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The Chrysler B-body platform is the foundation upon which the classic era of Mopar muscle was built. From Dodge Coronets and Chargers to Plymouth Satellites and Runner Runners, B-bodies were the baddest muscle cars on the streets in the late 1960s and early 1970s. E-body rides like the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda were just as kick-ass, but they are technically pony cars, and the B-Bodies were proper mid-size Mopar Muscle.
The 426 Street Hemi V-8 was the engine that powered the classic era of Mopar muscle, and when paired with a B-body car, made for the fastest, most feared rides on the road. The 426 Hemi is iconic, and seems ubiquitous, but they are actually quite scarce. A grand total of 10,669 Hemi engines were produced between 1964 and 1971, but only 9,778 of them were put into production vehicles, while the other 891 were for racing purposes. A Hemi-equipped B-body Mopar of any kind is rare, but there are some nameplates that are figurative unicorns.
Hemi-powered muscle cars were awesome, and part of so many people’s imagination and cherished memories. Though the cars on this list are ranked by estimated value, they are not in the top ten of the most expensive Mopars, which could be as uninteresting as all the million-dollar-plus Daytonas and Super Birds. Instead, this is a celebration of specific Hemi-powered B-body muscle car nameplates and model years that were made in minuscule numbers.
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In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Mecum, Barrett-Jackson, and Classic.com. The models you see here have been ranked by their estimated value from lowest to highest.
10 1967 Plymouth Satellite
Estimated Value: $66,000
The Plymouth Satellite was the top trim level for the Belvedere, before eventually becoming its own model. The Belvedere has the distinction of being the first Mopar to get a 426 Hemi engine for NASCAR racing before the Street Hemi was equipped in production vehicles. In 1966, the first year of the Street Hemi, over 1,500 Belvederes and Satellites were delivered with the 426 engine, but for 1967 a mere 12 were ordered with the Plymouths. Of those 12, only six went into a Satellite, making it one of the rarest Mopars ever.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1967 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
6 |
Unique Features |
So rare, it might not exist |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
So rare, in fact, that there is no evidence that even one matching number, Hemi 1967 Satellite, is still in existence. A ’67 Satellite that was originally equipped with a 383ci V-8 and swapped for a 472 crate engine is the closest thing available. That car sold at a Mecum auction for $60,000, which seems low, but if a real 1967 Satellite with an original, factory-equipped 426 Hemi could be found, it would likely be a half-million dollar and up car.
9 1970 Plymouth GTX
Estimated Value: $110,000
Introduced in 1967, the Plymouth GTX was based on the Belvedere and marketed as “the gentleman’s muscle car” because of its luxury. The Roadrunner was Plymouth’s stripped-down speed machine, while the similar-looking GTX was the upscale performance vehicle. In 1970, the GTX got a complete redesign, with smooth lines replacing the sharp angles the car was known for.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
72 |
Unique Features |
Rare and undervalued |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
The GTX was always meant to be a performance vehicle as, from the beginning, the only two engine options were the 440ci V-8 and the 426ci Hemi V-8. For the 1970 model year, only 72 GTXs rolled off the factory floor with a 426 under the hood. It’s unclear how many of those are still in existence, but chances are they are not many. One popped up at Mecum Kissimmee 2019, with a four-speed, and sold for $110,000, which is the steal of the century.
8 1970 Dodge Super Bee
Estimated Value: $199,000
Mopar B-bodies got an official mascot in 1968 with the introduction of the Dodge Super B. Based on the Coronet two-door coupe, it got its name from the B-body platform as well as the Scat Pack performance package bumblebee. Positioned as Dodge’s no-frills muscle car, it was a relatively spartan vehicle that was packed with power. The Super Bee is generally associated with the 440ci Six-Pack V-8, but the 426ci Hemi V-8 was also available, though rarely optioned.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
36 |
Unique Features |
Limited production |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
15,506 Super Bees were sold in 1970, but only 36 of them were equipped with a 426 Hemi. This is another rare Mopar that is tragically undervalued. There have been a few examples that have sold in the low $100,000 range in recent years, which is a lot of money, but not for something so rare and Hemi-powered. A beautifully restored ’70 Super Bee, one of 21 Hemi four-speeds for the year, was bid up to $199,000 on Bring a Trailer, but failed to reach the reserve and didn’t sell.
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7 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T
Estimated Value: $247,500
The Coronet is one of Dodge’s oldest nameplates, beginning life in 1949 as a hulking luxury vehicle that was even configured as an eight-passenger limo. The sportier fourth-gen came available with the Chrysler 354ci FirePower V-8, which was the first version of the Hemi engine. By the 1960s, the Coronet was Dodge’s best-selling vehicle, coming in two-door, four-door, and wagon variants. Though there were family versions available, the Coronet became a legendary street machine when equipped with the unbeatable Hemi 426.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
14 |
Unique Features |
Potential million-dollar model year |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
In 1970, the Coronet’s last year of production, a mere 14 were loaded with Hemi power, making them extremely collectible. There are a few ’70s that have sold above $100,000, but many of them are replicas or mis-matched resto-mods. A legit Hemi Coronet has sold recently for $247,500, but that’s a small fraction of the potential value of this model year. A one-of-two 1970 Hemi Coronet convertible was restored on the Graveyard Carz TV show and could be a million-dollar Mopar if the owner ever decides to sell it.
6 1970 Plymouth Road Runner
Estimated Value: $341,000
The Road Runner was Plymouth’s stripped-down, no-frills muscle car entry, combining affordability with power. They could also be ‘optionless’. They could be ordered without carpets, back seats, and radios, while riding on plain steel wheels. The money saved on luxuries could be applied to a Hemi upgrade, which many Road Runner buyers did. In 1968, there were a total of 2,289 Hemi engines put into all Mopar vehicles, and 1,019 of them were under the hood of a Road Runner.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
72 |
Unique Features |
Top nameplate earners |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
By 1970, however, only 72 Hemi Road Runners pulled out of the lot. Classic.com puts the average value for the entire first-gen (1968-1970) Hemi-equipped Road Runners at $121,516, with a low of $66,000 and a top sale of $341,000. That is based on 37 auction sales in the past five years, but most of those are the ’68s and ’69s. The top-dollar getters, however, are the ’70s, because they are so exceedingly rare.
5 1970 Dodge Charger R/T
Estimated Value: $352,000
Chargers from the 1968-1970 second generation are the cars that defined the classic muscle car era, and one of the most recognizable Dodge models of all time. As the star of countless TV shows and movies, from The Dukes of Hazard to the Fast & Furious franchise, the Charger seems like it is the most prolific muscle car ever made. Even more so with the iconic Hemi engine, but the reality is that only 872 of the 211,532 second-gen Chargers produced were equipped with a 426 engine.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
Units Produced |
112 |
Unique Features |
Most collectible muscle cars |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
A mere 112 1970 Charger R/Ts were optioned with the 426 Hemi, and they are probably even rarer than that. Besides the wanton destruction of these amazing muscle cars in television and film production, many of them have been lost over the years. It’s impossible to track down hard numbers on this, but estimates are that somewhere between 15 and 50 Hemi R/Ts still exist. As the most desirable generation, with the most collectible engine, it’s no surprise that these cars go up to the mid-six figures.
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4 1971 Dodge Charger
Estimated Value: $550,000
Though not every collector is a big fan of the extreme Coke bottle styling of the third-generation Dodge Charger, they are more valuable than second-gens when equipped with a 426 Hemi. 1971 was the first year of the new Charger style and the last year, for the 426ci Hemi engine. 1971 was kind of a bummer for the Hemi in that only 356 mopars were graced by their presence. A paltry 85 of them made their way under the hoods of Chargers, which was both a sad debut for the new generation and a terrible swan song for the iconic engine.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1971 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
85 |
Unique Features |
Rising star of Mopar collectibles |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
!971 was also the year that the Super Bee stopped being its own model and became a trim level for the Charger. 22 Charger Super Bees were equipped with a 426, and they would be potentially high auction earners, but nobody has put one up in recent memory. The 63 Charger R/Ts that came with Hemis, however, have established themselves as high-value collectibles, fetching over a half million dollars for pristine, well-optioned, examples.
3 1966 Dodge Coronet Deluxe 4-Door
Estimated Value: $660,000
In 1966, the first year the 426 Hemi was available in production vehicles, somebody at Dodge thought dropping some on the four-door Coronet would be a great idea to promote the new engine option. A total of five of these Frankenstein muscle cars were produced, and, as weird as they seemed, became the rarest Mopars, as well as one of the most sought-after collectibles. Surprisingly, all five are still in existence, but they don’t change hands all that frequently to establish a base value.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1966 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
5 |
Unique Features |
Mopar unicorn |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
Back in 2007, a red 1966 Coronet Deluxe 4-Door with a Hemi sold for $660,000 at a Barrett-Jackson auction. It would likely fetch more today given inflation and greater demand. A ’66 four-door Coronet isn’t exactly its own model, but it differs enough from the two-door to earn its own category on the list. Technically, a four-door isn’t even a muscle car, but that’s a testament to the magic transformative powers of the Hemi engine. Once a 426 is dropped under the hood, any car is suddenly imbued with street muscle credentials.
2 1970 Plymouth Superbird
Estimated Value: $1.65 Million
As wacky as it sounds, the 1970 Plymouth Superbird was not a popular Mopar when it was introduced. Dealers couldn’t give these things away, with unsold inventory sitting on lots for years. As Plymouth’s answer to the Dodge Charger Daytona Aerocar, the Superbird was based on the B-body Road Runner, hence its name. The wild flying rear wing and protruding nosecone, while immensely cool to modern eyes, were apparently too weird and radical in the early 70s and the car was a flop.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1970 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
135 |
Unique Features |
Million dollar-plus rare Mopar |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
Now, however, the ’70 Superbird is one of the most sought-after Mopar collectible cars there is. Regularly fetching in the high six figures at auction, rare Hemi-equipped versions break the bank at over a million and a half bucks. 1,935 ’70 Superbirds were produced with 1,084 440 4-barrels, 716 440 Six-Packs, and just 135 426 Hemis. Around one thousand Superbirds are known to still exist, which is about half of the original production, so the Hemi cars could be ultra-rare at this point.
10 Fastest Classic Mopar Muscle Cars
While both Dodge and Plymouth made several formidable models during the golden age of classic muscle cars, the following models were the fastest
1 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
Estimated Value: $1.95 Million
The Hemi-cranking 1968 Dodge Charger 500 was supposed to dominate NASCAR, but design quirks created lift and drag, making it both slow and unsafe for the track. Dodge went back to the drawing board to create the fastest, most aerodynamic racer and came up with the 1969 Charger Daytona. In testing, it proved to be everything engineers had hoped for, as the first car to break the 200 MPH barrier while staying glued to the track. The only issue was, that in order to qualify for competition, Dodge had to sell a certain number of these unconventional-looking cars to the public.
Limited Production Specs
Production Years |
1969 |
---|---|
Units Produced |
70 |
Unique Features |
Ultimate Mopar collectible |
Displacement |
426ci Hemi V-8 |
Power |
425 horsepower, 490 pound-feet of torque |
To meet the homologation requirements, Dodge sold 503 Daytonas or at least that’s what they claimed. There are rumors abound that many a VIN numbers from ’69 Charger 500s and R/Ts found their way onto list, and the actual number of Daytonas produced is much lower. It is generally accepted that 70 Charger Daytonas equipped with 426 Hemi engines found their way into private hands, which makes for an insanely rare Mopar muscle car. The rarity and iconic coolness of the 1969 Charger Daytona makes it the ultimate Hemi-powered B-body Mopar muscle car collectible that can sell for nearly $2 million.
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