Who said a budget musclecar had to be cheap inside? The white buckets, console, and Hurst pistol-grip were on the Bee when it was built, and the wood-rimmed Grant steering wheel went on during the resto.
What's it like to drive? "It's a lot of fun," Larry says with a bit of understatement. "It's pretty unique around here," he adds, meaning southern Indiana's Harrison County, near the Ohio River. "You see some Road Runners and Challengers around here."
Speaking of Challengers, Larry's Super Bee isn't the only vividly colored Mopar in his family's garage. "We have a Panther Pink '70 Challenger convertible that I restored several years ago that's actually my wife's car. Between the two, we like standing out in a crowd." There's a future stand-out '70 Dodge in his shop now. "I've got a '70 Challenger hardtop that I've worked on a little in between other projects, but we're talking about putting a Hemi in it. I have a crate motor, and I might consider doing that. I've always got something going on."
Fast Facts
'70 Dodge Coronet Super Bee hardtop
Larry Lee
New Salisbury, InProduction totals:
'70 Super Bee production, both body styles/all engines: 14,696< '70 Super Bee hardtop (all engines/transmissions): 11,540 '70 Super Bee hardtop with 440 Six Pack (four-speed and 727): 1,072 '70 Super Bee hardtop with 440 Six Pack and four-speed: 599Mopar Power
Engine: Enough to scare Opel Kadetts at 50 yards in stock form, this 440 was treated to a .030-inch overbore, TRW 10.5:1 pistons, Crane hydraulic cam, Mopar electronic ignition-and the three two-barrel-Holleys-atop-an-aluminum Edelbrock-intake we lovingly call "Six Pack." Ramcharger underhood cold-air induction system connects hoodscoops to deep-breathing RB. TTI headers and Summit 3-inch mufflers produce sounds that keeps Kadetts at least 1,000 yards away at all times. The engine was built by Jim Stonecipher at Capitol Motor Parts, Corydon, Indiana.
Transmission: Do terms like "eight thirty-three" and "Hurst pistol-grip shifter" ring a bell?
Rearend: You can never have too much rearend with a 440 Six Pack. That includes the Super Track Pack (Dana 60 with 4.10 gears and Sure-Grip differential) the car was built with-and restored with.
Sure Grip
Suspension: Restored original front torsion bars/rear leaf springs.
Brakes: Front disc/rear drum, just as it was built.
Wheels: Centerline Telstars (15x7-inch front, 15x8-inch rear) replaced the boat-anchor candidates that replaced the factory originals. Tires are Goodyear Eagles (225/60R15 front, 275/60R15 rear).
Bolt-on Power. Optional Ramcharger cold-air system added the orange underhood hardware, and additional power when opened up.
High Impact
Body: Original '70 Dodge Super Bee hardtop. Quarters, floors, hood, and other rusted areas repaired before acquisition by Larry Lee-no fiberglass parts used. Bodywork and paint prep by Larry Lee and Dave Bary.
Paint: Same great flavor (FC7 Plum Crazy) that the Bee was built with, done this time in DuPont Chroma Premiere basecoat/clearcoat by Dave Bary.
Interior: Repro seat kits and carpets by Legendary Auto Interiors, pistol-grip shifter by Hurst, wood-rimmed steering wheel by Grant.
The Clincher
Per the folks at www.maxwedge.com, these nine paint names were allegedly rejected by Chrysler executives:
Catch Me Copper Unforeseeable Fuchsia Statutory Grape Gang Green Well Red Cost Of Living Rose Fisher Body Rust Hi-Ho Silver Frank Lloyd White