John "Bo Duke" Schneider's 1969 Dodge Charger "General Lee" is up for sale

One of the most recognizable vehicles from the early 1980’s is going on the auction block. The 1969 Dodge Charger known as the General Lee is considered one of the main attractions of the upcoming Mecum Auction, in Las Vegas.

There are many replicas of the General Lee. You see them at car shows across America. However, this General Lee was owned by the series star, John Schneider. Schneider played Beauregard “Bo” Duke, in the series that ran from 1979-1985. In the television series, Bo Duke is an ex-stock car driver, who drives The General Lee most of the time, with his cousin Luke Duke riding shotgun. Virtually every episode features a crazy chase scene with the General Lee performing great jumps and stunts as the Duke boys escape from the crooked county commissioner Boss Hogg and the corrupt Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane.

General Lee Specs

According to Mecum, this General Lee has a 360 CI engine, not the famous Hemi. Unlike the television show stock car versions, it has an automatic transmission. The orange paint has been meticulously matched to the show versions, with every detail duplicated.

This General Lee has some very special selling points. The inside of the trunk lid is signed by the cast of the Dukes of Hazzard. There is also a book with the original cast members attending the August 2012 homecoming in Virginia. There is an authenticity letter, as well as several Mopar Collector Guide articles about the General Lee.

According to various sources, Schneider learned to drive the Dodge Chargers that were used in the television show but he was never allowed to drive during the jumps because the stunts were considered too dangerous.

Changing times

This General Lee still sports the Confederate flag painted on the roof as well as the license plate, as it appeared in the Dukes of Hazzard. The flag is much more controversial now than it was when the show originally aired. Golfer Bubba Watson owns the original General Lee that was used to shoot the opening scenes of the television show. According to the BBC, Watson announced that he would remove the Confederate flag from the roof of General Lee 1 and repaint it with the US flag.

Mecum is not releasing an estimate for how much they expect the car to bring at auction. The General Lee will be one of the main attractions during Mecum’s Las Vegas auction, November 16-18, 2017.