GENERAL LEE

Here's some stuff from Popular Hot Rodding Magazine - Oct. 1982, pp.32-35. The article is titled "Inside Scoop on the 'Dukes of Hazzard' Dodge Charger", and is wrtten by Cam Benty.

"The [Dixie] horn was purchased by Picard and [Guy] Waldron while traveling in 
Georgia. They happened to be driving down the highway and heard the distinctive
horn. Quickly turning around they caught up with the owner of the vehicle
and attemtped to purchase it. After several minutes of bargaining and 
considerable cash, they acquired this important prop only to find out that
the horn was a regular item in the local auto parts store."

There were two types of General used for the series:

    1. "First Unit" cars - prepared for close-up shots with the actors and
       are included in most of the still photography
       -outfitted with 440 Magnum engines with 727 TorqueFlight transmissions
        and 3.23-to-1 rear end gearing with limited slip.
       -heavy duty shocks were installed (coil-over style in the rear)
        accompanied by B.F. Goodrich T/A radial tires and cast aluminum turbo 
        wheels.
       -each engine was tuned up with a new Holley carbuerator, special 
        distributor, and new plug wires - if not a total engine rebuild to 
        begin with.
       -treated to a full chrome job under the hood to add to engine 
        appearance.

    2. "Second Unit" cars - the workhorses used for a variety of different
        activities from 180-degree "bootlegger" turns and two-wheel driving,
        to jumps.  They received all of the aforementioned equipment (except 
        for the chrome work) and were tuned for their appointed duties.
        -"Bootleg turn" cars - had the ratcheting mechanism on the emergency
         brake pedal removed to allow the rear brakes to be applied and 
         released without need to pull the locking handle. This allowed the
         stunt man to jam on the brakes, turn the car 180 degrees and then
         release the pedal accelerating the car back in the opposite position.
        -"Jumping Generals" - outfitted with full six-point NASCAR-style 
         five-gallon fuel cells.
        -to keep the cars flying straight once in the air, a weight box
         was cabled into the trunk, holding it tightly to the rear frame
         section. The weight boxes carried from 100 to 600 pounds to
         counterbalance the engine. Without the weight, the Chargers would
         fall nose first into the ground every time.
        -Engines for the Second Unit cars varied depending on the size of the
         jump. The 273 and 318 engines were used on the shorter jumps, while 
         the 383 and 440 engines were used when more speed was necessary.
        -Damage to the jumped cars was generally so severe that the cars were
         never used again in the show for any action; just for parts to build
         another Second Unit General Lee.
        -According to Warner Bros., an average of three General Lees were 
         destroyed per episode, thus the reason for the constant building of
         Second Unit General Lees.

Here's some stuff from Chrysler Power magazine in 1985. The article was called "Return to Hazzard County", by Bill Holder.

  - The frame of the General was weighted at four strategic points and were
    fitted with gas-type shock absorbers to keep them level during impact
    landings and 180-degree turns.
  - The cars also carried 30-inch Glass Pak mufflers and Shelby rims that
    held new radial tires (B.F. Goodrich) with special inner tubes inserted.
  - "Tom Wopat has some fond memories about the orange fleet of Dodges. 'Boy,
    we wrecked a bunch of them during the years of the show,' he said. 'I
    think that we went through more than one per episode. There were a lot
    of them driving around California, and there were a bunch backed up in
    reserve when we needed them.' Tom said that the skilled stunt drivers
    did most of the wild tricks, but both he and co-star John Schneider also
    did their share of the less dangerous tricks. 'I did my share,' says
    Wopat. 'Both John and I knew how to slide the cars around. We did a lot
    of those dust-raising stops and screaching exits. I did smack into a semi
    truck one time, and John ran into a couple of buildings too.'"
  - "Sonny Shroyer also said that he wheeled the Hazzard County Police cars
    on occasion when chasing the General Lee. 'One time I lost control of 
    the car, ran over a fence and into a ravine. It wasn't planned, but
    they got it on film and used it,' Sonny explained."