Between my pop culture vehicle themed art and recent blog posts, it's no secret that I looooove vehicles from movies and TV. In fact, the very first League post that I wrote was dedicated to my 5 top favorite vehicles from pop culture. But now Brain (our fearless League leader) has forced me to pick just one, and to make it even more difficult, we can't pick any incarnation of the Batmobile.
And for the record, I would have gone with the 1966 version. Just sayin'.
Anyway, my second favorite pop culture ride was a no-brainer for me. All I had to do was turn my head slightly to the left and look at my Dukes of Hazzard shelves and the multitude of General Lee toys and other Dukes collectibles with that classic orange '69 Dodge Charger and the answer was pretty clear.
Now don't get me wrong. I love the Ecto-1 and the Back to the Future Delorean, but for sheer 4-wheeled sexiness, it doesn't get any more sweet than the General Lee.
I don't exactly know what it is about this car that I love. Ever since this show grabbed hold of me when I was in a kid, I have reserved a place in my heart for this car. It's kind of weird, since I usually have an aversion to anything Southern. But this show gave me an idealized, more innocent version of the South, I guess. Normally I cringe at the sight of the rebel flag, but for some reason, I'm okay with it when it's on the top of the General Lee. I think that after having lived in the South for 17 years, and hating just about every minute of it, my love for the show strengthened as I wished that this was how the South really was.
But this post is just about the car. This was the first TV show that I remember thinking of the vehicle belonging to the main characters as a character unto itself. The General Lee had personality. It practically had a voice, like R2D2, but instead of talking in electronic beeps and whistles, it spoke in the screech of its tires, the rev of its engine and the horn that bellowed out Dixie as it flew through the air.
I guess that's why I can't stop buying toy versions of it. I've even taken to collecting knock offs of the General Lee. Once the show became a big hit, every toy company from Hot Wheels, to Matchbox, to Buddy L, to Tootsie Toy were cranking out cars that were orange with a Confederate flag on top (even if the numbers on the door were 07 or 10). Not to many other famous cars from a TV show can claim so many imitators.
So, that's my pick. The General Lee. The finest car to ever grace the small screen (and the big screen too, if you count that horrible movie).
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I know that, for some odd reason, you can't stand Speed Racer (I'm assuming you mean the original there, because so far as I can tell there's no reason for anyone to like that movie), but I'd have to pick the Mach 5 as my second-place car, after the 66 Batmobile -- I mean, the car can do just about everything! It can jump over obstacles, cut down trees, drive underwater, has the robot plane with camera for spying -- what's not to love about that?
ReplyDeleteKITT is out of the question, as is any Transformer, because I don't care for my cars to talk back to me or override my choices.
Always liked John Steed's Bentley, for stylistic reasons, but I'd have to put the Monkeemobile after the Mach 5, then the Bentley, and maybe then Green Hornet's Black Beauty... just sayin'.
Yeah, just never liked the cartoon. As a kid, all of my friends were crazy about it and always wanted to play Speed Racer. But Battle of the Planets (G-Force) was on at the same time after school and I always watched that and tried to campaign to my friends that it was the far superior show.
DeleteBut I don't deny that the Mach 5 is one seriously awesome car.
Wow! An old school Avengers reference? You just earned mad geek points, Jon!
Awesome collection Reis! I have that lunchbox hanging above the door to my cave. ;)
ReplyDeleteI see you have Daisy's jeep in there too. Do you need a sheriff's car, I have a beat up one somewhere around here.
Thanks, Brian! As a matter of fact I DO need a sheriff's car! I spotted one, along with Boss Hogg's car at the last toy show, but some other dude was reaching for them just as my eyes landed on them, and he ended up forking over the cash. :/ maybe we can work out a trade of some sorts?
DeleteDamn, that's impressive!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dex!
DeleteNice Dukes collection, I'm jealous. I love the bootleg 07 car, that's hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI've lost nearly all my Dukes stuff and I really can't remember where it went, but my brother-in-law has a collection to rival yours. I'll try to get him to display it, then I'll take some pictures to post. He's a car guy and think Star Wars is Star Trek so his collection isn't all toys, but other stuff too. He once bought 2 vintage Dukes t-shirts right off the backs of a couple kids. It was summer and their mom was with them so no need to be concerned.
Wow! Try to get some pics of his stuff! I really want to see that.
DeleteThe Lee is on my list too along with the 66' Batmobile,Mach-5 and the Ecto-1.
ReplyDeleteWhat, no Back to the Future Delorean? ;)
DeleteWOW that is qite a collection!! NICE!! I remember going out and gettin the 45 of the theme song and playing the HECK out of it while the General drove all over Hazzard!
ReplyDeleteI also had that 45 and played it like crazy. I remember my older brother threatening to throw it away if I played it around him one more time.
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