On the Turntable: Brad Burris' 1968 Dodge Super Bee

Summit Racing's Arlington, Texas Retail Superstore recently played host to Brad Burris’ 1968 Super Bee—Dodge’s no-frills entry into the muscle car market that was light on the wallet yet heavy on performance.

The Super Bee came into Brad’s possession in rough-but-running condition. Having been involved in auto restoration since childhood with his dad, the resto of the Super Bee should’ve been a walk in the park. Brad began to locate the parts he needed and planned to kick off the job in short order when life dealt him a blow—Stage 4 colon cancer. Wanting to enjoy the Super Bee as soon as possible, Brad hired a shop to finish the car.

Over the next couple of years, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries improved Brad’s condition. However, calls and emails to the shop to check on the car’s progress went unanswered. Investigation revealed every gearhead’s worst nightmare—the shop and car were long gone. Another year of sleuthing ultimately turned up the car, disassembled and residing in dozens of boxes.

By now, Brad decided he had enough. With his condition continually improving, he took over the comprehensive restoration of the Super Bee with help from his best friend, Mike Thomas. The first order of business was to replace the rear quarters, floor pans, and trunk floor before sending the body off for paint, a process that consumed another 2 1/2 years. While the body was doing its stretch in “paint jail”, Brad and Mike went through all of the mechanical bits and interior pieces, with final reassembly of the car taking place in 2016-17.

Armed with a beautifully restified Super Bee, a clean bill of health, and a desire to save others from getting scammed by unscrupulous shops, Brad and Mike teamed up to open Sons of Thunder MotorWorks, a full service auto and motorcycle resto shop in Plano, Texas. The shop does it all—including returning your calls and finishing your car.

FAST SPECS
Engine
• 440 cubic inch V8 making approximately 450 horsepower
• Ported factory Chrysler cylinder heads
• Port-matched Chrysler Six Pack intake manifold with three Holley two barrel carburetors
• Factory Chrysler electronic ignition with optical trigger upgrade

Exhaust
• Factory cast iron exhaust manifolds
• Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust system

Transmission
• Tremec TKO 5-speed conversion

Chassis and Brakes
• Stock frame and suspension
• Power front disc brake conversion

Rear Axle
• Chrysler 8-3/4" rear axle, 3.73 gears with Sure-Grip differential

Wheels and Tires
• Factory steel wheels painted matte black; chrome lug nuts
• BFGoodrich Red Line radial tires

Body and Paint
• New rear quarters, floor pans, and trunk floor
• Factory Dodge black replicated in 2-stage paint
• Red hood accents and Bumblebee tail stripe

Interior
• Dakota Digital analog gauges in factory dash bezel
• Vintage Air A/C system
• Reupholstered factory seats
• Original glass, carpet, and rubber floor mats

Special Thanks to:
• Mike Thomas and Sons of Thunder MotorWorks in Plano, Texas