid-size Super Bee was Dodge’s response to Plymouth’s highly successful Road Runner. They were similar in concept and execution (budget muscle cars) but sold in much smaller numbers. Built from 1968 to 1971, the seller’s edition is from the auto’s last year of production. It’s original in many ways and has had some work done but will need more attention. Located in Dickinson, Texas, this is a Buy It Now purchase for $28,000 here on eBay.
With Chrysler’s redesign of its intermediates in 1971, the Super Bee shifted to the platform deployed by the Dodge Charger. Given much of the marketing focus placed on the Charger R/T, Super Bee sales were minuscule by comparison at just over 5,000 units for that model year. As a result, the Super Bee was discontinued when 1972 rolled around. The ‘71 cars would be treated to the widest selection of engines, from the 340 on one end and the 426 Hemi on the other with the 383 and 440 in between.
This Super Bee is said to be one of 766 built with the 4-barrel/383 cubic inch V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission using the Pistol Grip shifter. The car is numbers-matching at 80,000+ miles. The gas tank has been replaced and the carburetor rebuilt, both indicators of an automobile that has seen a lot of downtime. As a result, the machine runs and drives great, according to the seller.
The Dodge still wears its original GY8 gold metallic paint which is rough in several places. There’s also a good-sized rust hole below the right corner of the rear window. This car has not one but two cowl tags, something I’ve not seen before (is that legit?). The interior has been partially redone with refurbished seat covers (as opposed to new?). And it has its original gauge package including a 150-mph speedometer! But no one ever drives that fast, right?
I saw on Graveyard Carz when they have 2 tags it’s because there were so many options ordered all the codes couldn’t fit on one. I wonder if thats the case here or something else? If so it must be loaded with everything..
You hit the nail right on the head as that’s exactly why there’s two tags
The left tag with “P, H, F” is a Lynch Road Assembly Plant inspection tag.
What options? No A/C, No power brakes, No power steering. an absolute bear to drive.
Watched my first Nascar race on ABC in 71 watched Richard petty lead half the race with that blue and red charger. It had a very lasting impression on me considering 50 years later there’s a Plymouth road runner been sitting in my garage for 36 years. That charger would make it good stable mate don’t you think?
The Lynch Road Plant did that second tag with up to four random letters applied on 71 Charge RT’s and Super Bee’s. Noone is sure why. Must have been for internal purposes known only to that plant.
What we have here is a 71 Charger / Super Bee. It’s getting very hard to find this type of vehicle in this shape. They are usually rusted out totally hopeless. This one can be saved as long as the floor is okay. I would assume it would be. You don’t have to do a complete restore job on it. Just get the mechanics stuff done… paint, body work, leave the engine compartment just clean it up. The interior and dash has I think three cracks. You can leave it or get it restored. And clean up the interior. The bee decal on the hood you can still get reproduction. It’s worth it .. since it’s a nice car and you got a four-speed pistol grip. As for the double fender tags. As I remember back in the 70’s at Chrysler dealership. The second fender tag were for the inspectors. When the Super Bee roll down the line. The inspector had to do his job remove the tag stamp his initial on it. And screw it back on.The vehicle kept going down the line to the second inspector same thing etc etc. The last inspector was supposed to remove the tag and file it…. sometimes it gets very busy and they overlooked it… so the vehicle has two fender tags which is really cool. There is another type of fender tag that was ripped off. This tag had engine ,transmission, rear end etc on it. Each inspected will rip off his job and file it. Sometimes it gets left behind as in a 70 Cuda Hemi I remember there was a tag in there that’s read HEMI supposed to be removed. That’s what I remember if somebody could find out if that’s right or not I would appreciate it. As for the price it’s a little high because of the work that needs to be done to be fair $24,000 is right about the price for it. Good luck to the next owner and enjoy it. 🐻🇺🇸
I had a 71 charger 500 it had a speed om. with 150mph in it with a 318 v8
So did I, 318 auto in floor with the T handle, back 20 years ago or so…
Interesting at a glance. It’s worth serious consideration for someone with the funds (x2) and is close enough to check it out.
Back around 1979 or so a friend took me to look at a 1971 hemi orange Super Bee with white side stripes and white bumble bee on the hood and white interior, never again seen one with a color combo like it. It was like new and had the 440 six pack with a tall pistol grip 4 speed…
Interesting car good for highways with long wheel base – but anything over 110mph front end gets light – bad aero it builds up underneath – needs front spoiler & anything over 130mph REAR gets light by its airfoil body dynamics.
on High speed ovals their End to End Crashes were EPIC & only steel tube full body cage saved the drivers.
The Civilian version would come apart like a tin can after losing traction going into a ditch & rolling or hitting an approach & launching airborne.
Car grave yards are full of these over powered badly engineered cars.
It’s OK to restore etc just be sensible & understand the shortcomings of these FLOPPERS as i call them.
So what you’re saying is maybe not so great on the highway.
Your exactly right, I’ve owned a 69 coronet RT with a 440 and it gets real light in the front end about 90. Anything over and it’s scary as hell. I stick with burn outs
Some people can handle them and some cannot
Others call them investments and admire they are still holding together after 50+ years.
Crude compared to today’s clone cars but that was what got us here.
Hope it finds a good Home!
that’s bizarre, i had a 70 Super Bee 383 with tall gears that would drive great at 130 mph, BUT I had insane positive castor into it, and the front end sat low and the back end sat up due to the heavy duty rear springs, if you look at Richard Petty’s 1968 Roadrunner it sat the same way.
Your exactly right, I’ve owned a 69 coronet RT with a 440 and it gets real light in the front end about 90. Anything over and it’s scary as hell. I stick with burn outs
One time,in the 90s, my uncle and I were doing a touch north of 140 in a 71 500 (had a 440 at the time) and the power steering belt broke, disconnecting the upper radiator hose and emptying the contents of the radiator onto the windshield. Couldn’t see anything and the car starts swaying. Thank goodness my uncle was driving, he just stood on the brakes. Saw my young life flash before my eyes that day!
Love the look. So clean, looks like a 318ci, automatic. No spoiler, this paint, 4spd stik and a 383 in this model the GTX seems a great combo, and a bit of a sleeper.
I put two comments about the fender tags. Both are gone. There a serious issue going on here on the site. And I did email BF about this. Done
Who would compare the handling between the 69’s and 71’s? Makes no sense at all as the bodies were completely different. NASCAR crashes? They were going close to 200 mph, of course they were epic!
Yeah, the aerodynamics and handling were so bad that King Richard won two championships in a row!