Plymouth Road Runner vs. Dodge Super Bee: A Muscle Car Legacy

Steve Magnante—a hot rod historian, travels the country uncovering the forgotten and hidden gems of the automotive world.

This time on Roadkill’s Junkyard Gold, Steve Magnante is exploring a Mopar-only junkyard in rural New Hampshire. He’s there to answer one question: Which came first, the Bird or the Bee? We aren’t talking high school biology here—Steve is exploring the differences between the Plymouth Road Runner and the Dodge Super Bee. Together, these two models helped cement Mopar’s reputation for building the best muscle cars of the 1960s.

The Birth of the Plymouth Road Runner

The Plymouth Road Runner first debuted in September 1967 as a 1968 model and was an instant hit. Executives at Plymouth expected to sell 10,000 units but were astounded when nearly 45,000 units were sold by the end of that first model year, with 1969 models selling over 82,000 units! Steve credits the success to the low starting price of under $3,000. Competing models from GM and Ford—the SS Chevelle, Pontiac GTO, and Fairlane 390—were priced in the $3,300 to $4,000 range. This affordability meant that even a high school senior with a good job could buy a brand-new Road Runner. Coupled with Chrysler’s licensing of Warner Brothers’ cartoon character, these cars became a massive hit among teenagers of the late 1960s.

Additionally, the awesome 383 base engine, producing 335 hp, along with features like 11-inch brakes, 5-leaf heavy-duty spring pack, 4-speed manual transmissions, and Sure-Grip differentials, made the Road Runner highly appealing. Therefore, it’s no surprise that it was MotorTrend‘s 1969 Car of the Year.

The Dodge Super Bee Emerges

Dodge was a bit later to the game with the Super Bee, scrambling to get it to market halfway through 1968 after witnessing the Road Runner’s immediate success. The Super Bee came standard with many features similar to the Road Runner, but at a $100 premium—equivalent to more than $700 today. Historically, Dodge positioned itself as a more premium brand marked by differences in design, functionality, and performance.

The Road Runners came equipped with the Belvedere dashboard featuring a 120-mph speedometer and idiot lights, whereas the Super Bees boasted the Charger’s Rallye dashboard with a 150-mph speedometer and individual gauges. The most crucial distinction was the Super Bee’s 1-inch longer wheelbase at 117 inches—a carryover from the 1930s when wheelbase length influenced car pricing.

The Legacy of Two Icons

The first generation of both cars ran from 1968-1970 with similar body styles. The Road Runner continued through the muscle car era’s decline, with the second generation lasting until 1975, while third-generation models were premium options on the Plymouth Volare from 1976-1980. Conversely, the Super Bee only lasted until 1971 as a one-year-only model, transitioning from the Dart to the Charger platform. However, it’s worth noting that the Super Bee continued in Mexico until 1975.

So, there you have it—the Bird came first. The Plymouth Road Runner and Dodge Super Bee found in this rural junkyard may have been deemed throwaways just a decade ago, but the pool of available restoration candidates is diminishing rapidly. Consequently, finding a Plymouth Road Runner or Dodge Super Bee in a junkyard today is considered a significant find. Keep your eyes peeled for that junkyard gold, and as Steve likes to say, “Hasta Magnante!”