by Introduced in 1968, the Dodge Super Bee was essentially a low-priced version of the Coronet. And it looked a lot like its Plymouth twin, the Road Runner. But this changed in 1970 when Dodge introduced a more aggressive exterior design to go with the powerful V8s under the hood.
While not as fancy as the Charger, the Super Bee was just as powerful and fast. The entry-level 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) Magnum V8 delivered 335 horsepower, while the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six-Pack was good for 390 horses. In addition, Dodge offered the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Hemi with 425 horsepower on the options list.
To keep things interesting, Mopar also put the Super Bee on the list of cars available with High Impact colors. The palette included flashy hues like Plum Crazy, Sublime, Go Mango, Panther Pink, and Hemi Orange.
The 1970 Super Bee shown here is painted in a different color, but it’s just as cool as the ones listed above. If you’re a fan of yellow cars, that is. Yup, this Mopar sports a Top Banana coat, a color that Plymouth offered under the name Lemon Twist. And what makes it that much more interesting on this car is that it’s combined with a tan interior.
This Super Bee was repainted at some point, but the new finish matched the original, FY1-code Top Banana Yellow from the factory. And it obviously sports the familiar black graphics and “Super bee” logo on the rear fenders, to go with a black spoiler atop the trunk lid.
The interior also went through a mild restoration that included new carpet, refreshed vinyl seats, and a few repairs from “long-ago” cigarette burns. It’s not in perfect condition, but it looks like a well-maintained cabin.
But there’s plenty of good news under the hood. While it’s not fitted with a 426 Hemi, this Super Bee still carries its original, numbers-matching 383 V8. What’s more, the engine has been rebuilt about 100 miles ago and now includes a Flowmaster dual exhaust system.
The mill “starts easily with a couple of pumps of the gas pedal” and sends 335 horsepower to the rear wheels through a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic.
If you’re interested in this part survivor, partly restored muscle car that screams for attention, it’s being auctioned off via Hemmings as we speak. Bidding has reached $38,000 with a “reserve not met” status, but there are eight more days to go.
In case you’re working, Dodge built 15,506 Super Bees in 1970, but only 3.966 of them were coupes. And it’s safe to assume that fewer than 500 were ordered in Top Banana Yellow.
