First Super Bee built?

[68 Super Bee]

I recently bought a 68 Super Bee that has a build date of August 11th of 1967. Everything I've read says that they were not introduced until the spring of 1968. The sequence number on the VIN is 100740. Wondering if anyone has any info on this.

thanks in advance

 

[moparedtn]

Interesting indeed, since I believe the 'Bee was first offered for sale in February of 1968...
but a WM21 is a WM21, eh?
I've owned two '68 Bees and they remain my personal favorites. I'd trade my '68 GTX for one in similar condition right now, no hesitation.

You do know that's the wrong hood, right? Beautiful car all the same. Congrats!

 

[Cranky]

So long as it's a coupe, I don't care if it's a Dodge or a Plymouth. I like them both! Yup, nice car no matter what hood is on it.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Wow!
Very interesting indeed!

Nice car!

 

[68 Super Bee]

Yeah, I know it's a 69 hood but I'm going to keep it on the car, I like the look. The interior is currently black but I'm in the process of switching it back to blue like it's coded for.

 

[snakeyes]

[video]https://youtu.be/krD4hdGvGHM[/video] very nice looking bee I like hood and all.

 

[Coyoteduster]

Beautiful car, love to see some more shots. :headbang:

 

[beezee]

My guess is a very late build "E" Los Angeles built car
.http://www.superbeeregistry.com/

 

[patrick66]

With a VIN of 100740, it is a very EARLY build car. The line shutdown for the new model year generally occurred within the last two weeks of July to the first two weeks of August, depending on the plant, for a period from two weeks to as little as five days. With the VIN and the build date, this is absolutely an early car.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Wondering if anyone has any info on this.

thanks in advance

Yes. IMHO...you better do some more investigation. 811 is way too early for a true Bee.

If I may....your tag codes differently than all the other 68 Bee tags I have on file.

From what plant is the car?
Have you checked the body numbers against the fender tag?
If the engine is supposed to be original, what is the assembly date?
Have you checked for any VIN numbers on the engine or transmission?
Assuming they are original... have you checked date codes on things like the radiator? Wiper motor? Glass? Rear end carrier? Hood latch?
What dash does the car have? Does it have the Rallye dash or the long speedometer?

thanks.

 

[beezee]

My 68 has a build date of 430 with a fender tag order #107761. Looking at the 68 registry dash tag sequence for California built cars start with 1.... Road Runners were being introduced summer 67,due to strong sales Dodge followed suite.The low vin is interesting,my sales order is a lower number?

 

[68 Super Bee]

The car does not have the original engine or transmission. The body numbers on the radiator support and the trunk lip match the order number on the trim tag. I emailed the curator of the Super Bee registry and he confirmed it was a very early build as well.

 

[Riverdawg]

Very cool car. Love the color and interior. It'll look cool with the Blue interior back in also.

 

[73JF1Bird]

Nice Ride!

 

[Bb70charger500]

This is a nice looking ride ,I think the hood is sweet too and would leave it ,I'd probably find an org and stick it somewhere just in case you sell it or change your mind .

 

[69Coronetrt]

The car does not have the original engine or transmission. The body numbers on the radiator support and the trunk lip match the order number on the trim tag. I emailed the curator of the Super Bee registry and he confirmed it was a very early build as well.

When you have something that is out of the norm, it's best to have rock solid documentation or a plausible story. Let's see if we can determine what you really have.

You have a car that was, supposedly, built 4-5 months early than what it should have been.
That will raise a lot of questions.

I would think the first person to raise a red flag would be the 'curator' of the Super Bee registry.

It has a non matching numbers drive train so one way to tie together everything is missing.

If this is an early production car, why was it built at the smallest, lowest production, furthest away plant instead of Lynch Road in Detroit where corporate could keep an eye on it?
Have other Super Bees with similar VINs and SPDs ever surfaced?
Why does this tag code differently than other known Super Bees?
Is the tag coding consistent with other Coronet cars built at the LA plant about the same time?

LA cars are notorious for not having Broadcast sheets. I presume this car does not have one either.
Is there a window sticker? IBM card or any other factory document that mates the VIN with the SO?

One thing about the '68 and earlier cars is that they are easier to fake because there is no way to directly tie the body to the VIN tag.
Known bad VIN and fender tag cars exist.

Can you check the date codes on the back of the Rallye Dash? You should find date codes on some of the gauges and the total assembly.
Assuming it's original, can you check the date code on the radio?
Radiator?
Wiper motor?
Since the hood is a '69 hood, I presume the date code on the hood latch is from '69.
Assuming the rear end has not been switched, have you checked to see which rear end carrier the car has?

The more of these components that do not match the SPD, the more the curiosity level should go up.

What do you actually know about the history of the car?
Who put the hood and '69 interior in the car? When?
How fresh is this restoration?
What do you know about the chain of ownership?
Which owners can you call to verify the history of the car?

 

[68 Super Bee]

Thanks for all the info 69Coronetrt. The hood must be a 68 with the scoops added because it has a 68 latch. The date code is 2137 and the wiper motor is 2547 so they are both from later in 67. I'm going to check some of the other items for date codes as well. I bought the car from a guy in Florida and it had a California title, where he bought it from and that owner did the restoration. I do have his contact info and will give him a call to see what I can find out. No build sheet, or any documentation came with the car. Also has aftermarket radiator installed.

 

[moparedtn]

Pulling up a chair to listen in because this doesn't make sense to me and my first Mopar love was (and is) '68 Bees.
Why would Ma build a car approx. 6 months before it supposedly was released to the public for sale?
Did any other '68 Coronets possibly come with WM21H8? What were the Coronet 440 VIN digits, for example?
Was this perhaps a special-built one for an executive or a pilot car of sorts?

 

[69Coronetrt]

Did any other '68 Coronets possibly come with WM21H8? What were the Coronet 440 VIN digits, for example?
Was this perhaps a special-built one for an executive or a pilot car of sorts?

the 440 Coupe (WH21), on which the Super Bee was based, was not released until November 1st: http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/_1968-Dodge-PIB-01.shtml?load_img=4

The WL21 coupe was available at the beginning of the model year.

The car's SO number is not consistent with a special built, executive or pilot car. It also would not make sense to have a special built, executive or pilot car built at the LA plant instead of Lynch Road.

 

[moparedtn]

Much appreciate the lesson. Just trying to come up with a logical explanation for the OP's car.
Could the build date be wrong? Could the trim tag have been altered or reproduced?