Frame Up Restored Coronet Super Bee A12 440+6 4 Speed

You want speed, you want it in mass quantities and you want it cheap? You order your Super Bee like this no frills, no roll down rear windows, no power options just a hairy motor, a four speed stick and a big axle. Of course, your time to order your own has been gone a long time, but this beautifully restored gem is one many fans would've ordered up without hesitation!

For Mopar muscle car fans, H E M I were four letters for performance. Hemi was also four letters for expensive, temperamental and, for the most part, bland, with only those little “HEMI” badges to alert the other guy to the thrashing he was about to receive. In what seems as an about-face answer to all of that was this car: The lift-off hood A12 package Super Bee and its corporate cousin Road Runner. The 440+6 was a bunch cheaper to purchase and a ton easier to tune.

The look was unmistakable many blind men fell off their fast horses trying to get a second look at these monsters. Brash, loud, and frequently faster than the HEMI, nearly devoid of creature comforts and with no clear track objective, these cars did one thing, and did it well: They ruled the streets.

Let's break down the fender tag:

TOP) LINE 6 :18147 = 2 DIGIT GATE # 3 DIGIT BASE #277213 = 6 DIGIT LINE SEQUENCE #9 = YEAR 1969A = LYNCH RD. ASSEMBLY PLANT272xxx = SERIAL #

LINE 5: 925 = ENGINE CODE – 440 SIX PACK W/4 SPEED999 = SPECIAL REAR AXLE (4.10 DANA 60)603 = TRANSMISSION CODE – HEMI 4 SPEED

LINE 4:26 = 26" RADIATORA12 = 440 3-2BBL ENGINE CONVERSION PACKAGE

LINE 3:1X = BLACK VINYL ROOF8W = WHITE TRANSVERSE (BUMBLE BEE) STRIPE

LINE 2:F6 = BODY PAINT CODE (SPRING GREEN METALLIC)F6 = ROOF / VINYL ROOF COLOR (SAME CODE INDICATES MONOTONE PAINT)H2X =BENCH SEAT INTERIOR, BLACKX9 =UPPER DOOR FRAME PAINT

(BOTTOM) LINE 1 :WM21 = CORONET SUPER BEE TWO DOOR COUPEE63 = ENGINE (CARS STARTED AS 383-4BBL)D21 = 4 SPEED MANUAL426 = SCHEDULED PRODUCTION DATE (APR 26)937412 = VEHICLE ORDER #

Since there was no official code for the 440 Six-Pack, Mopar coded the fender tags as 383 cars. This has startled more than a few guys at car shows! Chrysler sent out a 29 item list of special instructions including the M code in the VIN for special order V8—it's the mark of an A12 package car.

Let's start under the hood pull the four pins to reveal the big 440 topped by a trio of Holley carburetors. There's a correct 054 radiator up front, hooked up to the motor by reproduction radiator and heater hoses with correct Corbin clamps, all from Frank Badalson (i.e., they're the best you can buy). Date-code-correct spark plug wires connect to an orange-box fortified electronic ignition kit and ride in reproduction wire looms. The original air cleaner assembly hosts a correct reproduction air cleaner element and hides the rebuilt and detailed carbs, complete with the proper choke and fast idle solenoid assemblies. A new ballast resistor and wiper motor take up residence on the firewall and the master cylinder and engine wiring harness are new there, too. The battery's right, with new cables, the correct PCV valve and hose are in place, a correct date coded belt, a date coded coil the list goes on!

This is a full rotisserie restoration with Spring Green paint everywhere, including the undercarriage. Freshly rebuilt brakes front and rear bring the car to a halt with new lines and hoses. A new reproduction exhaust system complete with reproduction HEMI mufflers, correct clamps and stainless exhaust tips keep things as stealthy as possible for a car with a flat black hood! A new fuel tank and sender and new lines supply fuel forward and round out a well detailed, rebuilt chassis. Open up to the trunk to find the spare, proper jack and a new trunk mat. All is fresh, all is show ready!

Inside you'll find a mix of mint original parts with high quality reproductions. New gauge bezels add sparkle, as do the new armrest bases and inside door handles. All soft trim from the headliner to the door panels to the carpet to the restored headrests is in great shape, as is the original Hurst shifter. The gauges read brightly and accurately, the upper door frames were repainted and accent the new door panels, and the seats are perfect for short bursts of speed or a decent cruise hop in!

New, shiny paint outside is the first thing you notice. Spring Green Metallic is arguably one of Chrysler's finest hues, with a green base accented by a gold and silver metallic shimmer. The body is very straight, the gaps are excellent and the doors close very nicely. Open the doors to reveal zinc plated latches and strikers, and excellent paint in the jambs. Up front you'll find a freshly re-chromed bumper underneath a very nice grille before moving up to that mammoth black hood. The riveted hood pin bezels are correct (only steel hoods got screws) as are the short lanyards. What little bright work on the car (these weren't meant to dazzle you with chrome!) is in superb shape with an excellent shine. The rear bumper is also re-chromed and sits below an excellent tail panel and taillight set. Four gloss black steel wheels are wrapped with brand new F70x15 Goodyear redlines (Goodyear doesn't make G70’s yet and we'd rather run the right brand).

This is a blue chip Mopar, in one of the best colors out there and done extremely well. Rotisserie restored A12 cars like these are sure investments, and are a must have for any serious Mopar muscle car collector. A 4-speed, post A12 Super Bee is as good as it gets, what are you waiting for?