Running Project: 1970 Dodge Super Bee
Witnessing the almost instant success Plymouth was enjoying from their new 1968 Road Runner offering, it didn’t take long for Dodge to get in on the low-budget muscle car action themselves, resulting in the Coronet-based Super Bee coming into the marketplace the same year. Sadly, that car didn’t achieve the same level of success or longevity as its Plymouth cousin, with Dodge ending production at the end of ’71. Consequently, these B-Bodies are rarer and it’s always fun to find one for sale such as this 1970 model here on Craigslist in Kalispell, Montana, which the owner has priced at $22,000.
Both the Coronet and Super Bee received a new front-end treatment for ’70, with dual wraparound front bumpers known as bumble bee wings, and if I had to pick a favorite body for any of the 4 years the Super Bee was in production it’d be this one.
The seller doesn’t provide a lot of information about the Mopar’s history, and surprisingly, we don’t get a photo showing the driver’s side of the car, but somebody has at least begun some sort of work on the outside as quite a bit of the rear area is now wearing primer. There’s no word on whether or not body repairs were made prior to its application, but the panels we can see both primed and painted appear to be in reasonably solid condition overall.
Interesting is the word that comes to mind when you take a look inside, with both DIY carpeting and a set of door panels, and I’m pretty sure my parents had that same floor covering in their living room when my sister and I were growing up in the seventies, or at least it was eerily similar. I’m not sure what the story on the buckets may be, but the dash looks original and could use a good refreshening throughout.
There’s no longer the factory motor under the hood, but it is a 383 of some sort with an estimate of somewhere in the neighborhood of 10k miles of travel since being overhauled. The seller compliments the building skills of whoever put the engine together, describing it as having an insane amount of power, with an automatic transmission taking care of shifting duties. I’m seeing some very good potential here, but having been in the marketplace for 18 weeks already it makes me curious if the $22k price tag may be just a bit steep. What do you think?
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Comments
This won’t last long, after seeing all the rolling rust bucket Mopars of late fetching 5 figure prices. And it’s setup to run already. Good luck to new owner.
22k is a steep price for a non original numbers matching ice. The 383 is a potent power plant.
The interior is another thing in itself. No bucket seats or center console and the 3 speed shifted 727 on the column brings the value lower
Collectorcar market review has a number 3 at 7150 it’s no where near a number 1 in its present incarnation.
That puts it in the ball park of 8500 all day with the 383.
In this day and age and the sad state of affairs of petroleum prices.
It is what someone is willing to pay. Not to mention it’s up in Montana. It’s snowing in much of the country. So good luck getting it out before
This one’s been for sale at $22k for 18 weeks, with no takers? Either there is a serious problem, or maybe, just maybe, the silly money has all been spent and prices will be become more realistic? I’m hoping for the later.
I know you young guys get tired of hearing us old guys moan about values. It’s just hard to see cars like this going for 5 figures when it wasn’t that long ago they’d be lucky to pull $500.
As for this car? Looks like the hard part of finished. If you could buy it for a reasonable price, everything else is bolt on and easy to find.
Coupla weeks back there was a ’65/66 Coronet coupe with a 383 up for sale and the starting price was $33K. The interior was rough but the body and undercarriage were solid as was the engine, tranny, and rear end. It was a nice car for $15-16K but as someone in the comments section pointed out, 33K is getting into hemi territory for the less desired B bodies like a early Coronet. Too many people trying to flip stuff with the hope of retiring on the sale theses days unfortunatly,….
I ordered a new 70 Super Bee with Ac,Ps,Buckets,Auto in B5 blue.Listed at 4,300 and bought for 3,750.Great car.Drove for 8 years and sold to a guy.Totaled it in 6 months.Still miss that car.Too old to buy another one.Still have my SR 36 Dodge.Good luck.
Factory V code 6 pack car. This was an excellent buy for someone. Ad states “pending ‘ sale.
Somebody will still have a ton of money involved before this is a 50k car, especially starting at half that already.
Curious why it has an instrument cluster from 1968-9, which has the 4-way flasher switch next to the brake lights. In 1970 this switch was moved to the steering column, along with the key.
This is a rare, Super Bee 1970 bird and they don’t become available that often. The 383 that resides will be fine if it’s encouraged a little. These are great and under appreciated Dodge muscle cars. If she’s already starting, running, driving and stopping, she’s worth every dollar.
You just don’t ever see too many 1970 Super Bees in running and driving status become available. It’s a column shift automatic so there is no console, at least it has 2 bucket seats, although its carpet is trashed. Body panels look straight and all there so it’s not a rust bucket. These aren’t as plentiful as Mustangs, and even if the asking price is abit high, when are you going to see or find another one?
that’s a 68 cluster.