1968 Charger Super Bee ?

[Fonzy]

Hi there,

a few days ago I talked to a friend of mine who owns a '68 Charger. We discussed his car a bit and he told me that according to the previous owner the car used to be a limited edition super bee. Apparently there was a small series of Chargers done (~ 150 cars) and sold in San Diego. My buddy was a bit sceptical when he first heard of it so he didn't really pursue it. I mean the car was indeed orange when he purchased it and according to official documents was initially registered in San Diego but it all sounded a bit far fetched...only heard of the Coronet based Super Bees so far.

Now I figured if there was some truth in it at all somebody on here must have heard of it. Otherwise I suppose the seller was just trying to talk the car up. Anyhow, would be nice to get some thoughts 

In case you'd need the VIN: XP29H8B327394

Cheers

Fonzy

[ws23rt]

68 Charger Super Bee?--Never heard that one before.---150 cars for release in San Diego?--that also sounds like what word of mouth can do over the years.

I by no means have all the final answers to this sort of question. But I do know it would be BIG news to the Charger crowd if this was done by Dodge.

[70 sublime]

How many Bengal Chargers were built ?
They were orange
Maybe that is what is being talked about ?

[6bblgt]

sounds interesting, got fender tag info?

I know of one other "Omaha Orange" 383 4-spd '68 Charger from CA - I'll see if I can find the info tonight .....

[ws23rt]

https://tommyscarblog.com/2012/10/30/1968-dodge-charger/

[Fonzy]

https://tommyscarblog.com/2012/10/30/1968-dodge-charger/

That's interesting indeed! He also said something about the San Diego Chargers but I figured it wouldn't make too much sense regarding the colour choice.

Sadly no fender tag available. They offered to get him one for 250 usd though, any way and number he'd like but he thankfully declined  

sounds interesting, got fender tag info?

I know of one other "Omaha Orange" 383 4-spd '68 Charger from CA - I'll see if I can find the info tonight .....

would be grand!

[lukedukem]

Maybe it's half and half car like this one. Post a pic
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,128395.msg1598153.html#msg1598153

Luke

[Fonzy]

Think it's a proper 68 Charger. Made a full restoration and put in a custom made 505 stroker.

[68X426]

68 Charger Super Bee?--Never heard that one before.---150 cars for release in San Diego?--that also sounds like what word of mouth can do over the years.

Agreed x2.  Never seen or heard before.

Plus, that VIN is springtime 1968, the next football season is months away, and the 69s would be on sale for the start of the 68 season.  A dealer ordering Chargers would want 69 models to sell in the fall of the 68 football season.  So it would be really odd to order a group of special 68s.

Pics 1 and 3 show the color schemes for the Chargers in 68 to 70.  I don't see a tie in with a Super Bee, I would think the dealer would want the (obvious) Charger head and lightning bolt to tie in.  So there's that.

Pic 2 is to show the best possible use of the Charger colors.  It is for entertainment purposes only, don't try it at home.

[gtx6970]

Pic 2 is to show the best possible use of the Charger colors.  It is for entertainment purposes only, don't try it at home.

Id sure like to try it at home, or anywhere else for that matter

[alenglish]

Pic 2 is to show the best possible use of the Charger colors.  It is for entertainment purposes only, don't try it at home.

Id sure like to try it at home, or anywhere else for that matter

agreed

[Kern Dog]

I wonder if the OP is able to start the car by bumping the door with his fist. It worked with the JukeBox.   

[Fonzy]

Agreed x2.  Never seen or heard before.

Plus, that VIN is springtime 1968, the next football season is months away, and the 69s would be on sale for the start of the 68 season.  A dealer ordering Chargers would want 69 models to sell in the fall of the 68 football season.  So it would be really odd to order a group of special 68s.

Makes sense with the VIN. Also found pictures of a magazine that were posted on here several years ago regarding the Bengal Chargers. The article listed two VINs of actual Bengals which were just 7 digits apart from each other but were nowhere near my mate's car's VIN. But the article also mentions the scheduled build date for the Bengals was April 10 1968 - so springtime 1968 would be about right.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,32703.msg1283076.html#msg1283076

Pretty sure there was a mix up with the San Diego Chargers (the car came with an old Chargers key chain) and the seller was talking about the Bengals. Everything else wouldn't make too much sense. To my mates defence, it was a couple of years ago when he got the car and he's not really into the NFL...but I'm sure he'll change his mind once I show him the second picture

[Fonzy]

I wonder if the OP is able to start the car by bumping the door with his fist. It worked with the JukeBox.   

Only did in once - hence the new 505 stroker 

[Kern Dog]

I knew a guy in construction that liked to be called Fonzie....When I asked him why, he said his name was Alfonso. I thought that was funny.

[6bblgt]

I don't think there is anything to the '68 Charger Super Bee story - if 150 were built, there would've been some stories before now

there have been plenty of stories about the "special order paint" '68 & '69 Road Runners/Barracudas in FLEET "Omaha orange", Chevy's "rally green" & Porsche's "Bahama yellow" that got their start in California.  These cars were ordered in batches of 50 (FLEET order size) or more by dealerships thru dealer associations too get around the up-charge for individual special order paint vehicles.  I don't think there would've been anything stopping a dealership that had Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge franchises from ordering a Charger in "Omaha orange" (from the FLEET color guide - think "safety orange", Michigan's DOT vehicles were painted this color)

anyway, here's a 383 4bbl 4-speed "Omaha orange" '68 Charger, built mid-January & rumored to be a CA car
is this the original color of the OP friend's Charger?  can you get the "Shipping Order Number" of the core support or trunk lip?

[Fonzy]

Agree, thought it sounded spongy when I first heard of it and don't think there is anything to it. Pretty sure the seller was referring to the Bengal Chargers though, mentioned the Bee stripes & connection to an NFL team (the wrong one).

He described the colour similar to BMW's Hennarot which was quite popular here in Germany during the 80s


Once I have news regarding the Shipping Order number I'll let you know 

[Ghoste]

After this number of years it could be confusion over the Bengal Chargers or it could be a San Diego dealer did a promotion to counter the Cinci one (if he heard of it at all).  Maybe an ad he did promoting Chargers and Super Bees, maybe a sale on them?  Maybe a tape stripe deal to move old inventory that he did on lot and called it Charger Super Bee?  Something like that but with more like 5 cars or even 15 and over time it grew to 150?  Or maybe none of those things at all and its all just someone with a bad recollection and we lump it in with the factory 383 Hemi Six Pack stories we've all heard a hundred times.

[Fonzy]

After this number of years it could be confusion over the Bengal Chargers or it could be a San Diego dealer did a promotion to counter the Cinci one (if he heard of it at all).  Maybe an ad he did promoting Chargers and Super Bees, maybe a sale on them?  Maybe a tape stripe deal to move old inventory that he did on lot and called it Charger Super Bee?  Something like that but with more like 5 cars or even 15 and over time it grew to 150?  Or maybe none of those things at all and its all just someone with a bad recollection and we lump it in with the factory 383 Hemi Six Pack stories we've all heard a hundred times.

think that sums it up perfectly 

[69CoronetRT]

After this number of years it could be confusion over the Bengal Chargers or it could be a San Diego dealer did a promotion to counter the Cinci one (if he heard of it at all).  Maybe an ad he did promoting Chargers and Super Bees, maybe a sale on them?  Maybe a tape stripe deal to move old inventory that he did on lot and called it Charger Super Bee?  Something like that but with more like 5 cars or even 15 and over time it grew to 150?  Or maybe none of those things at all and its all just someone with a bad recollection and we lump it in with the factory 383 Hemi Six Pack stories we've all heard a hundred times.

Time fades memories. Documentation is forever.

"Trust but verify"

[Ghoste]

That is why I am always such a skeptic.  I take a LOT of flack for it but even the fuzzy memories of an industry insider are just that, fuzzy memories.  How many of us can remember what we had for lunch two weeks ago?  A fairly recent time and a reasonably important decision in your life and one that probably actively engaged you.  And yet, the word of someone who claims to have seen something fifty years ago is gospel.  Sorry it makes me a jerk to ask for proof but it's only driven by a sincere desire to see fact and fiction remain separate.  It's never meant to disparage individuals, I just love these cars and want to see their story preserved as accurately as possible.
Trust but verify is excellent advice.

[Fonzy]

I am the same type of person. It's nice to hear the stories but to really convince me I need unequivocal proof. We all know people who tend to exaggerate whenever they tell a story and sometimes you have the feeling the longer its been the incident took place the more they try to oversell it. That's also why I figured I'd ask here - you've heard it all before and you guys know your facts.

[alfaitalia]

...I know what you mean...I must have told my son not to exaggerate a million times!

[Fonzy]

 can you get the "Shipping Order Number" of the core support or trunk lip?

Mate got back to me today with the numbers of the core support





Looks like B8X755340 to me

[6bblgt]

it appears 1968 model year "company cars" had Shipping Order Numbers in the 700000s

the earliest SPRING SPECIAL "3" bright red & "6" dark green metallic Chargers I have info on were scheduled 4/18 - the subject car was a month earlier

faded SPRING SPECIAL paint code "3" often looks more orange than red (same color was paint code "R4" for model year 1969)

a bit of speculation, but I'd bet it was an early SPRING SPECIAL Dodge "company car" painted "3" bright red