1970 Dodge Super Bee, Lot 356.2
VIN: WM21V0G145036

This is a matching-numbers “V” Code car. This beautiful car only has 85,000 original miles. The exterior and interior are in great condition. This car has been restored to its original color of Top Banana. The body is very straight with good gaps. Chrome front and rear bumper are beautiful. The underside is exceptionally clean with no surface rust showing on any of the components, including the exhaust system, which has been upgraded to stainless steel.

This Super Bee has a 440-ci Six Pack engine rated at 390 horsepower. The car is fitted with a TorqueFlite automatic transmission, torsion bar front suspension with spring rear and 4-wheel power drum brakes.

The interior is all stock with the exception of an aftermarket water temperature gauge and the factory tach has been replaced with an Autometer unit. Options coded, based on the data plate, include variable speed wipers, hood tie down pins, tachometer, fresh air hood intake, Music Master AM radio and dress-up package. Seatbelts have also been installed for modern safety. This Bee is a head turner and ready to be driven home.

1970 Dodge Super Bee, Lot 640.1
VIN: WM21V0G257900

This a real “V” Code 440 Six Pack, with matching-numbers engine, pistol-grip 4-speed transmission, DANA 60 rear axle, go wing, factory tachometer and gauges, Polyglas tires, heavy duty cooling. All original sheet metal and original Fender Tag. Refinished in its rare original color of Plum Crazy purple with black transverse strip. Very few Six Pack 4-speed Super Bees were produced.

SCM Analysis

Detailing

Vehicle:Two 1970 Dodge Super Bees
Years Produced:1970
Number Produced:15,506
Original List Price:$3,074
Tune Up Cost:$300 (with Six Pack)
Chassis Number Location:Driver side dash under windshield
Engine Number Location:Passenger side of block by oil pan
Club Info:www.moparnats.org
Website:http://www.superbeeregistry.com
Alternatives:1968-71 Plymouth Road Runner 1968-70 Dodge Coronet R/T 1970 Dodge Charger

Lot 356.2, a 1970 Dodge Super Bee, sold for $48,400, including buyer’s premium. Lot 640.1, sold for $42,900, including buyer’s premium. Both cars sold at Barrett-Jackson’s 2011 Palm Beach auction.

Don’t worry, bee happy.

What could be more fun than for a muscle car guy than to dissect a few bees—Dodge Super Bees—that is. At the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach sale on April 7-9, 2011, two somewhat rare—but always desirable—1970 Dodge Super Bees paused momentarily for their moment on the brightly illuminated auction block. The cars hammered home for two relatively close results, with one selling for $48,400 and the other for $42,900. Was one a better buy than the other? Did both deserve near-identical amounts? Was one more desirable than the other?

The very first part of this equation is to take a look at the model itself. I’ve owned my fair share of Bees (all us Mopar guys just call them Bees)—albeit 1969s—so I know the cars well. They handle like a refrigerator on a skateboard, have fairly utilitarian interiors and the 4-speed models shift like a Mack truck.

Other than that, they are fun cars to own.

In 1970, the Super Bee was offered as a pillared coupe or a hard top and came with three engine choices. Buyers could check the box for a 383, 440+6 or the thundering 426 Hemi. For our subject cars, we are speaking about the highly coveted “V” code model, which denotes the 440 Six Pack engine, (440-ci engine with 3 deuces up top). The Six Pack package put out 390 horses rather than 375 when running with a single 4-barrel (which was not available on the Super Bee). Considering the Hemi engine only ratcheted up the ponies to 425, the cost-per- horsepower was disproportional, so a total of 1,268 Super Bee V-Codes were ordered in 1970 versus 42 with the Hemi.

Production numbers are for all V-Code Super Bees combined including hardtops and coupes. Total Super Bee production came to 15,506 units, so the V-Code option represents just over 8% of production.

The Top Banana

Let’s take a close look at our first subject car, Lot #356.2, a Top Banana V-Code coupe that hammered home for $48,400. This car was last seen at the Worldwide Group, Seabrook TX, sale on May 1, 2010, where it sold for $38,500 (SCM# 162658).

This car was claimed to have the original engine and 85,000 miles from new. Barrett-Jackson is very picky about mileage claims, so we can assume that the miles are accurate and documented. This car was built with the sturdy TorqueFlite automatic transmission, 4-wheel drum brakes, a stock bench seat interior with the Rally gauge dash and the N-96 “Ramcharger” fresh air intake system. The exterior is finished in Top Banana yellow with a black C stripe. Overall, a very desirable Bee, which is great news.

The not-so-great news is a bench seat with an automatic on the column configuration. Yes, it was built that way, so I commend the owner for not altering it, but it still knocks on the Mopar value-o-meter, and we must look at all aspects of the car. We also see no mention of any supporting documentation, such as a build sheet, owner records, or Galen Govier documentation. When you add it all up, we have a well-done, genuine V-Code, 440 Six Pack 1970 Super Bee in a desirable color that presents well and will always have a rock-solid market—provided that most of the buyers remain on the grass side of the turf for many years to come.

The Plum Crazy

Our second subject car is Lot #640.1, which sold for $42,900 including the buyer’s premium. This car was also last seen at Mecum’s Indianapolis, IN, sale on May 19, 2010 as a no-sale with a high bid of $55,000 (SCM# 163744).

This Super Bee 440 Six Pack coupe was dressed out in Plum Crazy purple over black, another desirable color combination. It was running the original, numbers-matching engine, but more importantly, that power plant is mated to a coveted 4-speed with a Pistol-Grip shifter.

The car was also built with the nearly indestructible Dana 60 rear axle and a factory Go-Wing fastened to the trunk deck. This was also another bench seat Plain Jane interior Bee, which is identical to our comparison car. The car also has a Tuff Wheel installed and a transverse Bumble-Bee stripe.

Both cars claim to have their original factory installed fender tag, which is vital to decode the DNA of both cars.

On the downside, our second subject car also appears to lack a build sheet, past owner or factory documentation and Galen paperwork. A pillared coupe will always be less desirable than a hard top model, even though more hard tops were built than coupes. The only other item to really speak of is the bench seat, but for comparison purposes, both cars are identical, so we can simply zero out each car in that regard.

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