The 1968 Dodge Super Bee

Dodge watched as Plymouth launched their budget muscle car, the Road Runner, in the fall of 1967 as a 1968 model.

Dodge responded by launching its own budget muscle car. Based on the redesigned Dodge Coronet pillared coupe, Dodge looked to its Scat Pack symbol and released its new model in the spring of 1968 as the Super Bee.

The Road Runner and the Super Bee used the same basic chassis. Curb weight was nearly identical, and both used the same engines, so performance was almost identical.

The standard engine was the 335 bhp four barrel 383 cid V8 that borrowed cylinder heads, camshaft and induction system from the Magnum 440.

The 426 Hemi was the only engine option, it clashed with the budget nature of the Super Bee and only 125 were ordered.

A heavy duty suspension, brakes, four-speed manual transmission with Hurst Competition Plus shifter, and red-line wide oval tires were standard.

The low price didn't mean low profile, and the Super Bee had bumble bee racing strips circling the tail, and a big Super Bee emblem hovering on the rear fenders. The grille was finished in black matte and the hood had a decorative power bulge.

The wheel lips and the rear body panel were accented with thin bright moldings. Inside, the Super Bee had door-to-door carpeting, pleated vinyl seats and door panels, and a standard bench seat.