Dodge Rumble Bee Second Swarm #2354. One of only 1572 Solar Yellow 4x4s built. Tastefully accessorized plus custom powdercoated wheels. Newer tires, ready to run. A cool bit of Mopar muscle with an affordable price tag!

Dodge was all about performance in the early 2000s with the resurgence of the HEMI V8, and sticking it in a short bed pickup seemed like a no-brainer. Reaching back into their history, they put a twist on the Super Bee name and came up with “Rumble Bee” for the Ram pickup. Only built for two years, the limited edition Rumble Bee featured Solar Yellow paint, custom body cladding, and a special bumble bee stripe around the tail that was definitely the 1960s all over again. With special 20-inch wheels and a few other details, the Rumble Bee stood out in a crowded field of also-ran pickups. This particular Rumble Bee is number #2354 out of 9258 built in its limited 2-year production run. It’s finished in desirable Solar Yellow and is the rather unusual 4x4 version, of which only 1572 were built. It remains in good overall condition for being 20 years old and still makes a statement when it rolls into a show. The paint is mostly original, although the bed sides have been repainted (the original decals were carefully masked and then covered in clear). Other modifications include a chrome grille up front, aftermarket headlights and taillights, and a custom rear roll pan. The bodywork is quite clean and it does present rather well in a sea of black, white, and silver late-model pickups.

The Rumble Bee’s interior also received a few custom touches, including a body-colored center stack, white-faced gauges, and a special serial number tag below the HVAC controls. Most Rumble Bees were loaded, and this one doesn’t disappoint with things like A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control a tilt steering column, and a decent AM/FM/CD stereo all being standard equipment. The gray cloth upholstery is in excellent condition and the supportive bucket seats feel like they belong in a Charger rather than a pickup truck. Everything works properly, including the A/C, and with 4-wheel-drive available with the turn of a knob, there’s no place this truck can’t go. The headliner overhead is in nice condition, the dash isn’t cracked or sun-damaged, and there’s even a bit of storage behind the seats, crucial in a standard-cab pickup. And with a hard-shell tonneau cover over the bed, it effectively becomes the world’s biggest trunk where you can secure your gear out of sight.

The only engine available in the Rumble Bee is a 5.7 liter HEMI V8 making a rather stout 345 horsepower. This engine is legendary today for durability and power, and it makes the somewhat chunky Rumble Bee feel quick around town. This one remains completely stock mechanically, so it runs like it should and will be easy to service in the future. All the original engine bay plastic is in good order and there’s plenty of evidence of proper maintenance over the past two decades. It starts easily, idles nicely, and works like you’d expect—no hassles. Chrysler’s tough 4-speed automatic transmission handles the gear changes and shifts smoothly when you’re being gentle and firms up when you punch it, and with 3.92 gears out back, it leaps off the line pretty aggressively. The undercarriage is original and a little grungy, but there’s no rot in the critical areas, the body mounts are solid, and there’s a newer Flowmaster-style exhaust system that splits into twin pipes that exit under the rear roll pan—it sounds wicked. 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS were standard equipment and those pretty 20-inch wheels are the factory alloys with a fresh “black chrome” powdercoat finish that really sets this truck apart. Tires are massive 275/60/20 off-road radials that complete the look.

Documentation includes a rather large stack of service and maintenance receipts.

A cool truck with the performance to back up the look, Dodge’s Rumble Bee is a neat footnote in the long, illustrious history of Mopar muscle. It’s also an inexpensive way to join the part, offering HEMI performance, a unique look, limited production appeal, and a very reasonable price tag. Call today!

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