Vic Edelbrock tells about the 440 Six-Pack Roadrunner and Super Bee manifold

Collector Car Corner

By Greg Zyla

Vic Edelbrock tells about the 440 Six-Pack Roadrunner and Super Bee manifold

Q: Greg, concerning the original Super Bee and Roadrunner Six-Packs that Dodge and Plymouth introduced in mid-1969, which manifold is worth more and which one came first? Was it the aluminum manifold or the cast iron? Dave, email from New York.

A: Dave, to answer your question, we went right to the source of the manifold, Vic Edelbrock Jr., who along with George Hurst and his Hurst 4-speed shifter, are the only two aftermarket brands to ever have their names on products that Chrysler put in its original factory parts list.In 1969 the Plymouth Roadrunner and Dodge Super Bee Six Packs came out in mid year complete with a 440-inch high performance engine and three two barrel carburetors rated at a conservative 390 horsepower. However, there were indeed two distinct manifolds, one the Edelbrock aluminum unit and the second, a cast iron Chrysler model. Said Edelbrock, “Bob Cahill from Chrysler product planning came to me with a print of the manifold they wanted, and asked me to make 1,500 aluminum intakes for the first 1,500 Six Pack cars (that were sent to dealerships). Later, Chrysler felt it was costing them too much money (for our aluminum Edelbrock intake Chrysler #P04529056), so they went to their own cast iron model, which was a big mistake. Matter of fact, I just got my original 440 Six Pack car back about a year and a half ago that I bought in 1969½. When I was doing the work for Cahill, I told him I wanted one with my manifold on it so he picked one out and told me what to order.”Edelbrock’s car was the Dodge Super Bee model, which he owned for seven years until he sold it and it ended up in Washington (State). “About three years ago, a guy called me and told me he had my car, and that maybe I wanted to buy it back?,” said Edelbrock. “I didn’t believe him, and I told him so. So, I sent my rep over to look at it and sure enough, it was my car. So I bought it back, and it still had a Washington plate on it. I’ve since had it restored, and it is absolutely a knock down gorgeous, beautiful car.”Thus, those owners that have the original Six Packs with the Edelbrock aluminum manifolds and the Chrysler part number from the factory are indeed the first of the 1,500, and these cars are surely worth more money than the cast iron counterparts.Today, Edelbrock still offers the Aluminum Six Pack intake. Designed for 440 Chrysler engines with 3x2-bbl. Holley Carbs, it also fits 413 and 426 Wedge engines. It’s part number #2475 and is stock replacement/street legal part for 440 V8s from 1968-71. It will not fit 1962-64 Max Wedge heads. Edelbrock makes numerous other street and hardcore pieces (over 8,800) for hundreds of cars, trucks and even motorcycles. You can check all of Edelbrock’s offerings from carburetors to cylinder heads at http://www.edelbrock.com/.

(Greg Zyla welcomes reader questions at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, Pa. 18840, or email at extramile_2000@yahoo.com).

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