Chrysler Corporation was all about performance and got so hardcore about going fast that they built special models just to do it better. Daytona. Superbird. Charger 500. And perhaps the most hardcore of all, they built drag racing versions of the Super Bee and Roadrunner with a little option code known as “A12.” Selecting option A12 got you a lightweight car with the biggest, nastiest motor available (and even the execs at Chrysler knew it wasn’t the Hemi), and exactly zero frills. It wasn’t about comfort, it was about going fast. Hell, you didn’t even get things like hood hinges or hubcaps! Whatever the bare minimum they needed to give you in order to call it a car and put license plates on it, that was what you go. No more, no less. And the result was an extraordinary exercise in single-minded performance that still looks awesome today.

Which brings us to this spectacular Spring Green 1969 Dodge Super Bee A12. Easy to spot with its painted black wheels and black fiberglass lift-off hood, this happens to be the rarest of the bunch: a 2-door “post” sedan with a bench seat. See, this is the one that the guys who were actually going racing built. The 2-door post was the stiffest and lightest of the bunch, which was obviously key on the strip. And who cares about a bench seat? It was lighter if you kept it, but most guys didn’t so it didn’t matter. This car shows just 27,369 original miles (authenticated with an actual miles title and known ownership history) and you can imagine how those miles were accumulated. But being a car that spent most of its life on the track meant no winters, no rain, no dicing with amateurs in traffic, so the sheetmetal and bodywork is in fantastic condition with no replacement panels. Decoding the fender tag, you’ll see it was originally F6, which is indeed the bright Spring Green on it today. It looks awesome, but isn’t at all subtle, so you’ll have to be ready for the attention. The black hood features big, red SIX PACK lettering so no fooling the guy in the lane next to you, and that hood scoop is big enough to be a garage in Europe. A white bumble bee stripe around the tail is a great touch and since we’re skipping subtlety anyway, why not? And just check out the attention to detail in the restoration—the crisp, brightly detailed Super Bee emblems, the crystal clear original glass, reproduction decals, and someone splurged a little, because it has two external mirrors. Nice!

The black vinyl interior is all business, and if you’re worried about luxury and A/C and a killer stereo, well, the A12 isn’t your sort of car anyway. In fact, this interior is beautifully trimmed with a lot of originality and remains quite correct. No frills, of course, but the basic stuff works pretty darned well. The seats are comfortable and firm, the sightlines are excellent, and although this Super Bee was built for combat, it doesn’t feel like they deleted any stuff that made it useable on the street. Factory Rallye Gauges look bright and crisp and they all work properly. The Music Master AM radio works properly, too. There are Super Bee floor mats, which were not original equipment but they’re not a bad idea, and that original headliner is in fantastic shape, don’t you think? Obviously the trunk is massive, with what might just be the original spare tire still stashed up there on its own shelf. It also includes a correct jack assembly and a reproduction mat. Looking underneath, there is no sign of rust or accident damage and the trunk extensions are in excellent condition.

The only engine available with the A12 option package was the 440 cubic inch “Six Pack” V8, rated at 390 horsepower. Guys who knew fast cars in 1969 understood that the 440+6 was every bit a match for the mighty Hemi on the street, particularly in the lightweight Super Bee, and it had the advantage of being both bulletproof reliable and cheap to maintain. This is a warranty replacement block (which most of them are, given how these cars were used) and has been rebuilt to stock specs and highly detailed for show. The Six Pack air cleaner dominates and the surround that seals it to the unique A12 lift-off hood is a little crude, but this was a race car so nobody really cared. Hemi Orange paint really pops against the green engine bay and the little stuff is correct: hose clamps, clips, and markings were all accurately reproduced to give this car a factory look. The radiator is freshly re-cored, carburetors have been rebuilt so it starts easily and idles well, and for something designed to race, it’s surprisingly docile. Stock exhaust manifolds actually flow almost as well as headers without the headaches, so they left them in place. Going down the road, it’s easy to drive and remains very well behaved thanks to expert tuning by a guy who knows these cars inside and out.

Now check out that undercarriage—this car’s racing days are long behind it, but the floors have never been cut or patched, the rockers still show original spotwelds, and the suspension is highly detailed. Manual drum brakes with the drums painted red were the only choice on the A12s, so don’t complain about the lack of discs—that’s how they came, period. The TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission shifts crisply and is always ready to serve up a quick downshift, and a Dana 60 with 4.10 gears and a Sure Grip limited slip was likewise standard equipment. This one has a set of more mild 3.54 gears that make it a much better street car yet still entertainingly fast. A reproduction exhaust system sounds suitably muscular and offers correct chrome tips under the rear bumper. And again, all the factory markings and decals have been accurately reproduced here. Yes, there are a few signs of use (the restoration is a few years old) but good sheetmetal and attention to detail show through. Correct H-code steel wheels (unique to the A12s) are fitted with chrome lug nuts as original plus a set of G70-15 Goodyear redline tires so it looks very much as it would have in 1969.

Documentation includes the original Chrysler Corporation Broadcast Sheet, reproduction window sticker, and owner’s manual.

You’ll never see a car with this kind of single-minded dedication to performance come out of a major automaker again. The A12 remains special among Mopar fans and it stands out among all the other B-bodies you see at shows. And this one remains remarkably civilized, very easy to handle and still ferociously fast. The beautiful restoration, excellent documentation, and ownership by a Mopar expert all add up to a car you can enjoy immediately. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.