Perhaps the best part of hunting for barn treasures is coming across abandoned muscle vehicles that are still completely original. These vintage cars are not only worth restoring, but they can also increase in value when kept in excellent condition. But most muscle cars from the golden age aren’t so fortunate.
A lot of them, like this 1969 Dodge Super Bee, wind up in backyards or junkyards where they rust away in retirement. However, this does not take away from their intrigue. While some have uncommon features and drivetrain combinations, others have special surprises hidden in the interior or under the engine. Among them cars is this one, the Super Bee.
Parked out in the open for decades, the Mopar is in rough shape, displaying rust holes and missing a few parts, including the bumpers and the turn signals. Sadly enough, the floors are also in poor condition, so this Super Bee won’t drive again without a full overhaul. But check out the cool white over copper color combo, which appears to be the one it came with from the factory. That’s a rare paint scheme too, enough for me to justify saving this rig.
But it’s the upholstery that makes this forgotten Mopar truly unique because the seats boast a leopard print. No, you’re not crazy, Dodge did not offer such an option in 1969 (or any other model year for that matter), so what you’re looking at is an aftermarket upgrade.
In fact, leopard print was huge in the 1960s, but by the time the Super Bee arrived, the mania had faded. In the 1980s, animal print did, however, resurface in popularity. Animal print, which at the time was associated with luxury, was used on furniture, artwork, and even undergarments.
Yes, that was the same time period that gave us fingerless gloves, brightly colored leggings, and outrageously big hair. Nevertheless, I would venture to say that this is when the Super Bee’s inside leopard pattern was added. Additionally, it indicates that the vehicle was still in service in the 1980s.
But does it still have a V8 under the hood? It does and the owner claims it’s the numbers-matching unit. That’s impossible to verify based on the footage below, but it’s a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, which was indeed offered in the Super Bee in 1969. Rated at 335 horsepower and 425 pound-feet (576 Nm) of torque, it was the base mill for the entire production run of the muscle car, topped by the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB and the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI.
This also indicates that it is one of the nameplate’s more prevalent variations. Out of the 27,892 Super Bees that were sold in 1969, only 1,907 had the 440 V8 engine and 258 had the HEMI. It is by no means rare—there are a staggering 25,727 specimens with the 383 big-block. Hey, it does have that unique internal animal print.
Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that this Super Bee will ever be restored and will simply become a parts vehicle. However, you might as well see it in the video below, which also features footage of two old Ford pickup trucks—one Model A and the other 1949 Chevrolet.