There’s nothing like standing between two great choices and being told it’s either one or the other. And today, we aren’t making it any easier on you, because you are getting two different flavors to pick from. One is a pro touring-style build that’s filled with a shopping list of dreams and a rocker of a big-block making the moves. The other is is a low-mile, highly desirable slice of the Supercar era that is so clean that you’d be tempted to eat off of just about every surface of it. We found them, now you have to make the call…which one is your choice?
1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee 440 Six Pack
In 1970, the Dodge Super Bee was the Dodge analogy of the Plymouth Road Runner: muscle on a budget. But 1970 was the last year for Super Bee as it’s own stand-alone model. From 1971 on through today, regardless of whether it was on a Charger, a Valiant or a Ram, the Super Bee was to be a trim level that denoted lower-cost power and performance. For 1971, that meant that you got a trimmed-out Charger that carried a lower price tag than the R/T model. It was the first year you could get a small-block, the last year for the Super Bee in the United States until the 2007 version appeared, and if you knew your way around the options list, could be as violent as anything else Ma Mopar was selling that year. While the Hemi cachet might be more valuable, the 440 Six Pack was just as nasty and could hang just fine on it’s own. Painted W3 Brite White with black trimming and vinyl roof, this was a great blend of plain and brutal.
1969 Ford Mustang
No doubt, the Super Bee is a clean-cut, well polished gem. But is that what you really want, a 100-point restoration kind of machine to maintain and care for? Probably not, if you’re here. You want to get out and drive the damn thing, right? Well, option B not only can be driven, it begs for the chance. Nobody has to be told that a 1969 Ford Mustang is desirable…anyone with a pulse can take notice of one. But it’s the 514 cubic inch lump under that Boss scoop that says everything…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The brakes, the transmission, the suspension, even the interior…everything about this pony is screaming for a chance to be cut loose on the first bit of open road available.
What’s your call?
TOOOOOOOOO much on the Mustang the Boss 514 stripes/never been crazy bout the over-sized wheels/Gaudy tailpipe extensions
IMHO U turned a Classic in to “Trailer Trash”
Jim
I’d go for Resto Mod as you keep the essential stock features of a great car but improve suspension, brakes, engine efficiency and add to your driving pleasure and help in its preservation. Jim Shepherd Mustangs here in the UK offer can fit IRS, uprated front suspension and a host of engine and transmission enhancements and have a huge track record racing everything form a Thunderbolt to a T Bird at the Goodwood Revival!
All original for me.
AGREED!! Pro touring all the way!!!!
How about neither.
The restored back to oem never get used and in the muscle car years, even more so, as they were to be pounded on . And once restored putt putt around IF driven at all.
The pro tour , not really, it sounds good until you think about it. The regular joe that doesn’t get it built in 6 months that may take a few years. the parts you bought the company might be not around or the parts not made anymore , this can be an issue if anything ever happens And you can’t get a replacement rotor, or spindle, sway bar, or what have you.
How about something in the middle that isn’t mag feature show perfect but still handles and go’s when you drive it on the public roads. but hitting a pot hole doesn’t take out the wheel and that fancy custom shock.
Sure it’s cool that your car can get 1.1 lateral g’s and makes 900 hp. and the stance and paint are killer, or your resto is as if it was 1967 again. but if you can’t really drive it for fear of wear (resto) or It rides like a race car pro tour car. And you’ll never track day it. why.
Build a middle of the road fun car that you can fix if something brakes or it gets hit. That speciality parts won’t have it sitting for weeks on end waiting on that special parts replacement or rebuild. But still will handle and has enough oats to put a smile on your face that you are not afraid to park in a lot and walk away from without having a nervous breakdown worrying.
More rides sit because they were built TOO much. Painted too well. too perfect. And become garage queens. And that is a shame
Yep,what crazy says…
I think they both have their place when done correctly. It’s always interesting to look at a car as it came out. On the other hand, some pro-touring vehicles are pretty cool. I wouldn’t classify this Mustang as one of those. It’s pretty gaudy for my taste. The stripes are poorly done and the wheels and stance aren’t great.
But, to each their own. If we all liked the same thing, it would be a pretty boring hobby.
Restorations are for the MOPAR crowd. We are “hot-rodders”, and if we cant modify the cars, then we need to lose that title.
Anyone can restore a car, that takes no imagination or creativity at all. It takes a real man to take the torch to it!
As much as I would want the Super Bee . . . having a car you can’t drive doesn’t make much sense to me.
But with the other choice – the Mustang, it’s almost the same thing! Having a car you can’t drive . . . to it’s fullest. Speeding tickets, points on your license, high insurance rates after getting such . . .
ProTouring all the way. Improve the car and get out and drive it.
Short of a very few ultra rare cars, the perfect restoration is BORING. Great, they have the original date coded screw in the correct plating finish. I’ll help you push it back in the garage (with white gloves on) and then take my car out for a drive.
Pro-Touring for actually driving the damn thing, restoration for the museum pieces that s**t-stain kids today won’t give a Martha Focker about later in life.
Mustang hands down you can have the ugly door stop
Pro tour can be the best of both worlds!
Show it and drive it, doesn\’t get any better than that!!
Classic Cars are meant to be driven but they need today\’s technology and yesterdays look in this muscle car era.
I’d go with you original, except I’d have to get rid of those god-awful ugly wheels.
the thing about pro touring versus a really good original muscle car is that the pro touring doesn’t really improve the car very much. That Mopar is a powerful and good handling car to begin with. Put some good wheels and tires on it and it would be a very enjoyable driver. unless you’re planning to go road racing or autocrossing, all that pro-touring stuff is useless. And if you ever go to sell the thing the restored original is actually worth something.