The Only Original General Lee To Jump Off-Screen Needs To Be Rescued From Deep Down South

Warner Bros, the studio that produced the Dukes of Hazzard, recognized the Charger's immense promotional potential and had five units built specifically for this purpose. The cars were all genuine Dodge Charger R/Ts (440, not Hemi) that General Lee Enterprises (GLE) then modified to look exactly like the show's main piston-powered star.

Warner Bros. mandated GLE to create the five General Lees that would be used at fairs and other events (not necessarily car-related) around the US in the early 80s. Out of the fistful of advertisers, only four are still around, and one of them has quite the story to tell.

Once the GLE-modified cars were relegated from their marketing duties, two of them found safe haven in a barn in Kentucky. There they stayed, one alongside the other, for a little under two decades, until 2003. ‘General Lee’ Charger loyalist, historian, enthusiast, founder, rescuer, restorer, and all-around car nut Travis Bell tracked down the duo and photo-documented the historic moment when the cars were taken out.

The ‘69 Chargers were complete but needed some restoration work. Even so, they found buyers and one of them ended up in the hands of a speed shop owner in Flint, Michigan. To be accurate, the ‘Hardcore Racing’ (that was the name of the enterprise) wasn’t yet operational when the owner acquired the orange Dodge sporting the Confederate Battle Flag on the roof.

That was the big idea: use the former promotional car for one last stunt—to make a real jump on the day the speed shop was to open its doors for the first time. A professional stunt driver was hired for the job, and the car was put up for sale on eBay beforehand. The ad stated that the Charger would be used in a real jump and sold "in whatever condition the car survives following the event."

On April 29, 2006, the “Jumpin’ the General” Open House event had a big crowd witnessing the nostalgic General Lee leaping over six cars – the only authentic General Lee to make a jump while not filming for the Dukes of Hazzard. Landing nose first, the Mopar sustained significant damage, but it wasn’t a total loss.

The antic spurred some vivid reactions from fans of the show – and of the car – which were triggered by this ‘sacrilegious’ (to them) barn rescue continuation. Battered and bruised but not defeated, the General ended up in the hands of a man from Illinois.

Not coincidentally, he was a ‘General Lee’ enthusiast who played a role in supplying cars to Warner Bros for the 2005 ‘Dukes of Hazzard big screen movie. He set about getting the car to its prime condition, a project that involved installing new front guards, K-frame, and radiator support, apart from the usual rust repairs to the rear quarters, door sills, and floorboards.

A fresh coat of its iconic orange paint (on the inside, outside, and underside) completed the cosmetic renovation, and the ‘01’ graphics and the Confederate flag and ‘General Lee’ script were applied to the doors and roof. The chrome and trim elements were restored where possible or replaced. Finally, the nudge bar and screen-correct wheels were added.

Here's where fiction and reality collide: while the TV series depicts the inside of the cars as tan, the five promotional examples built by GLE had black vinyl upholstery. A padded roll bar is fitted behind the front seats, and a CB radio sits under the dash. The button in the middle of the steering wheel plays the iconic first 12 notes of Dixie, General Lee’s second-most famous tune after its eight-cylinder burble.

Speaking of which, under the hood sits the original, numbers-matching 440 cubic inches of Road/Track standard motor, the famous 7.2-liter Magnum big-block. It survived the 2006 crash landing but was completely rebuilt during the following restoration. It is paired with its factory-equipped four-speed manual transmission linked to a Dana rear axle.

Having the unique status of the only real, Warner Bros-licensed ‘General Lee‘ 1969 Dodge Charger R/T to have performed a ‘Dukes of Hazzard’-style jump off-screen, this particular example is highly valuable. Factor in the originality of its components, history, and significance for Mopar fans the world over, and this car is an absolute treasure.

At least, that’s what the selling dealer hopes to get in exchange for it at the 9-19 August online auction. Here's the plot twist about this car: it can be viewed in person and even inspected up-close and personal (by prior appointment), but the catch is that whoever’s even remotely interested had better be a patient gearhead.

The car is currently located at 2 Palings Court, Nerang, on the Gold Coast, Queensland, 4211, around 42 miles (68 kilometers) south of downtown Brisbane, Australia. Suddenly, 'Away Down South in Dixie' is very handy compared to the trans-Pacific location of this unlikely General Lee.