Any classic that is stored for an extended period of time outside or in a wooden barn suffers greatly from such conditions. Even though a garage is a far better option, antique cars can nonetheless rust away from time to time. But other rigs, like this 1970 Dodge Super Bee, are fortunate enough to withstand decades of neglect without suffering serious problems. When a fugitive abandoned this Mopar in 1983, it was last seen driving. This implies that this Super Bee hasn’t been driven in an astounding 40 years since it has been sitting ever since.
But unlike classics that have been sitting for this long, the Dodge is not yet a rust bucket. I guess it wasn’t ignored entirely all these years, or at least that’s what the repainted front fenders and hood suggest. It’s unclear whether these body parts are factory-spec or replacements, but the Super Bee is highly original, which is surprising for a car that spent four decades off the road. The coupe still wears the factory red paint from the A-pillars to the rear, and the black stripes are still visible.
Nor has the white interior been updated or repaired. Although the floor carpets have been ruined by mice and the seats are worn out, the cabin appears to be easily cleaned. At first look, the dashboard doesn’t appear to be badly broken, and the white door panels are in great condition.
Better news still exists behind the yellow hood, housing a 383 cubic inch (6.3 liter) V8 engine that matches the engine numbers. The Super Bee’s entry-level engine, the 383 was rated at 335 horsepower and 425 pound-feet (576 Nm) of torque when it was new. It’s also not particularly uncommon.
1970 was the nameplate’s second most successful year on the market, with 15,506 examples sold. No fewer than 14,196 units left the assembly line with a 383. The four-speed manual probably makes it one of around 7,000 built like this, which is a lot. But while it may not be rare production-wise, this Super Bee is a rare find due to the original drivetrain components.
Additionally, the red-over-white color combination is rather uncommon. I don’t have exact numbers to go by, but it seems like a long time since I’ve seen one wearing these colors.
But the rarity of this Mopar is basically inconsequential. The 1970 Super Bee is our host’s ideal vehicle, and he is devoted to restoring and resuming driving it. He even managed to restart the V8 and gave the vehicle a quick drive. A functional barn discovery is a terrific place to start, but it will require some additional work and improvements before this Super Bee is roadworthy.