Looking over this blog, it seems I have four main categories of posts that I usually write about. The first two are the most prominent. I cover newly released Dukes of Hazzard items (such as AW's new snap together kit) and the items I recently added to my collection (the ever popular "New Dukes Stuff" posts.) The third type doesn't come along all that often because it's when I cover an event like Dukes Fan Fair or next month's New York Comic Con (Did I mention I'm going to NYCC? It's gonna be awesome).
The fourth type of blog post is something I should do more often but don't get around to it. Open the vault and highlight items in the collection that I had long before I started up this ol' blog. This post falls into to fourth category. Today we're going to look at the quite rare Dukes of Hazzard inflatable toys.
Let's start with the blow up General Lee.
The actual name for this item is the Sit N Play Inflatable General Lee Car. My particular blow up General isn't mint in the box. I don't have a box and had to resort to google to find this picture of it. This car is very rare simply because of its construction. It was made to be blown up and bounced on. I can't imagine one lasting very long after a kid got a hold of it.
Mine is a little crinkled from being stored folded up, but is in decent shape. There is a small hole in the hood, but if I wanted to display it inflated, the hole could be easily patched. In the Golden Era of Dukes, this was the largest General Lee toy you could buy. At three feet long, it was as close as you were getting to a full size Charger. It has a mostly correct shape and definitely looks like the Gen'ral. The 01 is blue, not black, but the wheels look pretty good.
They got the front grill right, along with the push bar. I like that the front plate says Dukes in the familiar Dukes of Hazzard font.
I guess the blow up was losing a little air by the time I took the picture of the back. The Charger emblem is a nice addition.
There is the bit of masking tape I used to cover the hole. It looks most like a charger from the top.
I guess they added the show name on the back windshield just in case you forgot which show had the big orange car in it.
The car was made by Arco and it was made in Taiwan.
It's probably easier to see Acro's name here rather than on the the nozzle. Arco was known for their generic toy cars and Go-Bots. They were purchased by Mattel in 1986.
The second Dukes inflatable was the Boss Hogg punching bag.
Like the General, I don't have the box for this one either. This is a picture of Dave DeWitt's mint in box bop bag. The full name is the 36 Inch Inflatable The Dukes of Hazzard Bog Bag. Dave doesn't mind me using pictures of his items. Check out his mobile museum here.
The bop bag features a great cartoon style picture of ol' Boss Hogg. How could a kid want to punch that face?
The top of the bag has the show logo in all its glory.
Behind the front picture, printed on the back layer, is a full panel that starts with a General Lee jumping out of an explosion.
The inside of my bop bag is a little cloudy. You can still see the picture of Boss' Caddy in front of the General parked outside the Hazzard County Courthouse. You don't see the Courthouse represented too often on toys. They did a fine job here.
With a slight change of the viewing angle, you can see Rosco's Patrol Car is also in the scene. The Hazzard Police sign is perfectly represented from the Warner Bros.'s back lot.
Someone should have sent an internal memo at Arco that the 01s should be black. Other than that, the graphics are great.
On top of the whole graphic is the rebel flag. There is a lot going on behind J.D.
Below Jefferson's feet is WB's info and the year 1981. What a great year '81 was. No mention of Arco on this one, though we know from the box that they made it.
The back of the bop bag is solid white. I'm surprised there is so much printed on the inside, but nothing on the back. You kids only get to punch one side!
These are two pieces that are very tough to come by. When they show up on ebay, they can sky-rocket in price. Because they are flimsy, easily damaged, and built literally to beat up, these bad boys didn't last. I'm fortunate to have had them in the collection for quite some time. But I guess I should be on the lookout for mint versions, or at least boxes.
They aren't too pretty when they are deflated.
I'm going to write blogs like this, featuring items I already have, more often. I hope you like them.
I didn't know anything about these so thanks for featuring them. It's a good job Boss Hogg's cigar didn't get near the inflatables.
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