The world of classic Mopars is filled with interesting facts, great-looking muscle cars and, above all, big V8 engines. They’re super-expensive, though. But here’s one which you might be able to afford, a 1969 Dodge Coronet Super Bee with the 383 cubic-inch engine.
Now, the Super Bee was an entry-level muscle car, and the 383 4bbl was its most basic engine. However, that’s what makes it an obtainable dream. This 1969 Dodge Super Bee was just put under the spotlight of Hagerty’s valuation YouTube show, The Appraiser, and it’s an especially nice vehicle.
As we discussed during yesterday’s Michigan barn find, the Dodge Super Bee was pretty short-lived. If you exclude the modern LX sedan version, it was only made between 1968 and 1971, with the last model year being a Charger. While production of the Bee ended, Dodge continued to use the name for a series of rebadged Dusters after 1971, the so-called Mexican Super Bees.
Anyway, the Super Bee was perhaps one of the most famous members of the Chrysler B-Body family, right up there with its sister car the Plymouth Road Runner. This entry-level 383 cubic-inch V8 was rated at 335 horsepower. The mid-spec version made use of the 440, which made 390 horsepower with its “Six Pack” (3x2bbl), while the halo version obviously came with the HEMI 426 making 425 horsepower.
As Hagerty points out, there were 25,727 examples of the Super Bee made with the 383, but only 258 came with Mopar’s monster HEMI 426. And as a result, there’s a huge gap in their value.
Super Bee options make a difference
That being said, you can’t help but fall in love with the car and want to buy it. It’s a California-built car that’s believed to have had only 4 owners. However, Dodges from this era are known to rust, and even though this Bee spent its time in great weather its rear wings have been bitten by the rust bug. Nothing too concerning, though.
Beyond that, it’s got great options. Both the Super Bee and the Road Runner were entry-level muscle cars, but even though this has the 383, it’s been fully optioned. Its exterior beauty is accentuated by the N96 air grabber hood and the F6 metallic green paint, a color that looks great on every Mopar. You also can’t go wrong with Magnum wheels.
On the inside, the Super Bee has a console, bucket seats that appear to be original, a floor shifter, a wood wheel and a working radio.
What’s an affordable Super Bee worth today?
Yes, it has a little bit of rust, but that’s actually normal on a Dodge of this era. The color is great, the interior is excellent and it’s got factory-fitted powered brakes and steering, so this is the 1969 Super Bee you buy because you want to drive it.
What is it worth? Well, Collin appraises the vehicle at $55,000 because of its options and great condition. That’s actually pretty high, considering an A12 version sold just 10 days ago for $88,000 at Mecum. But while you can get these cheaper, are you really going to want an orange or red one after seeing this in F6 green?