Real Bo Duke Identifies 5 Common Mistakes in General Lee Clones

Here are some ways to identify a wrong General Lee clone.

Few cars are as famous as General Lee, the orange Dodge Charger of Bo & Luke Duke, also known as The Duke Boys on the TV series The Dukes of Hazard. Although it’s a popular TV tradition, not all General Lees you see are accurate. John Schnieder (who played Bo) posted a YouTube video on his channel in which he explains the five mistakes he makes with General Lee clones. He also shows off his own clone.

Real Bo Duke Identifies 5 Common Mistakes in General Lee Clones

The video shows that details do matter. Schnieder is often struck by the wrong interior color. The orange Lee didn’t have a black interior, it was always tan. He has also seen clones that had a passenger-side mirror. The TV car didn’t have one. This is one way to tell the difference between a 1968 model and a 1969 model. He also sees an orange rear panel surrounding the taillights. It should be flat black. A minor detail that many clones overlook is the “Fuel” on the cap. Many clones don’t have it.

Schnieder explains all the details that one should be looking for when inspecting a General Lee Clone. However, he also points out that there is no right or wrong way to make one. His General Lee clone is missing some details about the many cars featured on the show. Because he gives rides, his car doesn’t come with a roll cage. It would be difficult for rear-seat passengers to navigate around a roll-car in a coupe. The steering wheel on his car is also incorrect.

Real Bo Duke Identifies 5 Common Mistakes in General Lee Clones

Schnieder also explains some of the magic behind the scenes. The flag used to cover Lee’s roof was not painted. Instead, it was often covered with white medical tape that highlighted the contrast colors. After the first five episodes, the bush bar at its front grew as crew members began to use it during filming. As the show became more popular, other details were added and removed. The car had to be easy to replicate because there were 13 General Lee Chargers available at all times during production to give them their 15 minutes fame before they succumbed to a probable damaged death.