The General Lee Archives

Entire Dukes Cast Gathers for Hazzard Homecoming!

Unless you’ve been hiding out in the mountains with your moonshine still, you’ve probably heard that Hazzard Homecoming is taking place August 11 & 12! It’s located at the Ben Venue Racecourse, intersection of Hwy 211 and Route 729 in Amissville, VA. This is just down the road from Sperryville.

Hazzard Homecoming will feature personal appearances by the surviving principal cast of The Dukes of Hazzard. Yes, both John Schneider and Tom Wopat – Bo and Luke Duke – will be there! As will the charming Catherine Bach.

We’ll also have the intrepid presence of the Hazzard County Sheriff’s Department; James Best, Sonny Shroyer and Rick Hurst. Hosting the shindig is Ben Jones, ol’ Cooter himself, with help from his wife, the lovely Miss Alma.

Of course, you can expect to see lots of General Lees too! Along with Daisy’s Jeep, Uncle Jesse’s pickup and Hazzard County patrol cars.

There’s literally too much going on for us to list, so head over to Cootersplace.com for the complete details. There’s a long lineup of concerts, BMX bike stunts, professional wrestling and whatever else they pull out of the hat.

Best of all, you’ll be surrounded by thousands of other Dukes fans just like you, who can’t get enough of the Dukes of Hazzard!

It’s been hinted by the organizers that this could be “the last time the entire cast is together.” We’re not going to read into that too deeply or speak anything negative into existence. What we will say, however, is that we know just how much time, work and expense go into putting these events together. There’s been some form of DukesFest/Hazzard Homecoming for so long now that we’ve come to expect them.

But you never know.

So, clear your calendar, gas up the car, pack a cooler and make the pilgrimage to Hazzard Homecoming! Oh, and before we forget – YEEEHAAAA!!

Dukes of Hazzard Stunt Show a Smashing Success!

Fearless Ray Kohn of the Northeast Ohio Dukes gave the “Hazzard Comes to Galax” crowd a thrilling General Lee jump on Saturday, June 2nd, despite problems with the car’s steering and an unscheduled smash into a parked vehicle.

Fortunately, the vehicle struck by Ray was one of the stunt unit cars belonging to the Northeast Ohio Dukes, but the collision caused considerable damage to both cars and a delay to the show. The Hazzard-ous mishap occurred during a warm-up lap in front of a grandstand audience of over 3,000 fans.

You can see the high-tech repairs to the General Lee – involving a really big hammer – in the video clip below, as well as the successful stunt jump. A big YEEHAA goes to Ray for staying safe and continuing on with the show!

Another High-Dollar General Lee Hits the Market

Retired NBA star Jalen Rose once owned an authentic General Lee, but he made a few modifications – such as the removal of the Confederate flag, removal of the “General Lee” lettering, and the replacement of the “01” on the doors with his own number, “05.” Despite being out of uniform, his General Lee sold twice in 2011, with the proceeds of both transactions benefiting his charity.

Now this General is back on the market, properly bearing the trademark flag, numbers and lettering. It’s offered on ebay by CNC Motors for a buy-it-now price of $69,999. Leaving off that extra “01” dollar is sure to make a difference, right? Anyway, if you’re ready to park 70 grand into a General Lee, this may not be a bad way to go. There’s just one thing – you’ll still need to add the Vector wheels if you want it to look like an authentic General.

This car is reportedly one of the survivors of studio ownership, and an autograph by John Schneider on the trunk lid seems to attest to this. Austute buyers will want to examine the documentation. Screen-used and studio-titled Generals enjoy a premium over replicas, and the history of celebrity ownership doesn’t hurt.

General Lee “Jump Car” Being Auctioned!

What’s more rare than a surviving General Lee stunt car? Fans with the money to buy it! But some lucky cuss will become the new owner of “Screen General Lee #13.” This is an authentic, screen-used, second-unit stunt car, from California filming of “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Despite bearing damage, this General is expected to fetch between $40,000 to $60,000 at auction on December 15, 2011.

This General Lee had a partial restoration about 10 years ago. Some damage was intentially left on the car in tribute to its orgin. Here’s a summary of the remaining damage, from the auction page:

“The driver’s side quarter panel is dented, the front aprons under the hood are buckled and the cowl panel below the windshield is bent. The driveshaft is bent (but operational) and the upper control arms are damaged from stunt use.”

“SGL 13 still has the scars to prove what a battered life it led. There is some rust that has appeared in the lower rear driver’s side quarter panel and there are holes in the floor under the drivers’ seat, which appear to have been cut back when the car was converted to General duties. The hooks are still installed on the floor where the stuntmen would attach their special made vest, and the battery is still held in place by an army surplus strap.”

“SGL 13 does start and drive although it is not a daily driver. It will need some suspension pieces to make it handle better and some wiring would also need to be replaced to make the lights function.”

This General Lee is a veteran of action in the field. If you are interested in owning this rare General Lee – and you can pony up the dough – visit the “Profiles in History/Icons of Hollywood” auction page. Happy bidding to ya’ll with the pockets for it, and good luck!