[1]The late sixties and early seventies were interesting years for anyone who lived through those times. Muscle cars were were getting tag names that left their mark for decades to come: Yenko, Baldwin Motion, Shelby, Boss and who can forget the offerings from Ma Mopar: the HEMI cars and the Super Bees.
[2]While some cars were sent out and tuned by others, the Mopars were staying true to the “race on Sunday, sell on Monday” theme with their Superbirds, Daytonas and the Super Bees. The Super Bee was based on the Dodge Coronet, and it appeared only on 1968-70 Coronet models. In 1971, the Coronet was not available as a two door coupe, so the Super Bee name was applied to the other B body that year: the Dodge Charger.
The Super Bee was Dodge’s answer to the horsepower wars, of which Dodge always rated much lower than what was typically coming across on the dyno sheets. Some say it was a strategy, others say it was for insurance purposes. Regardless, it was every bit as mean and nasty as it’s name implied.
The Super Bee name came from an internal contest Dodge had for their designers to name that muscle car version of the Coronet. Being a B body, the name Super Bee was coined by senior designer, Harvey J. Winn. The sister car, the Plymouth Road Runner, finally had a competitive sibling that made the Coronet Super Bee sound as cool as the Road Runner name.
Just like the Road Runner, a character was affixed to the side of the Super Bee. Engine choices for these Super Bees were not lightweight. But the Super Bee went one better with an emblem on the front that matched the encapsulated logo on the quarter panels. The engine choices were the 383, 426 HEMI and 440; a six pack was also available for the 440.
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When this red 1970 Super Bee left the barn in Ontario recently, it was for good reason. After spending a few years shredding tires and raising hell on the streets, it was eventually put in a barn to rest for a decade or so. It left that barn so that it’s new owner can restore it and put some sting back in this Bee. With all the stories we see and hear from our friends at carsinbarns.com [5], it was great to see that this Super Bee is one that got away. We hope to see it again someday, and tearing up the streets again!