The Super Bee was Dodge’s corporate response to the Plymouth Road Runner. Launched in 1968, it was based on the mid-size Coronet. But it had a shorter life than its Plymouth’s cousin, being on the roster for only four years (through 1971). The seller has a final-year Super Bee that’s a project roller at this stage. It’s rare in that it’s one of just 200 built with a 3-speed manual transmission (per the seller). Located in Talladega, Alabama, this interesting Mopar is available here on craigslist for $12,500. I wonder if this car ever did any laps at the famed NASCAR track that’s nearby?
Both the Road Runner and Super Bee had cartoon characters in their logos. But the Road Runner was based on the famous Warner Brothers pairing of the Road Runner and Coyote, while the Super Bee used a studio-drawn bumblebee and the name was derived from the car’s platform (B-body). The Super Bee sold in far fewer numbers, starting with 7,842 in 1968, a peak of 27,800 in 1969, a drop to 15,506 in 1970, and just 5,054 with the fuselage-shaped redesign in 1971. The name would return 36 years later on the Dodge Charger.
According to the seller, this car is a bit of a unicorn. We’re told that only a couple of hundred were built with the standard 383 cubic inch V8 and a 3-speed manual transmission (the 4-speed was usually ordered), and this car is one of them. The V8 is long gone, and the transmission currently lives in the trunk. The factory red paint is badly faded, and the black front bench seat comes and goes. The original owner opted for air conditioning, but not power steering. So, it was an odd duck sitting on the showroom floor.
The seller says this car has been verified with the Super Bee registry. But it’s going to need a complete restoration, and it won’t be numbers-matching when you get done. The floors and trunk pan have holes, and the Dodge needs a hood and right front fender. But the two fender tags have survived, and the title (if there was one) is MIA. A bill of sale will have to prove you now own the car. Thanks for the cool tip, Rocco B.!
This is a neat car with a tall asking price. Plus, say, another 50 grand for a resto? That may be a conservative number without an engine.
I see a bench seat in several pictures – it’s just out to show floor pans – or the lack of.
I know several guys that will hoard certain years and models of their favorite cars. Maybe a ’71 Charger aficionado will buy this and use their parts stash…
If you’re racing, 3 is really all you need. But 4th and possibly 5th would make it a little better driving car. These fuselage bodies are cool imo. I hope it gets restored. And for Gods sake, please don’t paint it “plumb crazy”. It’s been done to death.
It has a different passenger-side front fender & a ’73 – ’74 front bumper, so it has probably been in a wreck at some point in it’s time. Closer inspection highly recommended before purchasing. GLWTS.
The asking price is to high. The original engine is gone so there is no reason to use the 3spd. If there is a buyer out there, somewhere, they will probably modify the car. More than likely this will be one of those cars that sits on the market for a long time, possibly years, until the seller puts a realistic price on it.
Steve R
Says it’s verified by the Superbee registry, but I don’t think the registry really does that. The fender tag and vin #s and body stamps are usually all you need.
Another opportunity for the right person, just not me.
Looks like a lot of work! For that price, I would much rather have the black 1957 Thunderbird I think, although this one seems a lot sportier
I did a search for 1971 Super Bee and it seems like they were two different types of tail lights that came on these cars. There’s a set that has three pods on each side and then a set like this one that has two pods on each side. I wonder why the difference?
The 3 “pods” as you put them were the charger RT version. These are the right ones for a super bee. Dodge did weird things with tail lights for coronet and super bee then the 71 charger super bee continued it
Very cool thanks for the clarification Edward! Yeah, I like the one with the three pods on each side. Those are cool!
When they’re lit up at night, they resemble the taillights on a ’68 Charger.
Its always a choice, unfortunately 57 T-birds have dropped in value along with many others, unless you can do the expensive labor yourself, it’s too easy to be upside down in costs and lose end up losing money
this most likely would not go back as a 3spd I’d say a 4spd. no mention where the motor is. lot of work, money, and time needed. you would really have to want this particular car to drop the amount of money needed to bring it back.
Price needs to drop the last zero.
Too high of a price like other comments stated. With it being a manual shifted car a 4 speed would probably be used now. Just to high of a price and no engine or engine parts there.
Okay, so…
Odd doesn’t always equal rare. Or desirable
Extremely incomplete and can never be “restored”. Can certainly become a restmod of sorts, but then you can say that about any car thus my first point of odd doesn’t equal rare.
It’s a really just a beat to death shell. Maybe it would roll downhill but so do garbage cans.
Hard pass at anything above 2500 for the body style/shape. Anything more than that and you wind up way upside down.
Price is about 10K too high.
The 3 speeds were rare across the board. My dad had a red 71 Challenger RT 383 3 speed. Sold it to a hunchback in 73 and the guy wrapped it around a pole sometime in the mid seventies. Last anyone knew of it. I researched and found it was one of 52 or 54 built like that. Id love to locate it if it still exists. Albany, NY area. Red over tan interior
Lower radiator support ripped and every thing that does not have red paint on it is rusted badly. Even the key . Fished out, from Mobile bay ?
Talladega baby ! Yes it’s on the rare side and there are crazy 1971 up B body Dodge guys out there but the ask is most likely way out of the price range. Call and talk with the seller…..he might like you….
$12,500 for this? Is there someone out there that would pay this much for what is offered here?
You’d be surprised.