What's "the most famous television car in the world"? We suppose that depends on who you ask, but to many, nothing but the General Lee could possibly hold the title. Of course, there wasn't just one General Lee. In fact, scores of orange Dodge Chargers were filmed for "The Dukes of Hazzard," and most of them never survived their first televised escapade.
Not so Lee 1. so named because it was the car that famously jumped over a Hazzard County police cruiser in the very first episode of the hit series. If you've ever seen the opening credits, you know the car we're talking about. it flew 16 feet in the air over a distance of 82 feet. And, as you may have guessed, it didn't exactly stick the landing.
No matter. Because of its notoriety, Lee 1 was saved from destruction and restored over a period of 16 months. And, due to that same famous history, we thought it might draw plenty of attention from the crowds at the 2012 Barrett-Jackson auction. In reality, bidding ended at just $110,000. That makes the final sale price a seemingly paltry $121,000.
Read more about Lee 1 and watch a video of it's auction after the break. and check out our live image gallery above.
Summary: Featured several times in the first episode of CBS hit "The Dukes of Hazzard." Fondly named "Lee 1" is the very car used to jump over a Hazzard County police cruiser in the first episode. Carefully restored over a 16 month period to pre-jump condition.
Details: Lee 1 was purchased by a California movie studio in 1978, soon to become "The most famous television car in the world." Lee 1 was featured several times in the first episode of CBS' hit television series "The Dukes of Hazzard." This episode titled "One-Armed Bandits," aired on January 26, 1979 and was filmed in the Covington, Conyers and Oxford area of Georgia. The show's opening sequence, featuring Bo and Luke Duke, included the clip of Lee1 jumping over a Hazzard County police cruiser. That jump, for which Lee 1 is most famous, was made by a stunt man on the campus of Oxford College on Saturday, November 11, 1978. Lee 1's first and only jump was 16 feet up and over the cruiser, landing 82 feet from the take off ramp. The only cast member that ever drove Lee 1 was John Schneider, who played Bo Duke. After 23 years in a junkyard, in Metro Atlanta, Lee 1 was rescued and professionally, passionately restored to pre-jump condition over a 16 month period. Lee 1 is truly an American Icon.
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