69 Super Bee - First Classic Muscle Car!

[Evoking]

Hi folks,

I am about to acquire my first classic muscle car. Super excited. A bit about me.

Currently my primary toy is a 2015 Lambo Huracan. While I have owned lots of German, British and Japanese sportscars I have owned a Viper GTS and C5 Z06. I almost bought a new Hellcat or 2015 Z/28 before I decided I MUST go old school.

One of the first thing I noticed about every Mopar I drove was how pristinely the engine revved. Where Chevy or Ford would rev slowly the 340 and 440 seemed much more eager. Not sure why this is but I liked it!

So I'm about to pull the trigger on a 69 Super Bee 440 4spd. Will be going to drive it Friday. Here are my questions:

1) What should I especially look for?

2) It does not have power steering. With that huge 440 will I end up having to add it? And if I do, do you guys do full rack and pinion or just add power steering?

3) The engine is a 440 with Edelbrock 4BB1. Most of the hype I read is about the 6 pack engine. What does this mean? Is it simply carburetor?

4) What are some good sources for wheels wheels, deep lip and quality polished but not too modern looking. Perhaps 16 or 17 is largest I would go and would also want a meaty tire with good sidewall.

Thanks in advance!

 

[flypaper]

look for rust-everywhere

 

[68GTXNH]

Like he said, bring a kitchen magnet and stick it everywhere. If it doesnt stick its full of mud and as soon as you put your new rims on it with im assuming nice sticky tires, that 440 will twist all the bondo and rot right out of it. 6 pack was the a12 option, 3x2 barrel carbs and a lift off fiberglass hood. Badass and can probably say all of us here have one a12 or another on our dream list. But if you can afford a lambo and those other high dollar vehicles, why not find a fully restored hemi at like barret jackson or mecum? If youre partial to those cars you listed, an old muscle car will rattle the teeth right out of your head. No power steering is part of the fun. Directly feeling the road is exactly why i prefer classics. Shifting gears in a four speed and you can literally feel the gears meshing. Putting half your body weight into your left foot to pull on a cable that physically squeezes the clutch in. The no hydraulics there. Throwing more then your body weight into the steering wheel to pull into a parking spot because non power steering doesnt do a damn thing when you have no speed assisting you. At full throttle you turn the wheel and the car doesnt turn at all, or whips right around, *** end screaming and pouring smoke out in front of where you were supposed to be pointing, depending on what mood your car is in at that particular moment. Not to mention that smell only a carbureted car can make. The kind that makes you think youll die if you dont cut the engine and let it roll to a stop in the garage. If you pull in under its own power, once the tail pipe is inside the big open door, theres no way the fumes dont kill some brain cells. It sounds horrible describing old muscle cars that, but i bet everyone on this forum agrees with me, those exact things (which most of the population would be appaulled by) are why we love driving these cars. (Maybe its because of the fumes? Haha) My mom has her a8, and loves it, stick her behind the wheel of my 500rwhp 1970 monte carlo 4 speed and she cant find anything she doesnt like about it. "Whys it so loud, whys the clutch so hard, this bench seat feels so bouncy, yadda yadda" Stick me behind her wheel and i cant find much of anything i like about hers just the same. Turning the wheel is no different then turning a radio knob, there no tension no feeling of what im actually controlling. I think all that drive by wire stuff is for the birds. So on that note, coming from the list of cars you described, definitly drive before you buy. Its not for everybody. But clearly you like performance, theres not much like a big block and steep rear end gears that can literally bend and snap seat brackets (ask me how i know) and have you hooked on old muscle.

 

[WP29440SE]

If the people around you hate the smell of gasoline and raw fuel in the garage, it's not for them either

 

[68GTXNH]

Forgot to mention the 1000 degree long tube headers into a 3 inch xpipe 6 inches from your thigh with no ac Lol.

 

[Evoking]

LOL. I love the smell. I have also owned 3 non power steering cars. 2 NSX and 1 Lotus Elise.

I drove a 4spd Coronet locally and fell in love. So I suspect I will love it.

Not buying a Mecum Hemi for $180k cause 1) it's my first 2) I'm also looking at a 1962 Jag MkII. Awesome driving and looking Brit classic.

Now as you guys go deeply nostalgic let's get back to answering the other questions ;-)

 

[flypaper]

2) It does not have power steering. With that huge 440 will I end up having to add it? And if I do, do you guys do full rack and pinion or just add power steering?

you can add it with a power steering box and pump
common upgrade



3) The engine is a 440 with Edelbrock 4BB1. Most of the hype I read is about the 6 pack engine. What does this mean? Is it simply carburetor?

a 6 pack is 3 2bbl carburators with a dedicated intake for them

oh yeah in case you forget..
look for rust

 

[JC Childress]

Pretty sure you can get a nice Super Bee for way less than $180 grand.......I know they are out there.

 

[hashmaker]

If this car has been restored than ask lots of questions about what sheet metal has been replaced. If they do not list the trunk floor, the passenger floor, quarter panels and around the bottom outer corners of the rear window and much more than it will need that work done as they all have rusted out from the windshield and back glass leaking. Another spot to watch is the LF frame rail next to the steering box and the cross rail panel at the rear just inside the rear bumper. The magnet is a good idea. Good luck!

 

[Lionized]

Welcome to the hive!
My Bee has manual steering and it's only an issue if you plan to parallel park. Otherwise it feels good.

 

[eddie102870]

congrats on deciding to buy a bee. i have a hellcat charger and get a bigger thrill in the 69. love old school

 

[Evoking]

Looks great! And I suspected the old school would be more enjoyable to own! Thanks for confirming ;-)

 

[68GTXNH]

Ya modern technology is so damn cool and impressive, but old school has so many more things that "tickle your fancy" old school muscle especially mopar is like crack. You cant have enough. Be careful. If you get one, itll ne short.order before you have a couple esspecially those rust busets you find in a neighbors yard for $500. Let us know how the test drive goes tomorrow

 

[Evoking]

How would I go about checking the VIN or original equipment for the car?

Btw, here are some teaser pics...

 

[flypaper]

that car looks far from original.
there is a fendertag that should list the major option codes that came with the car.
the vin will just identify the model,engine size and plant that it was built at.
post up the numbers and someone here can decode it for you..

 

[Evoking]

Yes, it has been re-painted and restored as needed. Fender tag under the hood correct? Is it the tag on the left next to the engine?

 

[flypaper]

repainted and modified..lol
restored means back to original.
the rims and under the hood are far from that.
the fender tag is on the drivers side inner fender under the hood.

 

[Evoking]

Sorry. Semantics. Yes, restomodded. Not the original 440 for example. Here are some more pics..

 

[Evoking]

More

 

[JoeyD1968runner]

I would take one of those cheep mini cameras you can buy and view on your phone and put in every open hole in the frame and in any small space. Especially where there is no fresh black undercoating. If that undercoating is very thick & soft. It's hiding something. Do they have a history of the restomod? Will they give you the name of the shop that completed it?

Just some things to think of to keep them on the up & up.

Joey D