When did the show start using model cars for stunts?

[jaydee311]

I heard that in the last season or two they started to use model cars instead of actually performing stunts. Does anybody know which season this started happening and does anybody know where I can see a clip? The idea sounds horrific, but I'd like to get a look anyway.

[dukesfan1979]

Yes sir, I am positivley sure that model cars were used in the final season of the Dukes of Hazzard. I dont know if you have any of the final season on VHS but if you look closely at the jump sequences, you can defenitley tell that the cars are models. They dont have any suspension whatsoever and they land like toys....I guess the budget was getting tight in the last season. I think they were having a hard time buying Dodge chargers too. After all they went through 309 1969 Dodge Chargers. Thats alot of General Lees.

[jaydee311]

Exactly how horrible did it look? Did they do a good job covering up the fact that they were model cars?

[flash]

It looked pretty bad. A dead give away were the rims. The rims on the model cars looked nothing like the real rims. Also these jump scenes had the general jumping 15 feet over houses which you could just tell was a stretch.

[jaydee311]

I gotta see this.. lol. I don't have the VHS or anything. Anybody know where there are vid-clips or pics on the net I can view?

[malchus]

I didn't realize until I started watching the DVDs how much was shot on a sound stage. When your 4 and watching broadcast you can't tell much. I couldn't even tell as much on TNN a few years back. Maybe because of a more critical eye I can see it now, and DVD enhances the color and such.

A good example- I never realized that the tail lights of the general are on at the final jump of the opening credits until I watched the DVD and saw them come on as it landed. How could I have missed that for the past 20 years?

[dukesfan1979]

Speaking of tail lights, did you know that some 1968 Chargers were used in the series also. The 68 Chargers had four round tail lights and a front grille without the center section and slightly different front fenders. The Warner Bros Mechanics fitted the 68 models with the 69 taillight assemblies and 69 grilles and there you have it.

[426GeneralLee]

I noticed that too, I was watching one episode and they pulled up in the general and from the side it had the tiny little marker lights on the fenders instead of the rectangular ones....an easy noticable difference between the 68 and 69

[MaximRecoil]

You can see some pictures of the miniatures they used here.

[Divia]

As a kid I dont remember any of this. And as an adult I dont want to know this. 8) Lets just pretend it never happened