DukesCollector Business Cards 2.0

Summer is coming up quickly and that means one thing: Dukes of Hazzard events season!!  We are just over a week away from the big one, Dukes of Hazzard Fan Fair on June 8 in Nashville, TN.  To say I'm excited for this one would be putting it lightly.  All the cast members, Cooter's museum, the cars, the swap meet, the Twitter Lee, so much great Dukes fun.  Then two weeks later is the Dukes Family Festival which should be a blast.  It's close to home and will be a lot of fun.

When I started DukesCollector.com, one of the first things I did was create business cards to be passed out out Hazzard Homecoming 2011.  They were a hit.  By last summer I needed to order an additional thousand.  Last year I passed them out at SDCC and HH 2012.  So, now I've blown through two thousand business cards.  I was going to just order more, but I thought why not add a little to them.

I kept them mostly the same, but changed a few things.  When I first printed them, I just included the web address and only planned on owning a website.  I never liked blogs, and resisted owning one, but there simply is no better way of sharing my ever growing collection with like minded Dukes enthusiasts.  Some people get the card and only check out the main site, which I don't update enough.  Some people miss out on the true heart of DukesCollector which is this ol' blog.  So I decided to add the address for the blog onto the card.  I think it fits nicely.

I was about to send it to the printer, but thought, I might as well add something to the other side.

Ewww, it's like everyone's favorite game to play on that weird TV looking arcade thing on the bar: photohunt!  Can you spot the difference?

Originally I chose some of my rarest pieces to include on the card.  Gold General, bath set, music collection, the Transformer, and the Daisy stand up.  Since I was adding the blog info to the other side, I figured why not add a rare item I picked up since I started the blog.  The swim trunks I got from Rush were an obvious choice.  I never really liked the George Barris crest on the Gold General Lee box (he had nothing to do with the General Lee!)  I'm not sure why I kept it so prominent on the card, so I covered it with the trunks.  I think it fits quite nicely.

Of course, I never would have considered getting business cards if Jeff and I didn't already have them for Franks and Beans.  These bad boys have spread the good word about F&B for years now.  Perhaps we should update this picture...never!  It's the best picture ever!  My long hair was awesome.

If you find yourself a Dukes event, in the greater southwestern Pennsylvania area, San Diego Comic Con (only Jeff this year, not me unfortunately) or anywhere else I might be, I would be glad to hand you a card.  Giving them out is one of my favorite things to do.  If you aren't going to be in any of those places, email me your address and I'll send you some.  I want everyone to have one, EVERYONE!

I'm 18% closer to owning a complete General Lee - I bought a door!

One day I will own a General Lee.  That is the goal and the dream.  Until that day, I am a little bit closer with my most recent purchase.  I bought a door from a 1969 Dodge Charger painted orange with an 01 on it.  I now own a General Lee door.

I actually bought the door quite a few months ago from a General Lee owner named Bob.  I just never got around to picking it up.  Everything fit together this weekend, Jeff was up for a road trip,  and we set out on a four hour trek.  I picked up the door and made a new friend.

Bob has an awesome General Lee.  He was worked on it for some time, and it shows.  

It was great to meet a fellow fan and spend time exchanging Dukes stories.  Bob's General Lee is exactly what I want to own.  Something you can drive regularly and really have fun in.  Maybe not hit any jumps, but you don't have to trailer it to events.  One day...

Bob helped me carry my new door to the car and it was another four hour trip back home.  But well worth it.  Bob had several spare Charger parts and even threw in General Lee wheel!

It was damaged and couldn't be used on a car, but makes a great display piece.

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with my new parts, but I'll find some cool way to display them.  They will make awesome additions to the collection.  Thanks again Bob, it was great meeting you.  Also, thanks Jeff for making the trip with me.  Happy Memorial Day everyone.

The complete Johnny Lightning Dukes of Hazzard line: Series 5

Rolling with the Johnny Lightning Dukes line brings us to Series 5.  This series came out in 2008. We get fun versions of the two main cars from the show and one monster version.

The package is similar to the previous series.

The packages have a die-cut opening on the back so you can read the details about each car on the card that is included.  These cards are the "add-in" for this series.  They are the most informative add-ins in the entire line, but oddly enough I can't find the ones that came with my open cars, so I took pictures of each still in the package.  

The General in Series 3 is the perfect 1/64 General.  They got the push bar, the decals, and the wheels all correct.  No more need to improve.  In Series 4 they changed it slightly to make a movie version.  Here in Series 5, they made an episode specific version, and they picked a great episode.

"The Ghost of the General Lee" is my favorite episode.  In it, a couple of hustlers steal the General Lee while Bo and Luke are skinny dipping.  Rosco and Enos chase the car thinking it is the Duke boys.  The hustlers drive the General into a pond and sneak away unharmed, but Rosco and Enos dont't see them.  When they dive in looking for the boys, they only find their clothes.  ('80s TV logic tells us that clothes in the water means the wearers died, of course.  Similar plot points used throughout the world of television lead us viewers to believe quicksand was terrifying and inescapable.)  Hazzard thinks the boys have died. There are very emotional scenes between Jesse, Rosco, Daisy, and Cooter.  Boss Hogg takes the situation as an opportunity to rip off an insurance agency by claiming the boys stole a priceless watch.  Once the "good guys" figure out Bo and Luke are just fine, only naked, they concoct a scheme to scare the truth out of Boss by haunting him with the Ghost of the General Lee.  They make him glow, open and close the hood and trunk, and have Luke's voice come from the car.  They even drive through Hazzard square while hiding below the dash.  They get through town this way, but Rosco, driving normally, crashes several times.  The plan works and Boss spills the beans over the CB to Rosco.  My favorite line from the episode is between Boss and Rosco.  Rosco calls the car "The Ghost of the General Lee" and Boss says it can't be a ghost cause cars can't die.  Rosco asks why cars can't die because batteries can.  The boys clear their good name and the hustlers are even caught.  All is right again in Hazzard County.

As you can tell from my lengthy description, I love this episode and have seen it more times than any other.  I remember watching it as a kid.  It's one of the few episodes I remembered lines from when I was about 5.  The car in this series has a different color orange and really captures the glowing feel the car had in the episode.  

The picture used on the add-in card is not from the episode, but a stock photo of the General photoshopped to look like it's glowing.

The back of the card gave a description of the episode as well.  It's not as good as mine, but it gets the job done.

'Ol Crazy Cooter already had a car in the line, his Camaro in Series 1, but we saw him driving a tow truck more than anything else.  He drove several throughout the show.  The red, white, and blue one might be the most memorable and he also drove a yellow one, but we saw this brown one quite a few times.  The Hazzard County Garage logo is very nice.  

The add-in card features a picture of Cooter that isn't used too often as well as a screen shot of the brown tow truck.  

Cooter did turn a mean wrench.

There are as many police cars in this line as there are General Lees.  Beside Hazzard cars, most are neighboring counties'. This is a creative way to add another police car to the mix, and another car that is episode specific is Rosco's Camo Cruiser.  I don't think it was ever actually called that before this toy came out.  The add-in card mentions the episode.  

I guess JL couldn't get a good enough screen shot from the episode.  They just used a picture of the toy.  Great picture of Rosco.  I'm sure he's saying "Alright you Dukes, I got ya this time."

As in Series 4 we get another car from the Carnival of Thrills.  This is a Ford Torino that can be seen driving on two wheels in the two part episode.  

Bo had a Carnival of Thrills jumpsuit, but it was white and matched the design and logo on the cars.  This isn't it.  

These descriptions are nice, but you have to mention the fight between Bo and Luke when you talk about the Carnival of Thrills.

The second General Lee in the series is dirty.  We got a dirty General Lee in Series 1, but this is the improved General Lee covered in mud.  This is a great car.  

The final car in the series is a beast.  This is the General Lee monster truck.  As in Series 2 and 4, Johnny Lightning took inspiration from other popular diecasts and gave them the Dukes of Hazzard spin.  "Everyone loves a monster truck, everyone loves the Dukes, this is genius!"  This thing is a monster.  

Obviously there is no screen shot of this bad boy because JL created it.  The picture used looks like Bo and Luke approve of the monster truck. 

Hey! JL called it a "bad boy" too.  We must think alike.

This truck is huge compared to standard 1/64s.  The General on a box from Series 4 isn't even as tall as the monster truck.  This is a cool, unique addition to the collection.  

Prototype pictures of the new Dukes of Hazzard action figures by Figures Toy Co.

Our friends at the Mego Museum landed the first pictures of the prototypes for the new Dukes line by Figures Toy Co.  These are the 12" figures and I couldn't be happier with them.  They are completely new head sculpts and they look great.  They nailed Rosco's uniform and looks like they even made Luke's belt buckle spot on.  Rosco and Boss Hogg will have hats.  I can't wait to own these.  I love accessories and there will be a carrying case.  Ol' Crazy Cooter even made it on to the case.  I'll post anything new as soon as I find it.

Cooter's Place's Twitter Lee giveaway

We are just about thirty days from the Dukes of Hazzard Fan Fair in Nashville, TN (and I haven't bought my airline tickets yet...whoa, gotta get on that.)  In order to help get the word out about the event, Cooter's Place is running a contest on Twitter, and I think whoever came up with it is a genius, a Dukes of Hazzard Genius!

What better way to get people to do something you want than to give them a chance to win something for doing it.  In this case the item to be given away is a signed 1/64 General Lee.  But not just any signed 1/64.  Ben Cooter Jones also wrote "Twitter Lee" on the car.  This is the world's only Twitter Lee!  It has taken Twitter by storm.  #TwitterLee has been trending since Saturday.  Maybe.  The point of the contest it to spread the word about Dukes Fan Fair, so to enter, the entrant must retweet a message that mentions the Dukes Fan Fair.  (Tell me that is not genius.)  The aforementioned tweet is as follows:

follow @CootersPlace and RT to Enter #DukesFanFair June 8 Nashville win a TwitterLee signed by Cooter #DukesofHazzard http://www.cootersplace.com/contest

Now you have to have a Twitter account to enter.  I made one a while ago just for contests, and if you aren't signed up, this is what everyone should do.  The original tweet from @CootersPlace was sent out Saturday,  May 4 around noon eastern.  Sam, Dave, Shadley, Reis........you should all enter this thing.  You can't just go out and pick up a Twitter Lee.  They are very rare and highly sought after. Anyone would want one in their collection.  Wait, I don't have one in my collection.  It's that rare!! So fire up the Twitter account, enter to win this one of a kind collectible, help spread the word about the upcoming event, and tell everyone you know that the person responsible for this contest should be publicly adorned as a Dukes of Hazzard virtuoso.

The contest runs until Friday, May 10 at noon eastern.  Check out the official rules at http://www.cootersplace.com/contest.  Go enter!

New Dukes Stuff - 5/2/2013 - Whole bunch of 1/64s and a Coat

Gotta whole bunch of Golden Era Dukes goodness to share.  And one Modern Era item at the end of the post.  All of these pieces came from the same purveyor of Hazzard County materials.  Thanks GB!

I've been chasing this item for a while.  It's the handheld Dukes of Hazzard Racing Game.  It has gone for quite high prices in the past.  You steer the "General Lee" which is actually an generic orange space age car through the roads of Hazzard.  Now that I finally have this item, I am remarkably underwhelmed by it.  I love having it in my collection, but if I got this item as a young Dukes enthusiast, I would give it about forty-five seconds of play time and never pick it up again.  It's not even self-propelled by a crank or anything.  You have to scroll with your left thumb as you steer with your right.

These two backgrounds are all you get too.  You scroll the entire landscape in about twenty seconds.  No wonder it is so rare, everyone who had one probably tossed it.  Awesome addition though.

The Dukes had quite a few knock-off items released during its heyday.  Some were coy in their exploitation,  and some really put it out there.  There is no questions about who these Dixie Chargers sets where trying to be.  

These came out in 1981 by Midgetoy.  They specialized in single piece constructed diecast cars.

Each set has a General Lee wannabe in it.  Two of the cars somewhat resemble a Charger.

And the third has a Corvette in it.  Weird.

One set also has a decent representation of Uncle Jesse's pickup in it.  Midgetoy was ahead of the game here; there wasn't a 1/64 Jesse's truck released until the Modern Era.

Gotta have a police car.  One has blue painted lights on top and one doesn't.

All three sets included a Jeep.  The creators seemed to love Daisy.  Don't we all.

Perhaps the best part of the cars is the tow package affixed to the Charger like General cars.  Maybe they are episode specific from episode 4 Repo Men where Bo and Luke tow the #71 car through Hazzard.  Maybe not.

I sort of went crazy and bought a whole bunch more Ertl 1/64 four packs.  You will remember that I already have five.  Every one I have is different.  There seem to be random cars in random position in the sets.  I have this combination of cars in these same places, but in a different box.  The other has different pictures and the cars are labeled.  This is the more generic box that didn't label the contents. I also have a set with these four cars but in different places.

I only have one other set with Cooter's towtruck in it.  And that one had two Boss Hogg's Caddys. This has two Rosco cars in it.  Not as weird.

I have another set with this combination, but, again, different positions.  I don't think I can recall a scene from the show with more than two Hazzard County sheriff cars.

Now this is the weird one.  This set contains a white Corvette.  This is the second unexplained Corvette sighting in this post.

I have a version of the playset that also has a white Corvette included.  Like I said in that post, I believe these came out toward the end of the run and Ertl was just putting in random cars.  I've only seen one other set with a Corvette.  And the owner of that one thought he was going to get rich. Sorry pal.

This set has a blister type plastic covering over the cars.  They others have a shrink-wrap like application.  These sets are so random.

The blister is still in good shape.

And finally another one with Cooter's truck in it.  So I have eleven of these sets now.  And they are all different.  Maybe that's enough for now.  Maybe not.

And the final item is this coat from the set of the 2005 movie.  This thing is awesome.

It was given to the stunt crew members.  While filming, they hadn't yet released the movie logo that has the big underlining Z.  They used the original TV show logo.

The production used Panavision equipment and that is also on the jacket.

Carhartt was a sponsor of the movie.  There was a huge Carhartt 18 wheeler on location when I was on the set.  You can see it in the movie briefly before the race scene.  I have seen several Carhartt coats for sale since the movie wrapped.  They all look similar to this one, but this one is made by Columbia.  I was told this one was only given to the stunt crew where the Carhartt was given to more crew members.  I guess that makes mine more rare.

It fits perfectly and I love it.  Too bad I got it in late April and I can't wear it until it gets cold.  This will be a piece of my collection, but I will also wear it on occasion.  It's too nice not to.  Perhaps there will be a Dukes event in the fall.  It would be so cool to show up in this thing.  Hazzard Run maybe.

And yes, I did use the word "coy" early on in this blog.