General Lee owner:  Jon Holland
Photo taken by:  Jerry Heasley
The General Lee is without a doubt, the most recognized car in the world.  It's fame to television and the public have been incredible.  To it's aerial jumps and ground running, the General Lee is the car of everyone's dreams.  The 1969 Dodge Charger however almost wasn't the car executives at CBS chose to be the General Lee.
    Philip Mandelker and Paul Picard at Warner Bros. television agreed that the Dukes should have a old but fast muscle car, something suited to their southern lifestyles.  Six or seven different cars were proposed but Gy Waldron creator of the "Dukes of Hazzard" was sold on a 1969 Dodge Charger.  Waldron suggested that there was a local one in the area of Los Angeles.  The Charger's history of racing successes was remarkable.  In 1969 the Dodge Charger won 22 of the 54 major NASCAR races. 
     The Confederate Flag was considered to be placed on the hood of the car, but later was moved to the roof for the final choice.  General Lee was chosen to be the cars name since General Robert E. Lee was a great leader for the Southern Confederate States.  A bright orange was used to make the car the most recognized car in Hazzard County (for setting purposes.)  The number of the car became a subject of much serious debate.  Waldron wanted something unusual.  Finally he came up with placing the 01's on the door.
     The production crew was on their way to start one of the first senses on the set when a man in a pick-up truck just happen to blow his horn that played the first 11 notes of
Dixie.  Don Schisler transportation coordinator pulled the man off the road and demanded to buy the horns.  And the rest my friends is HISTORY.    
    
   
November of 1978 parked across from Ace used car lot.  LEE 3 after body repair to front end..
November of 1978 High Octane General Lee finished at H & H Body Shop in Norcross, GA.
Stuntman Al Wyatt Jr. preforming this jump for episode 38 "Carnival of Thrills" (Part 2)
Stuntman John Cade preforming this jump for episode 104 "Witness: Jesse Duke"