Very, very rare combination he says (70 Superbee)

[bull]

I'm thinking very rare as in nonexistant rare but this guy claims to own a 383 manual 3 speed on the floor. Why would it have a three speed transmission? Makes no sense.

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/2357416612.html

1970 Dodge Superbee - $12500 (La Center, WA)
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Date: 2011-05-01, 9:57PM PDT
Reply to: sale-vrxyg-2357416612@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
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Cool patina car or restore a very original, very rare car. All number matching 383 3spd on the floor car, very, very rare combination. Runs and drives good for a 40 year old car. Rust in the usual mopar places, floor pans and quarter panels, but structurally very solid. Ivy green with ledger green stripe is also very rare. With this motor/trans combination and paint scheme, this car is probably one of a couple or maybe 1 of 1. This car retains all of the original items the fender tag and build sheet details. Call Andrew at 360-921-4278 for more info.

[Ghoste]

Actually for 1970, the three speed became the standard transmission in the Road Runner and Super Bee.

[Drache]

Actually for 1970, the three speed became the standard transmission in the Road Runner and Super Bee.

+1

[bull]

Wait a minute. Manual or automatic? At first I was thinking he meant it had a manual but it doesn't actually say. If he's saying 3 speed automatic then it makes sense but there was no 3 speed manual in a 70 Bee was there?

[Ghoste]

Yes, the three speed manual was the standard trans in the Bee and Runner for 70. 

[Drache]

For 1970 there were two transmissions to choose from:

3 Speed MANUAL on the floor
3 Speed Torqueflight Auto

And supposedly the 383 for this year was "hotter" than 383's of years previous.

[Ghoste]

The four speed was an option as well.

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1970/70_Coronet0023b.jpg

[bull]

I didn't know that the 3 speed manual became the standard. Not much of a '70 expert. Soooo, what makes his car so rare?

[Drache]

I didn't know that the 3 speed manual became the standard. Not much of a '70 expert. Soooo, what makes his car so rare?

Don't quote me on this but I think there were less than 700 383 3 speed manual cars produced.

[bull]

I didn't know that the 3 speed manual became the standard. Not much of a '70 expert. Soooo, what makes his car so rare?

Don't quote me on this but I think there were less than 700 383 3 speed manual cars produced.

So his claims that this car is "probably one of a couple or maybe 1 of 1" might be a bit of an overstatement? The 383 4 speeds in 68 are much more rare than this.

[69bronzeT5]

3 speed manual on the floor cars are pretty rare. My '70 Coronet 500 is originally a 318 3 speed manual on the floor and apparently it's 1 of 41 according to production numbers.

[Ghoste]

His statement is off but they are definitely rare.

[Drache]

So his claims that this car is "probably one of a couple or maybe 1 of 1" might be a bit of an overstatement? The 383 4 speeds in 68 are much more rare than this.

It's not that hard to make your car 1 of 1 if you take it right down to every single option.

From what it looks like he's stating that between the engine and transmission and then the supposed "rare color" that makes the car super rare. I have no idea on the production numbers though for the paint and stripes of that year.

[hemi68charger]

Think it was an insurance thing... Insurance companies were starting to crack down on performance based vehicles, hence charging the owner more. Then, some insightful manager figured out how to make the cars more marketable, hence the 3-speed manual. I have a friend's '71 Duster 340 with manual 3-speed in the garage right now..

[Ghoste]

And the era of "decontenting" for lower advertised msrp's began?

[richRTSE]

I would think that green w/green stripe is alot rarer than the 383/3-speed.  Maybe not the most desirablecolor/stripe combo, but I'm sure there aren't alot of them out there. Thats a pretty reasonable price for that car, with numbers matching, fendertag, and buildsheet, suprised it hasn't sold yet.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I would think that green w/green stripe is alot rarer than the 383/3-speed.  Maybe not the most desirablecolor/stripe combo, but I'm sure there aren't alot of them out there. Thats a pretty reasonable price for that car, with numbers matching, fendertag, and buildsheet, suprised it hasn't sold yet.

Yep, and yep.

[RallyeMike]

Odd car and very rare if not unique. I never even knew they had a green stripe 

[aussiemuscle]

Soooo, what makes his car so rare?

It's the ONLY one he owns!!!! 

[fc7_plumcrazy]

And the era of "decontenting" for lower advertised msrp's began?

exactly. It was introduced to keep the official sales price down. Not many people wanted a three speed so they ordered the 727 or 4-speed but their final sales price was way above the starting price of 3.074$

Check the ad they used to promote the 1970 Bee:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-Dodge-Super-Bee-Advertisement-Vintage-Ad-/310313363359?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item48401e279f

Carsten

[HPP]

And the era of "decontenting" for lower advertised msrp's began?

exactly. It was introduced to keep the official sales price down. Not many people wanted a three speed so they ordered the 727 or 4-speed but their final sales price was way above the starting price of 3.074$

Check the ad they used to promote the 1970 Bee:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-Dodge-Super-Bee-Advertisement-Vintage-Ad-/310313363359?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item48401e279f

Carsten

Ditto. It was all marketing. Just look at any ad from then and you can see the pricing process by reducing "standard" levels was in full swing.

[Mike DC]

    
I've sometimes wondered what it would be like to build a really hi-powered 3spd (manual) car.  Build a gigantic stroker motor with a proportionally small cam/heads/carb, so it has a VERY wide powerband, and suddenly you wouldn't need to shift it very much just to keep it in the good RPM range.  



The idea of a manual 3spd sound archaic at first, but lots of us already drive around in "high performance" Mopars with 3spd automatics.  Sometimes we even manually shift them.    

Yeah, I know a 3spd manual setup would be no way to win races.  But talk about a fun car to drive . . .