Yee-Haw! Now here’s a rare chance, you too can be just like one of the Duke boys with your very own Dodge Charger General Lee. As hard as it is to accept the number of Dodge Chargers destroyed in the filming of CBS’, “The Dukes of Hazzard”, I am always happy to find at least one example of a ’69 Charger that did not meet its end in what amounted to a weekly, televised demolition derby. Looking the part, but not part of the show’s hi-jinx, is this 1969 Dodge Charger R/T in full General Lee regalia. It is located in Randolph, Vermont, and available here on craigslist for $15,000. Thanks, once again, to Ikey H. for this most interesting tip!
I’ll confess, I never saw an episode of The Dukes Of Hazard or the follow-up movie. All I know is what I have read or have been told. The star of the show, if you’re a car guy or gal was a 1969 orange Dodge Charger made up to look a bit like a late ’60s Grand National stock car. And every week the General Lee would get clobbered, pulling some death-defying stunt. Years ago, I had a co-worker/friend who was a very straight-laced, quiet, no-drama accountant/auditor. He told me that he and his brother had a General Lee look-alike in a garage in Baltimore. It meant nothing to me until he explained the “plot” of the show. I was even more perplexed, knowing him as I did, he didn’t exactly line-up with my preconceived image of a General Lee aficionado. I never did get a peek at his General Lee.
What we have here is another example of how I imagine my friend’s General Lee was decked out. The details on this example, per the listing, are very light so this endeavor becomes interpretive based on included images. This Charger shows as an R/T model but there is no VIN included in the listing so maybe, maybe not. It is painted in the correct General Lee orange with the proper “01” number displayed on the doors. The “Star” wheels differ from the original’s “Vector” wheels and the front-mounted push bar is missing. And not to be missed, adorning the roof is the “Stars and Bars” Confederate battle flag. The body looks straight with no sign of high jump damage but the paint is thick as if it could be this Charger’s fifth or sixth coat. The body gives off a, “Well, yes, I’m bondoed up” vibe but there’s no hard proof via the images. The seller does claim that the body and frame (I guess he means torque boxes and K member) are solid. You’ll definitely need a pair of mirrored aviator-style shades to pilot this General, it’s missing its windshield.
Under the hood is, at the least, a Chrysler Corp. “B” block engine. There should be a 440 CI V8 good for 375 gross HP, what’s known as an “RB” engine in place but mum’s the word on that front so the provenance of the engine could be one of several different motors. The seller does state that this Charger is non-running. Can’t say that’s a surprise considering there is no carburetor and there is a pretty big hole blown in the driver’s side valve cover. Note the air horns attached to the radiator bulkhead, anyone for a little five-note range of “Dixie”? This Charger is claimed as an automatic transmission equipped example, and that’s what the interior shot reveals, so it is probably an A727, three-speed automatic unit.
The bucket seat interior is an interesting mix. Besides the obvious with the torn seat fabric and ripped carpet, there is an entire bank of nice-looking aftermarket gauges that have been installed. No reference from the seller and not even a straight-on shot taken but they are evident. I wonder if they all work? Topping them off is an after-market wooden steering wheel. Don’t know what happened to the center console but it would seem MIA with an aftermarket, death’s head, gear selector now in place. Other notables include a missing glovebox door and radio. It’s fundamentally all there but help is needed with things like door cards showing big holes where stereo speakers used to reside.
A ’69 Dodge Charger R/T is not a hard car to move, it is an A-level, collectible muscle car. Things get a bit more complicated with the General Lee motif as you have to find a buyer that gets excited about that too. Of course, with the values where this vintage Charger trades, a buyer could purchase it and give it an honorable discharge from General back to civilian status. Lots of opportunities here, I just hope someone doesn’t buy it, get it together and head for hoonville as so many Chargers did during the 1979-1985 run of the TV show. So, what do you think, does the General Lee disguise help or hurt this Charger’s sales prospects?
Sometimes it’s like I’m destined to comment on some of our finds. 😇
First – Thanx for posting this amazing piece of Americana.
Second – Thanx also for calling it a “battle” flag as it was just one of many.
Now, can I borrow 15k from somebody? Anybody? Bueller?
Never knew the valve covers were composite. Pretty strange for back then.
Not from the factory, they weren’t.
I know right? That is one of my dream cars
I know right mine to
Did your friend mention Daisy?
A very important part of the plot and viewer ratings
Some of us preferred Bo ;)
The flag on the roof was not the Stars and Bars. It was the Battle Flag to differentiate the South from the North because the Stars and Bars-the 1st Confederate Flag looked a bit like Old Glory on the battlefield.
No pics underneath or in the trunk? How about the wiring due to the aftermarket gauges.
No pics of much anything.
Be vewy, vewy careful.
Honorable discharge – HA HA, you just made me shoot margarita through my nose!
Hated the show, hate every tribute version of the car. Also hate every “Christine” tribute. Hate every “Bullitt” tribute. Tribute anything just etches my glass.
You should try Sanka
Hahaha! Thanks. Hate Sanka.
i dont believe the real general lee was an R/T i am pretty sure he was just a base 383 charger. was a rabbid fan an have that nose memorized. without looking i’ll say thats my final answer.
Tell me, where did you go to charm school? Switzerland? France? Might want to go back for a refresher course.
The Charger was a big draw to the rather dumb TV show, Daisy Duke made me forget about most of the plot anyways so it was all good. Only two reasons I ever watched it.
I’d rather see this as a street cruiser more than anything else, as it sits it looks more like a broken down Hollywood prop.
Never watched TV for the titillation, much better and efficient ways to be amused in that vein. In those days I subscribed to Mr Hefner’s fine publication, lots of good reading, and I sort of remember they had pictures in it too! Funny thing, shortly after that I got married, my magazine for no identifiable reason kept getting lost in the mail, so I didn’t renew it.
No personal attacks. One of the rules for commenting.
It’s a bargain!
Michael-you might want to read up on your US history. And maybe on 1969 Dodge Chargers, too.
Oh Mr Bush, that’s a mighty big brush you paint the world with. Maybe you should do some real reading on our great country’s history yourself instead of just parroting the party line. Every large moment in America’s growth has been made up of many, many individual issues and data points. Never by just one.
“History” was replaced by “social studies” over 50 years ago. What used to be “this (person, nation, etc.) did X on this date blah, blah, blah got replaced by a politicized version of events.
The stated reason we studied history was to learn from its mistakes. Yet planes crash, ships sink, empires rise and fall, and pandemics sweep the planet.
I think I’ll go listen to “We Didn’t Start the Fire” now.
I grew up with “history” vs “social studies”. I recall it being dull and boring. Views and opinions if identified as that, add interest to the subject and get people more likely to ponder on them more. Just remember, you need to listen to multiple sides of an issue, listen to all viewpoints, then come to your own conclusions. Besides, history has been erased many times, it is written by the victorious parties, not the losers. What I fear the most is some group in charge telling people, esp young people, what to believe and they do because it is the only thing they hear. That has happened for most of recorded history and has lead to much misery. If people are given the right tools to research issues, I feel our society would be greatly improved and much more peaceful. Of course, you would need the whole world to have this info available, not likely to ever happen. NOW, back to rusty Chargers with big price tags!
The problem is that today there are a lot of people who can’t distinguish fantasy from reality and so they act out.
That said…if it’s not a rotbox underneath the asking price is a fair price for a nice restoration. In this case there are already too many tribute cars so restoring this one to original wouldn’t hurt a thing.
Doesn’t look as rusty as some we’ve seen in here, and the seller isn’t asking a stratospheric price. I’d find the build sheet or contact Galen Govier and restore it like it was.
A little advice…don’t look at yesterday through today’s glasses. It has the ability to cloud one’s better judgment.
Years ago, I went on a house call where the owner had passed and the kids were cleaning out the home. I spotted a pedal car in a dumpster that they had been filling with junk and asked if I could have it. It was a little General Lee Charger in nice shape complete with a working “Dixie” horn. Put it up on eBay and got $250 for it. I wonder what I could get for it today?
I’m not a fan of tribute cars. I’ve seen enough Bullitt Mustangs, Starsky & Hutch Torinos and General Lees to fill a Walmart parking lot. Don’t care for them at all. At the Ford Nationals last year, they had a Bullitt Mustang category and there were literally dozens of identical green late-model Mustangs along with a few vintage green tributes. Talk about beating a dead horse! Tributes have been done to death; time to move on.
Don’t forget all the damn Eleanor clones! I agree. Enough with them.
Everyone always blames the show for the cars being rare, and none ever sit back and look at the whole picture. SMH
Show used up over 300 Chargers, most bought off the streets in Southern California. The rarity issue partly stemmed from people NOT on the show trashing their cars doing home brew stunt work and wrecking their cars.
DoH wasn’t a documentary,kids…
Go elsewhere please.
Never saw an episode of Dukes of Hazzard? Brother, you missed the best part of why we tuned in every week.( see link) And for you thin skinned types bashing the General Lee because it has a Confederate flag. Big deal, it was a fun show, go pick on something else, hey. I think the doors on the original were welded shut too. I read, almost 300 Chargers were destroyed, almost 1 per episode. Hollywood had a body shop that painted all the cars and stiffened the suspension for the jumps, although not many made it through that, and jumps were shown from previous shows. While most were ’69’s, I think they took 68’s and 70’s and put 69 grills in them. Catherine Bach is her name and at 66, still looks hot!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476466835548808719/
You must be looking at a different Catherine Bach that I just Googled, she looks terrible with all of that plastic surgery. She’s no Daisy Duke anymore for sure.
I agree, the years have not been kind to ole Daisy.
General ole? Lmao! Being from mn myself that is a crackup. Always gives me physical pain to think of all the vintage iron destroyed in the making of that show. Smh. Oh well…
Yeah, the show was pretty lame, but no dumber than Gilligans Island I guess. Lots of idiotic shows in those days. If you want a real great and funny show, watch The Andy Griffith show, at least if you like Fords. More realistic and without the socially inappropriate behavior.
Yea Cal if I remember correctly, Otis the town drunk on andy griffith had a 32 ford roadster!! BTW, these shows, like Andy or leave it to beaver, all had a wholesome show with a Great message. such a great lifestyle is sorely missed today.
Used to watch DOH with my 2 young daughters every friday night. Lame show–time spend with kids?? Priceless.,
Sorry off topic. Great commentary.
Cheers
GPC
The winter of 1976-77 got to my 69 R/T. By the time that frigid winter was over the body had begun to crack at the top of the door sills! When getting the doors to latch became sketchy it was time to move on.
It’s all about Political Capitol. Political Capitol is always on the look out for something to glom onto and use for its purposes, which is more power, more money and greater license to practice their peculiar peccadillo’s – Desmond Is Amazing anybody??
I had a pleasant conversation with John Schneider at an auction in Newport beach some 20 years ago, he was selling his General Lee, a real nice down to earth guy.
Why would he sell his General Lee? I doubt he needs the money. That car made him, or maybe it limited him from doing other things. Did you get a chance to ask him about his motivation?
Got an autograph from him at the Mopar Nationals maybe about 97 or 98. Stood in line for a couple hours before I got it, but he was super friendly to me and all around (even after signing autographs that long) He’s a good man.
The MANNIX Dart ‘vert, the ‘Cudas that followed and the Rockford Firebirds are infinitely cooler than lumpy, crudely-finished salvage title fifty-footer Chargers will ever be.
Attitude trumps altitude every time.
No politics from me. I just want to know how you all let it slide that the dude who wrote the article NEVER SAW THE SHOW OR THE MOVIE! Jesus H Christmas what the funking funk? How can you even speak of The General if you’ve never seen it?
BTW the TV show was awful. We watched for Daisy and The General (not necessarily in that order). But it had its moments.
The movie however was well done and also did a nice job of addressing the Battle Flag. I own the movie. The car scenes are right up there with my favorite car movies ever.
Bill:
“How can you even speak of The General if you’ve never seen it?”
Easy, it’s called the internet. And thank you for no politics, I’d ask everyone to follow in a similar vein.
The Dude
Jimmy Jim, please do yourself a favor and at least watch the movie. I promise you it doesn’t suck. You can thank me later. :)
Interesting, I never saw the movie and really hated the TV show. How did they address the roof issue? Mind you, I have no real opinions on that either way, I am, an to each his own kinda guy, but just curious. My brother saw Catherine Bach at a car show last year, said she is like 60 years old and those hot pants wouldn’t fit her real well anymore. Of course, can’t really boast either, I have more sagging parts than I care to discuss.
The TV show was not awful- Better than 90% of the utter trash that passes for entertainment nowadays (The Bachelor, NCIS come to mind) It was a FAMILY show, with a few laughs, a little suspense, car chases, Daisy- and who didn’t love Boss and Roscoe? (two GREAT actors BTW) You knew you weren’t watching Gone With the Wind, but who cares. It was on a Friday night- unwinding from a long week. It was fun. I watched it for the same reason I DRINK beer- I don’t take a tiny sip of beer and swish it around in my mouth for two minutes to comment on the complexity of the mango overtones combined with the nutmeg-like aftertaste. Shoot- I even liked the guitar played during the chase scenes with Waylon narrating. The General Lee- Probably the first thing I would buy if I came into a bunch of money. Then, pick a few neighbors I don’t like and do a burnout in front of their house with the horn sounding.
Yes, you do sound like the shows demographic.
Today’s tv sux… nuff said!! Boss n Rosco were hoots of fun to watch especially the time they tried to ride the cop themed Honda ATC250R’s
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and address the elephant in the room…
Based upon the chrome wheel opening trims as well as the elastic pockets on the doors I think that this car began life as a RT/SE. If that’s true then someone did the car a huge favor by ditching the vinyl top that should have been part of the package.
Yes, someone spent a lot of money on the gauge package and shifter but Year One can provide the correct devices.
A photo of the VIN and fender tags would really have been nice.
Dukes of Hazzard rocked! John Schneider has a bunch of YouTube videos about the show online, including one where a stunt man died during filming. Great show for the times.
Looks like a good start to me,might get rid of the graffiti and build a cool Hemi-orange Charger! With a thumpin’ big block.
Mud buggy.
I saw an interview with Schneider where he talked about being an actor living in New York(?) and taking elocution lessons for a year or so to lose his southern accent, and then got the Dukes job
Life can be funny at times
Nice guy
cal, you mentioned the Cool Fords on the andy Griffith show. Did you notice that Otis the drunk drove the Holy Grail, a ’32 ford Roadster???
Good stuff indeed. Great post, used to watch the Dukes faithfully every Friday night with my daughters, who are both in their forties Hokey-@$$ show? yep. Clean family entertainment? Yep.
Be safe.
Cheers
GPC
My favorite Griffith is where Otis buys a car and the boys try to get him to sell it by tricking him into thinking he had died by drunk driving and now he was a ghost! LOL! They don’t make TV that good anymore, thats for sure. Love the big three cars in TV shows. The Beverly Hillbillies had good Chrysler spotting as I recall. I do watch some old TV just for the car spotting, drives my wife nuts as I keep pointing them out to her, as if she cared.
Same here with watching the reruns,it makes my wife cringe when I turn up the volume watching auctions (my uncle was an auctioneer)its music to me,or seeing another episode of American Pickers just to look at background of items from our past! Now that we are on House-Arrest enjoy your time with family and watch some westerns or cooking shows,anything to keep your mind off the non-sense,take care!
383 Car real R/T. All metal totally worth the money in my opinion…
I’ll take good care of her…
I was just a teenager when this show came out & watched it as only a 3 or 4 channel TV kid could do waiting for every episode every Friday night. There are many opinions about how the cars had the stars & bars but being from Ohio it wasn’t that meaniful to me but the story , characters & hi jinx of the boys out doing the sheriff & boss hogg with the sweet charger that ruled the day. People over think things now & yesterday & the outcome is the same.
Is it still 4 sale I live 30 min from Randolph
I’m told it is for sale. Gentleman who bought it got windshield and rear window in it as well as finished the interior with new rug, carb got it running and wants 40K.
If your into cars this show was awesome,corrupt boss hog and roscoe were fun watching,always made me laugĥ,the chases were the best,had a few myself back in the days,just a great show and cast