This is one of my favorites, of Season 7…ultimately being the season premiere! I remember watching this when it originally aired!
I love the flashbacks, and seeing things from 8 years before…Boss was thinner (ol’ Sorrell finally got to do an episode without the fat suit ), Rosco has this ridiculous mustache , and Uncle Jesse wore this fedora type hat instead of his trademark red ball cap.
However, there were some definite inconsistencies & inaccuracies. First, the Charger that eventually became General Lee was referred to as a “68 coupe”, by a junk dealer. Not only was the General a 69 (as we all know), but the black Charger used (before it supposedly was turned into GL) was definitely a 69 model as well.
Not only that, but ‘Luke Duke’ (Tom Wopat) directed this episode! So, he should have definitely realized this inaccuracy in the script??
Then, when testing out the General, Bo & Luke supposedly first make the famous river jump (seen in the opening credits from Season 2 on)…however, they actually first made that jump in Season 2, which was sometime in late 1979 or early 1980, not 1976—the past.
Next, since most of this episode takes place in 1976, Uncle Jesse’s truck would have only been a couple/few years old…but it looks to be just as beat up & dirty as if it was 20 years old.
Finally, again this is supposed to be 1976 (8 years before), but Boss Hogg’s Hogg Hellcat race car was anywhere from a 1979-1982 or 83 Chevy Malibu.
I know these are not detrimental mistakes, and do not hurt the plot. But, for someone who loves cars, I notice things like these. However, the wrong 1968 reference to the General does irk me when I watch this one, lol!