Dodge brought the Super Bee version of its B-body Coronet to market in 1968 as a low-budget performance package, its version of Plymouth’s popular Road Runner. The package continued through 1971. This 1971 Dodge Super Bee in Saint James, New York, has been sitting “for ages,” during which time it lost its original engine, four-speed transmission, N96 Fresh Air Hood, grille, center console, and most everything that makes it a Super Bee other than a detached body tag and a barely legible VIN. Still, it does appear to be an original Super Bee that left the factory in FC7 Plum Crazy purple, with a 383 cid (6.3L) V8, and the D21 Heavy Duty Four-Speed Manual Transmission. At least six cautious bidders here on eBay have edged the market value above $1500. The lost title casts another strike against this dusty Dodge.
For an Empire State car, this Bee shows less rust than many. Light blue cylinder heads on the nondescript 440 cid replacement mill indicate a non-performance application. The seller confirms visual suggestion that the engine and automatic transmission will likely need to be rebuilt. Hellcrate, anyone? The original N-code four-barrel 383 cid V8 made 300 HP. Parts of this car may well be found scattered across the North East. The buyer’s budget will need to cover nearly everything mechanical under the hood; even the wiper transmission is gone! A wrecked ’71 Coronet could become a useful asset in that effort. While this car’s original 383 represented the standard Super Bee motor, a 440 was available, and a scant 22 Super Bees in 1971 came with the final-year 426 cid Street Hemi. Now that would really be a find.
The N96 Fresh Air Hood hood probably graces a Super Bee clone somewhere, but the trunk should be the same as stock. The Super Bee package included some interesting standard equipment including the stripes seen here, Bee decals, and heavy duty suspension, but not a trunk spoiler.
The Super Bee gained the upscale Charger 500 interior, except with a standard bench seat. Whoever ordered this one paid extra for the black bucket seats and a (now missing) center console. Though the painful ALL CAPS listing called out “FRAME RAILS SOLID,” rust in the floor-boards prompts an in-person inspection, unless buying and welding metal into a rust-belt classic is your bread and butter. This dashboard may simply be propped into place for the photo shoot. Check your credit limit before bidding, folks, because you’ll be charging left and right to get this Charger-based Super Bee back into the wind. Will you be restoring this once powerful, purple Bee?
Thanks to wikipedia.org and stockmopar.com for some details.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was stolen decades ago.
No title and it looks like every Super Bee part was stripped off it . The rear end is probably swapped too.
New York is not a title state for 1972 and older cars.
That is a good point.
But more than that was, this car wasn’t wrecked or completely rotted to hell, yet every high performance or good option was stripped. After seeing the bungee holding the bumper and the stock bezels just placed in there , it probably had the hide away’s and the cool tail lights too
très patriotic.
Maybe just me but in my lifetime this body style has only recently started to become cool. In the 80s and 90s these were considered to heavy to really too ugly to be something worth money. Now I am starting to like them. When they cost real money. Just the way it goes really.
I’d want to do a real background search before buying this car but it could just have been a parts car back in the 80s-90s when these were just crushed. Anyway a Hellcat or even Tesla swap would be the way to go. Too much cost to ever get your money back so make it a labor of love. If you need a way OUT of a marriage this car might be your ticket also. Look at all that expensive bodywork just waiting for your retirement funds to set it straight. It would be an amazing car though in Plum Crazy with an all wheel drive Tesla drivetrain doing four wheel burnouts…….
Actually looks like the kick panel is holding up the dash. I own a 71 500 that is “mid-restored”, but started out much better than this one and can attest to the expensive nature of making one of these girls shine again.
Unless this is a labor of love like mine (had it since 1993) and are OK with a 25K car with 40K worth of restoration done, I’d stay away.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this car wasn’t originally Plum Crazy ; the engine bay has been repainted – Chrysler didn’t paint their blower motors ,etc , the body color
Its junk ..
Could be restored if someone is desperate to spend cash.
New York is a BOS state… download the BOS from local state forms and look at multiple locations on body for vins then strike a deal. If you made it this far get notarized and provide notary medical clearance of sanity pre signing. ….then drive truck and go fetch your headaches….
Is there anything original left on inis car?
I always have defended this body style, especially when they have the hidden headlights option. Besides the tendency to be heavy, I think the long hood and short trunk was a good style for Mopar. But this one should be avoided like a virus, Run Forrest Run.
I think someone might be plum crazy to buy this car!! Another basket case that needs everything to be addressed!!
Plum Crazy junk
Well, this is news to me. I always thought the Super Bee was only a trim on the Coronet. I didn’t realize the Charger (which is this body style) came as a Super Bee, too.
Starting in 71 all the Coronets became 4 doors and the Super Bee’s were now on the Charger body
Thanks. Didn’t realize that.
Well, Todd, if I had the money and means, I wouldn’t restore it, since it appears to be too far gone for a standard restoration … but I would definitely restomod it.
First, I would fix the body, preparing it for the installation of an Art Morrison Max-G chassis fitted with their Multi-Link IRS, C6 Corvette IFS, a Hellephant engine, and a Bowler Performance 4L80E with a Lokar Sport Shifter. Of course, I’d also reinstall the Super Bee equipment except for perhaps the hood scoop unless I could figure out how to adapt it to the Hellephant.
Second, I would give it Forgeline ZX3 wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, with Wilwood brakes thrown in for good measure.
Hi Arthur. I’m on board with your dream build except I’d have to have a manual transmission. You would definitely earn points for originality sinking that money into a ’71.
SOLD for $2,025.