Road Test TV stages a dream matchup: a genuine 1968 426 Hemi Super Bee against a 1971 LS6 454 Corvette over the quarter mile. Both are staggeringly rare — the Corvette 1 of 188, the Hemi Super Bee 1 of 128 — which makes watching them actually launch a rare treat. It is the eternal Mopar-versus-Chevy argument settled on the strip instead of in the comments. See which legend takes it.
On paper, this is a fantasy matchup that should not be possible outside a collector’s daydream: a genuine 1968 426 Hemi Super Bee lining up against a 1971 LS6 Corvette, two of the rarest factory weapons Detroit ever built, staged nose to nose over a quarter mile. Both cars are so scarce that risking them on a drag strip feels almost reckless — the Corvette is 1 of 188, the Hemi Super Bee 1 of 128. This is elephant-motor Mopar muscle against Chevrolet’s most ferocious big-block, and the build numbers alone make it a bucket-list race. Which philosophy wins when the tree flashes green is the whole question.
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The Elephant vs. the Big-Block
The 426 Hemi earned its “elephant” nickname honestly — a race-bred, hemispherical-head monster rated at a famously conservative 425 horsepower, stuffed into the budget-brawler Super Bee. Across the line sits the LS6, Chevrolet’s 454 rated at 425 horsepower of its own, the high-water mark of the big-block Corvette. Two completely different approaches to the same goal, both underrated from the factory, both certified legends. Pitting them head to head is exactly the kind of thing muscle-car fans have argued about for decades.
Rarity That Makes You Wince
The build numbers are staggering. A Corvette that is 1 of 188 and a Super Bee that is 1 of 128 are the sort of cars that live under covers in climate-controlled garages, not launching hard off a starting line. Watching them actually run is a treat precisely because so few owners would ever dare. Road Test TV built its name on this “we live hi performance” ethos, and this pairing is a perfect example of putting priceless metal to its intended use.
Why This Race Still Draws a Crowd
With more than 1.2 million views, this matchup clearly tapped into something enthusiasts never tire of — the eternal Mopar-versus-Chevy debate settled, at least for one pass, on the strip instead of in the comments. It is brand loyalty, engineering rivalry, and pure nostalgia compressed into a few seconds of tire smoke. However it turns out, the spectacle of these two survivors running is the real prize.
Two Very Different Recipes for Speed
Underneath the spectacle is a genuine engineering contrast worth appreciating. The Hemi chased power through those free-breathing hemispherical heads and race-bred internals, while the LS6 leaned on massive displacement and big-block torque. Both landed at the same conservative 425-horsepower rating, yet they got there by opposite routes, which is exactly why a head-to-head run is so satisfying. It is not just brand loyalty on the line — it is two rival philosophies of how to build a fast car, decided in real time. Watch the full video and share your thoughts below.
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Doug White
hemi bee was almost a second faster
Mopar hemi will stomp all over the vette
No way! Line em back up
Sweet Super Bee.
Since the Super Bee is a 1968, how about run it against a 1968 L88 Vette? 426 vs 427, 1968 vs 1968. 1971 all the horsepower had been su ked out of the 454. Not even a close comparison. Smh
Ls6 70 model. 450 hp
You mean a 2 seat sports car VS a 6 seat Muscle car ??? Cry baby Gov Motors Loser LOL !!!!!
A short fiberglass light weight 2 door 2 seater sports car vs a long body all steel 5-6 seater muscle car. I get that they sucked some power out but its still a vet with a big block
Or put it up against a 70 LS6 Chevelle.
Wow!! I see the Mopar guys get a little whiney when you try and match up same engine/year cars. Lol. Even if you put the L88 in a Chevelle or Camaro, the result would still be a win for Chevy.
Erik Brink, they had the 454 till 1975. It was nothing but a iron brick after 1970. HP was down at least 50%.
Typical, the 1970 Chevelle LS-6 454 had to spot a Hemi Cuda a 10th of a second in pure stock NHRA
Just sayin you could also get the LS-6 in the vette in ’70 rated @460
Hemi!
Mike Coleman send him a email
And the bee is twice as long, and ALL STEEL….no fuckin glass there!
Mopar!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought it was going to boil down to horsepower/weight ratio.
The vetted should’ve beat the mopar,since short wheel base not fiberglass body with 454 ci. But that Hemi with top power always get the job done ,mopar or no car baby..
had a friend with a 69 roadrunner 383 magnum , go against a 454 69 chevelle ate that chevelle, an shit out a camaro 2 out of 3
Luv that Hemi power.
Enough said,smells like a victory to me
Okay, now let’s gp to the road racing course. Bye bye, Super Bee.
Figured the hemi would do the trick but the vette ain’t no slouch either. How about a GSX against the hemi next time?
A12 package 4spd
Victory baaaaby
Awesome
Hemi rules…. that sound….
Love them MOPARs. It’s Mopar or nocar for me. 22016 RAM REBEL & 2016 CHALLENGER Scatpack 507 hp!
Chris Stallard
Not fair, in 71 GM lowered the compression on all of their high performance engines while Mopar did not. The Hemi still has 10 1/4 to 1 while the Chevy had 8.5 to 1.
lemme drive the vette…..different story