For the General Lee Fans and others, this is 1 of the 17

[bull]

I think a lot depends on the mentality of the later GL owners. If they want to sit and argue about how authentic their cars are they really don't have a leg to stand on since the only really authentic GLs were the ones that participated in the original show and made it legendary. On the other hand if these GL owners are simply paying homage to the DOH and aren't getting caught up in the squabbling over authenticity (just having fun with it) then that's way cool. I just think it's really cheesy when people (like HLPAG) try to attach themselves to the original show for profit or fame. I mean so what, you've got an orange Charger with a decal kit. That doesn't make you a celebrity and it doesn't add anything to the original DOH. In fact it reminds me of those people who sat in line for a month when the newest Star Wars movies came out trying to recreate the hype generated by the first movie back in 1977.

[dkn1997]

I think a lot depends on the mentality of the later GL owners. If they want to sit and argue about how authentic their cars are they really don't have a leg to stand on since the only really authentic GLs were the ones that participated in the original show and made it legendary. On the other hand if these GL owners are simply paying homage to the DOH and aren't getting caught up in the squabbling over authenticity (just having fun with it) then that's way cool. I just think it's really cheesy when people (like HLPAG) try to attach themselves to the original show for profit or fame. I mean so what, you've got an orange Charger with a decal kit. That doesn't make you a celebrity and it doesn't add anything to the original DOH. In fact it reminds me of those people who sat in line for a month when the newest Star Wars movies came out trying to recreate the hype generated by the first movie back in 1977.

To me, that's what was so retarded about the John Schneider 10 million ebay debacle.  This was not an original series car.  it was built in 1997.  by that time, there was already considerable interest in DOH and the GL.

They had to have at least one or 2 really mint GL's from the series that they used for closeups and the "in town" shots.  Do people own those?  or did they get sold off to dirt track racers too?  lol!!!  to me, one of those cars, really nicely preserved, would be worth some serious money. 

[warriorbass05]

I think a lot depends on the mentality of the later GL owners. If they want to sit and argue about how authentic their cars are they really don't have a leg to stand on since the only really authentic GLs were the ones that participated in the original show and made it legendary. On the other hand if these GL owners are simply paying homage to the DOH and aren't getting caught up in the squabbling over authenticity (just having fun with it) then that's way cool. I just think it's really cheesy when people (like HLPAG) try to attach themselves to the original show for profit or fame. I mean so what, you've got an orange Charger with a decal kit. That doesn't make you a celebrity and it doesn't add anything to the original DOH. In fact it reminds me of those people who sat in line for a month when the newest Star Wars movies came out trying to recreate the hype generated by the first movie back in 1977.

I agree with you. I am putting together a replica and I don't care about arguing so as long as I am happy with it, it does not matter to me what other owners think in terms of authenticity. I want to enjoy my car with my kids and since it is really going to be a LOT of work to get the car together, I am going to have fun with it no matter what debates arise...

[Sabre]

Great looking car, any chance the car will make it's way to any east coast car shows?  Preferably car shows in Delaware or Ocean City Maryland?  I'd love to see a real General Lee.

[JimShine]

They had to have at least one or 2 really mint GL's from the series that they used for closeups and the "in town" shots.  Do people own those?  or did they get sold off to dirt track racers too?  lol!!!  to me, one of those cars, really nicely preserved, would be worth some serious money. 

They didn't always keep nice closeup cars. That was really a WB era thing. They were not mint, just a better representation of the rest. Wayne Wooten has one and the other was a reunion movie car then hacked into the hero car for the movie. He also has the small pushbar car that sat above the Dukes sign on the side of the Burbank studios.

[472 R/T SE]

In those last pix it shows a '69 dash pad and heater controls, woodgrain dash and console.  Some more movie magic?
It's cool he left it as is.  I wonder how many left their's alone?   

Someday I'd like to disconnect that horn tho, preferably at the beginning of a show. 

About the two best lookin fellers' you ever seen pushin' themselves around.  That would be a pic of us Dan. 

[skip68]

Thank's 8WHEELER.    This is a cool little post.  Great pictures and a great story.  Chuck............

[Charger1973]

I think a lot depends on the mentality of the later GL owners. If they want to sit and argue about how authentic their cars are they really don't have a leg to stand on since the only really authentic GLs were the ones that participated in the original show and made it legendary. On the other hand if these GL owners are simply paying homage to the DOH and aren't getting caught up in the squabbling over authenticity (just having fun with it) then that's way cool. I just think it's really cheesy when people (like HLPAG) try to attach themselves to the original show for profit or fame. I mean so what, you've got an orange Charger with a decal kit. That doesn't make you a celebrity and it doesn't add anything to the original DOH. In fact it reminds me of those people who sat in line for a month when the newest Star Wars movies came out trying to recreate the hype generated by the first movie back in 1977.

I agree with you. I am putting together a replica and I don't care about arguing so as long as I am happy with it, it does not matter to me what other owners think in terms of authenticity. I want to enjoy my car with my kids and since it is really going to be a LOT of work to get the car together, I am going to have fun with it no matter what debates arise...

Man you bring a car like that back from the dead and no one should say anything bad about what color you decide to paint it.

[Mike DC]

The TV series was done with just a couple of closeup/nice/hero GLs.  For the first two seasons they really didn't have designated "nicer" GLs, and at that point they really only had a just a handful of GLs in total.  It was about season#3 when they designated a few 1st-unit "good ones" to use.  Rich said he got two from the Valuzets and they kept using them to the end of the series.  They were sometimes updated as the details of the GLs were changed.  There was a '68 car that WB still has, and Wayne Wooten's '69 that he got in 1991 with the rest of the 17. 

Even Wayne's '69 car really isn't very NICE, and it probably got more screen-time as the hero GL than any other GL in existence.  By the time the series ended in 1985 they were actually getting ready to replace it with a fresh one.  It's not a heck of a lot nicer than the rest of the 17 cars, although it's a wealth of resources to study how it looked in its prime.  There are a lot of details on his car that aren't on the others.  (The engine bay is heavily altered from stock, the side mirror on the driver's door is moved a few inches forward, the trunk latch has a little electric button below the keyhole, there's a real CB radio on the console, etc.)

 

[69chargerboy]

Not being a huge DOH fan, I do like the REAL General Lee. Very COOL. 

[JimShine]

As time passes I feel the same way. The car is more important to me than the show.

There was indeed a somewhat 'hero' car at the start, but it didn't stay regulated to just closeup shots. The car was built quite differently than its brothers as it had a clearcoat applied and with its special detailing and mock rollbar it was intended to be the camera car.

[Lostsheep]

For anyone who has an interest, Wayne is putting together a Surviving Series General Lee Page. I hope it has all kinds of really cool info. Obviously some of us are more interested than others but anywho...  http://www.dohgltruth.com/

And 8 wheeler thanks for those pics.

[dkn1997]

I had a 68 charger in high school in 1987, sold it for college money.  My old man knew I was into chargers and calls me my sophmore year and tells me that he's in a body shop in florida next to a real GL. it was beat, it had been rolled I think he said. and it had camera mount holes all over it.  They wanted 5 grand for it.  I had no money and I tried to convince him to buy it and hold it for me till I graduated and could pay him back...he didn't bite.  How cool would that have been?  damn.

[70charger_boy]

I had a 68 charger in high school in 1987, sold it for college money.  My old man knew I was into chargers and calls me my sophmore year and tells me that he's in a body shop in florida next to a real GL. it was beat, it had been rolled I think he said. and it had camera mount holes all over it.  They wanted 5 grand for it.  I had no money and I tried to convince him to buy it and hold it for me till I graduated and could pay him back...he didn't bite.  How cool would that have been?  damn.

Nah, you got a real nice charger now.