Dodge Super Bee
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The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chrysler's Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. The Super Bee mascot was resurrected for the 2004 Ram Rumble Bee model, and the 2007 Dodge Charger Super Bee.
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[edit] 1968-1970
The original Super Bee was based on the Dodge Coronet. It was a two-door model only and was produced from 1968 through 1970. It was the company's low-priced muscle car, the equivalent of the Plymouth Road Runner, and was priced at $3,027. Although it was available with the Hemi engine, this option raised the price by 33% and only 125 were sold. The 1968 model only came as a 2-door coupe and 2 engine options, the base 335 hp 383 Magnum, and the 426 Hemi rated at 425 hp.
The Super Bee included a heavy-duty suspension, an optional Mopar A-833 four-speed manual transmission, and high-performance tires. Outside, a stripe (with the bee logo) was wrapped around the tail.
A hardtop version joined the existing pillared coupe body for 1969, and the induction was now a "Ramcharger" cold-air intake. A "six-pack" (three two-barrel carburetors) version of Dodge's 440 in³ engine was added to the offering list mid-year. This option fell half-way between the standard engine and the Hemi as a $463 option. The 1969 model year gave Chrysler customers several engines to choose from. The base 383hp (high performance), 440 Six Pack, and the 426 Hemi. The 440 Magnum (4bbl) was not an available option, and was reserved for the Coronet R/T. In 1970 the Super Bee was given a new front end that consisted of a dual ovaled grill that Dodge PR referred to as "bumblee bee wings". This new look turned off many buyers and the sales plummeted for the year. Despite the new looks the engines as well as the "ramcharger" hood carried over from 1969.
Engines:
- 1968-1970 - 383 in³ (6.3 L) Big-Block V8, 335 hp (250 kW)
- 1968-1970 - 426 in³ (7.0 L) Hemi V8, 425 hp (317 kW)
- 1969-1970 - 440 in³ (7.2 L) Big-Block V8, 390 hp (291 kW)
Production:
- 1968 - 7,842 - 7,717 (383), 125 (426 Hemi)
- 1969 - 27,800 - 25,727 (383), 1,907 (440 Six Pack), 166 (426 Hemi)
- 1970 - 15,506
[edit] 1971
Since the 1971 Coronet was only available in sedan and station wagon versions, the Super Bee model was moved to the Charger platform. Since the Charger already had an R/T muscle car version, the Super Bee was slotted in as the low-priced entry in the line at US$3,271. 4,144 were produced, plus 22 with the Hemi engine.
1971 was the first and only year the a small block engine (340 4-bbl) became available in the Super Bee.
Although the 440 Magnum (4-bbl) was not an available option on the Super Bee for 1971, 26 are known to have been built.
Engines:
- 1971 - 340 in³ (5.6 L) Small-Block V8, 275 hp (205 kW)
- 1971 - 383 in³ (6.3 L) Big-Block V8, 300 hp (224 kW)
- 1971 - 440 in³ (7.2 L) Big-Block V8, 370 hp (275 kW)
- 1971 - 440 in³ (7.2 L) Big-Block V8, 385 hp (287 kW)
- 1971 - 426 in³ (7.0 L) Hemi V8, 425 hp (317 kW)
[edit] 2007
A new 2007 Super Bee model was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. This model is based on the Dodge Charger SRT-8 and uses special "detonator yellow" paint with black hood and fender decals. It was a limited edition car, with only 1000 made in 2007.
Jada Toys released an SRT8 version of this car in mid-'06.
The new Super Bee is based on the 2007 Dodge Charger LX. The car is practically the same car, actually, but with Super Bee decals and an interior that is not from any ordinary SRT8.
The Dodge Super Bee SRT8 will have a HEMI 6.1 Liter engine.
[edit] Mexican Super Bees
Around 1970, the Mexican-market Dodge Dart had a Super Bee package; Super Bees were based on the Mopar A platform until 1976, and the F platform (based on the Dodge Aspen coupe) between 1977-79 (sold in Mexico as part of the Dodge Valiant Volare series).
[edit] References
- Dodge Charger Forums and Owners Club
- Decode Dodge Super Bee VINs
- Dodge Super Bee at Muscle Car Facts- A year by year account of one of the greatest muscle cars ever.
- Mexican Super Bees
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