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Original 383: 1969 Dodge Super Bee

For Mopar enthusiasts, this is one of those instantly recognizable badges that found their way onto an iconic muscle car. The vehicle in question is a 1969 Dodge Super Bee, and this one is a beauty. It is a rust-free survivor that has managed to retain its original drivetrain. It has spent years in a private collection, but the time has come for this classic to find its way to a new home. Located in Northfield, Illinois, you will find the Dodge listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set the sale price at $65,000.

This Super Bee has recently emerged from a Texas enthusiast’s collection, and the owner talks at some length about its originality. He says that the exception is the vinyl roof, which was a later addition. I’m not sure that I like it, but I would probably remove it if it isn’t original. Otherwise, the Dark Green Metallic paint is untouched. While it is beginning to show some signs of aging, it still presents well enough to allow the Dodge to carry its survivor badge proudly. The Black bumblebee strip looks crisp and clean, with no signs of shrinkage, peeling, or crazing. Since it has spent most of its life in Texas, it’s no surprise to learn that the Super Bee has managed to remain rust-free. It has never had any history of those dramas, and this trend continues today. The trim and chrome are in excellent order, as is the glass. If the buyer wanted to treat the Super Bee to a light cosmetic refresh, there’s no doubt that it would respond positively. However, there would be no shame in leaving it untouched and driving it as an original survivor.

The owner describes the Dodge’s interior as being in as-new condition, and I find it hard to argue with him on that point. The Green upholstered surfaces show no signs of wear or physical damage, while the dash and pad are exceptional for their age. There have been no aftermarket additions, with the original AM radio still holding pride of place in the dash. The buyer won’t find themselves in a classic loaded with luxury extras, although the Rally gauge cluster and original Hurst Competition Plus shifter add a touch of purpose for the enthusiastic driver.

Buyers who walked into their Dodge dealership in 1969 had a choice of three engines to slot under the hood of their shiny new Super Bee, and none of them were wimps. Even the entry-level 383ci V8 that we find fitted to this car produced 335hp. When backed by the 4-speed manual transmission, this was enough to fire the Dodge through the ¼ mile in 14.4 seconds. Proving that this was no one-trick pony with its focus on pure acceleration, the Super Bee could find its way to 137mph if the owner kept the pedal to the metal. The owner supplies no engine photos in his listing, but he claims that the vehicle has a genuine 66,000 miles on the clock. He doesn’t mention supporting evidence, but he also doesn’t specifically say how well the car runs or drives. Apart from this mileage claim, all that we know for sure is that the Dodge is a numbers-matching survivor. We hope that he is an approachable type because I suspect that anyone seriously considering this as a purchase will have plenty of questions to ask.

Taken at face value, this 1969 Super Bee shows a lot of potential. If it is as original as the owner claims, it is a fantastic survivor. The frustration is that the owner supplies such limited information and photos that don’t do the vehicle justice. I don’t believe that the owner has done himself any favors with his listing, but it may offer enough information to capture the imagination of a few Mopar enthusiasts. This is particularly relevant when you consider the asking price. It is above what you might typically expect to pay for a ’69 Super Bee, meaning that it may require an in-person inspection to determine whether the figure is justified. Would that be something that you would consider doing?

Comments

  1. Avatar GP Member

    Very nice Super Bee, I had a blue one with black interior for along time. To much green for me. As far as 65,000.00, I hope the seller is doing o.k. after falling and bumping there head. The Craig’s list pictures are really bad. Maybe just doing a little fishing. Good luck.

    Like 17
  2. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    For the money this guy is asking, the pictures are pretty bad. A 12 year-old could have done better. Without doubt, it is a very nice Super Bee though I’m not sure it’s $65k nice. For that money, he should have had the steering wheel restored; the wrap on the wheel, which I assume conceals some cracks/splits, really detracts from an otherwise very nice interior. Also, like Adam, I don’t care for the vinyl roof but apart from that, this is an excellent survivor. My brother had a similar ’69 Super Bee in the same dark green with the same drivetrain though his had bucket seats. His was a rusty beater but it ran really well and was quite quick. I enjoyed driving it a few times and it was a lot fun working the shifter.

    Like 6
  3. Avatar Raymond

    I’m confused…I thought the charger 500 and Daytona used a Coronet rear window with a plug…with the compound curves I never noticed before that can’t be…I’m at a loss here….

    Like 2
    • Avatar stillrunners

      Basic standard B-Body back glass but yes the special’s got special glass.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Dave Lewandoski

      completely different rear glass. The only Coronet parts on the ’69 Charger 500 is the grill, and the ’70 Superbird are the fenders.

      Like 2
  4. Avatar Jcs

    What an amazing job on the pictures in the Craigslist Ad! Nice job, seller.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Mike

      Most of them sideways and one upside down. Does this dude know how to camera?

      Like 3
  5. Avatar Chris M.

    That is not an original 69 Dodge interior. The pictures as well as the ad leave alot to be desired. It’s not an N96 optioned car. Too many questions remain to justify a $65k asking price for a 383 B body.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Jim

      Why don’t you think the interior is original? I had a 69 Charger and the interior looks right to me?

      Like 2
      • Avatar Chris M.

        It looks like a fabric material to me. Although it appears to be stitched in a similar pattern it’s not vinyl.

        Like 2
      • Avatar Chris M.

        A 69 Charger has a completely different interior pattern from a Coronet. But more to my point and again all we have to judge are from terrible photos. The seats appear to be fabric as opposed to vinyl. Lastly this car is priced $20-25k over value.

        Like 2
  6. Avatar Vance

    I had a ’77 Dodge Ramcharger that was painted Corvette yellow, Bumpers removed, everything else was painted flat black including a brush guard in the front and tubular bumper in the back. I ordered a Super Bee sticker package, It looked really sharp. People actually thought it was a Super Bee from the factory. I removed the top (because I lived in Tucson) and it was a fun truck. About 3 years later, Dodge came out with the Rumble Bee, and put the stickers exactly as I had done. Coincidence, I don’t think so. I loved that truck.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Gary Rhodes

    Wow, I want some of his weed, it must be great! I’ve been a Mopar lover and owner for 45 years, you can’t pay 65k for this car no matter how nice. Not a great color and little options, will need a complete repaint with hole filling once the non original top is removed. Once that is done the survivor status is gone.

    Like 9
  8. Avatar rod glaser

    Raymond, supposedly the rear glass plug in the 500 and Daytona was from a Vega of all things. Completely different from the Coronet and same year Plymouths for that matter.

    Like 1
    • Avatar bone

      Since both the 500 and the Daytona were 1969 model cars and the Vega was a 1971 model its impossible

      Like 2
  9. Avatar 370zpp Member

    The elephant in the room:

    Who in their right mind would have added a vinyl top to this car?

    Like 3
    • Avatar DON

      The seller says it was “altered” Maybe it always had a vinyl top, but it was another color , likely green and changed to white when the original top dried out.

      Like 1

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