My Ultimate General Lee build

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

Photos to be posted soon. I wanted to put everything I could into the ultimate build, and this one took me about three years of on-and-off work. Seriously.

MY G.L. BUILD PHILOSOPHY

My main criticism of most GL builds is that they are 'way too immaculate to be an in-use back-roads racing car driven by good-ol-boys on a farm. They always look...well, sterilized comes to mind. Absolutely gorgeous, like they're going for the trophy at a car show, with a car that's never driven except on and off a trailer. Not this one!!

-Interior: Agree with many that the darker brown "saddle" color of the earlier series looks better, but a darker interior will hide most great detail. So, cliche though it is, I went with the light tan. HOWEVER I weathered it plenty, with very stained floor carpeting, and some wear on the seats. Scratchbuilt items are a CB radio and a detailed, padded-looking roll bar with tape around the padding.

-Engine Bay: Despite most builds painting the engine bay interior orange, indicating a total engine-out restoration, the actual "Hero" Generals had their engine bays hastily painted black around the engine. This would also fit with the storyline of the original color being black. 

Additionally, I sanded out all the molded on wiring and scratchbuilt the entire engine wiring and detail. When you see these photos you may be shocked. I know I am....not eager to do this again, although it was worth it!!

-Underside: Dark primer gray with orange overspray indicating a home-done paint job. Lots wear and some general rusting, with a ton of dust and dirt oversprayed. 

So much more involved in this build, but those are some of the basic philosophies I followed on this.

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

Engine and Engine bay. Replaced Fan belt pullys and belt with aftermarket. Sanded out most detail in engine bay for an insane scratchbuilding job. Again, the bay is black since the "Hero" Generals in the series usually had their bays hastily sprayed black around the engine, plus it would match the storyline of the original color being black and the Dukes painting it after the engine was installed. 

[Bennyg]

Wow! Looks awesome.

Ben

[PARTSMARTY]

Fabulous !!!

[Geno]

You have me drooling. More, more.

[Slotto]

Insane! I love it!

[Michael in Illinois]

Unbelievable, not only the work but the patience needed to complete such a concept. Love it. Keep going.

[dodge5522]

Love in all the detail 

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

Thanks everyone!

Here, the windshield and other window glass has been tinted with future and food coloring:

Scratchbuilt Roll Bar has been made to look like it's padded with tape holding on the padding:

And, the interior, including Photoetched steering wheel spokes, scratchbult CB radio, heavily stained flocking for carpeting:

 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Andrew D the Jolly Roger

[High octane]

Your General is lookin' awesome Andrew, what scale are you working in? Thanks.

[iamsuperdan]

Holy moly.

That engine bay. 

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

Your General is lookin' awesome Andrew, what scale are you working in? Thanks.

1/25 Revell

 

[espo]

Well it looks like you just raised the bar for engine wiring. That food coloring in Future is a great idea for window tint, I'll be trying that on my next build. I also like the interior treatment, a little on the cushy side for the subject, but very nice all the same.  Look forward to following this build.

[Bob Ellis]

Very nice work. I tried food coloring to tint with no success.

[mchook]

Make sure you make the top of the door panels worn & dirty from climbing in & out the windows. 

[Foxer]

The engine bay wiring looks spectacular ... and realistic!

[jefropas]

So this is what you've been doing instead of building planes....nice work!

Jeff

[Lizz62]

Sweet. Really amazing. No doubt this will be awesome. 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Lizz62

[Davewilly]

Pretty nice looking details in that engine bay! 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Awesome work!! The engine bay detail is excellent!!

[Lizz62]

Also. They have red clay in Georgia. It won't come out of the carpet!

[Againmikewins]

Wow! This is too cool!

 

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

Thanks everyone!

Next batch here. Soaked all the bumper/grill bits in bleach to remove the chrome. Cleaned up the imperfections on both, and removed the grill from its surround. Used the same passenger-side grill section from another kit to use on the left side since no Charger emblem should be there. Refinished with Alclad II on the bumpers and trim, flat aluminum on the grill tunnels, lots of drybrushing etc on the grill once sprayed flat black, and semigloss on the middle sections where the non-headlight sections are. Scratchbuilt narrow-style push bar.

[Andrew D the Jolly Roger]

And, you're gonna LOVE this one: totally scratchbuilt Dixie Horn! Not sure if anyone else has done this; if they have, I've never seen it. 

 

And here it is installed on the front of the radiator:

[Lizz62]

This is the best GL I've EVER seen