While most car enthusiasts will recall the sinister black Dodge Charger stalking Steve McQueen’s Mustang through the streets of San Francisco in the cult movie ‘Bullitt’. However the best known Charger will always be the famous ‘General Lee’ – the bright orange ’69 model with a Confederate flag on the roof that played a starring role in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard.
Driven by Luke and Bo Duke, the General Lee was used for a variety of high-speed pursuits, jumps, stunts and became a celebrity in its own right.
Between 1979 and 1985, it’s believed no less than 309 Chargers were used in The Dukes of Hazzard, during which they were routinely destroyed at the rate of one or two per episode while performing their punishing stunts.
The first was built for Warner Bros. by Andre and Renaud Valuzet, before production shifted in-house, each later vehicle having to meet strict guidelines for filming continuity. Of these, it is estimated that only around 23 originals survive today, although guesstimates on the number vary.
Regardless, documented General Lee Dodge Chargers are now very collectible, as shown by the record price achieved at auction last year for the original ‘Lee 1’, which sold in the US for a staggering $Aus 10.5 million.
Shannons are auctioning one of these rare surviving General Lee Chargers at the Melbourne International Motor Show Auction on Monday March 10 and estimate that it will sell for between $220,000 and $260,000.
The 1969 Dodge Charger is based on an original 440-cid R/T and was converted to General Lee configuration by General Lee Enterprises in the early 1980s.
General Lee Enterprises built a small number of cars (somewhere between 8 and 11) that Warner Bros. used for promotional work and some close-ups in filming.
The car subsequently spent 20 years in storage in Kentucky prior to undergoing a comprehensive restoration and was then sold to the current Australian owner last year.
In September/October 2007, the full drivetrain rebuild took place and the vehicle generally tidied up in the cosmetic department, presenting in great condition both inside and out.
The Charger will be sold registered in Victoria on ‘GN-LEE’ plates along with a Victorian roadworthy certificate that will be supplied after the sale. The Dodge comes with supporting documentation, including American titles.
The General Lee is one of 53 vehicles and 50 items of automotive memorabilia in the Shannons Motor Show auction, which will be held from 2.30pm on Monday, March 10.
All lots can be viewed free of charge each day leading up to the auction in the Concourse area of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, No 1 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne.
www.shannons.com.au
