Random Blog Updates

Unfortunately you can't get new Dukes of Hazzard things each week.  Fortunately this isn't one of those weeks.  I got a few new things.  Aside from posting my new things, I also want to pass along a little random Dukescollector news. 

I am new to this whole blogging thing.  Sure, I've commented on Jeff's Teddy and The Yeti blog plenty of times, but writing a blog opens you up to a whole new world.  I have gotten quite a few kind words from readers and its a lot of fun.

Jeff's blog is about his comic book Teddy and the Yeti, comics, and life in general (where my blog is about life in the General HA).  I recommend it to anyone, as it is a really fun read.  He mentions me and my site enough, so I figured it was time to reciprocate.

While searching the web, I came across Retro Rescue.  The banner shown above is enough to get you to love this blog.  There you can find pictures and stories about all the great video games, toys, and collectibles we can't get enough of.  I love that Goonies is on the top of their page, hands down my favorite movie.  You won't be disappointed checking out this site. 

In my first post I mentioned that I bought a 1/144 Racing Champions poster from my new friend Jeff K. from Liberty, IL.  It was very smooth transaction, and Jeff is great to deal with.  He asked me to mention that he has several RC 1/144 Dukes cars and a couple of Ertl 1/64 Dukes 3-packs that he would like to sell.  If any readers have any interest in these items, please contact me and I will get the info to Jeff. 

I recently bought a couple of items from Dean in Santa Maria, CA.  This was another smooth deal and I can't wait to get the items.  I will post pics when they come in.  Thanks Dean.

And finally to my new things:

This is a cool old print ad for the the line of MPC Dukes of Hazzard models.  It is from 1981 (many great things are).  I really like the artwork of the cars, but Bo and Luke's faces are a little strange. 

This tiny little comic was only available in Canada with Nabisco's Shreddies.  The story is in 3D and written in English and French.  My first thoughts were that Shreddies would be like America's Shredded Wheat, but a webseach tells me that they are more similar to Life cereal.  There are a few more of these out there and they go for a pretty good price still sealed.  This one is open and has no 3D glasses.  I picked it up for like two bucks.  Not bad at all.  The artwork of the Duke Boys is much better than the MPC ad. 

And I got a needle for my previously mentioned Dukes of Hazzard record player.  I have no idea how to install this thing, but darn it! I will listen to the Dukes album on my record player.  I have to get my hands on Sonny Shroyer's Enos Back in Hazzard album.  I want to listen to that on my record player too. 

And finally I wanted to share one of the oddest Dukes of Hazzard items I have. 

Its a marble. 

Dukes of Hazzard Shrinky Dinks

I recently added Dukes of Hazzard Shrinky Dinks to my collection after years of searching and being out bid.  I got a very nice mint package.  Then I found another one on ebay.  My buddy (and yours) Jeff is a big fan of Shrinky Dinks, as seen here:http://teddyandtheyeti.blogspot.com/2010/12/fun-with-shrinky-dinks-and-all-new.html

The second one I found was open but unused, so I decided to pretend it was 1981, and have some Shrinky Dukes fun. 

Me, Jeff and Sara (Jeff's wife) had a good time coloring them.

I think we did a pretty good job coloring.

Then it was time to cut the Dinks out.  So Jeff cut...

And cut...

And cut......

Until finally Jeff's cat Conway decided to help.

After long last, they were all cut out and it was time to bake. 

"Four Magic Minutes" later, they were out of the oven.  There was a little folding and surgeons Sara and Jeff jumped into action.  They were able to save each one.

It really is surprising how much shrinking happens to these things.

Here is the end result, not bad at all.

Besides the odd smell, they are 30 years old, it was a lot fun. A lot of cutting, but a lot of fun.  If you ever come across some Shrinky Dinks, and already have a mint unopened set in you collection, rip those suckers open and start coloring.  You won't regret it. 

Soon I'm going to open up a Punch-Out Fun Book and put it together.

The original Cooter's Place in Sperryville, VA

My goal one day is to have my Dukes of Hazzard collection on display in the real world, not just the virtual online world.  A museum of sorts.  Well not really "of sorts"...my goal is to open a Dukes of Hazzard museum.  When thinking of a Dukes of Hazzard museum, the original Cooter's Place in Sperryville, VA always comes to mind. 

 

Cooter's Place was awesome. The Nashville and Gatlinburg locations are great, but the original in Virginia will always hold a special place in the hearts of many Dukes fans.  I first met Ben Cooter Jones and James Best there. Many other fans have met most of the cast members there for the first time. This place truly was a Dukes Collector's dream. 

Just look at those great items.  I have to get my hands on one of those Boss Hogg 3D posters.  

Cooter's Place had it all. 

The gold 1/18 General Lee is one of the rarest Dukes items.  I was fortunate enough to get my hands on two when they were first released.  Instead of putting my second on eBay, I contacted Cooter's Place to see if they needed one.  Miss Alma, Ben's wife, told me they were looking for one and would love to have it.  She even invited me down to present it to Ben.  He sure was surprised.  Since then, I have stayed close with Ben and Miss Alma.  I still can't believe I'm friends with and actual Duke of Hazzard.  

The original museum closed a few years ago.  They moved to the new locations in Gatlinburg and Nashville.  They are great museums, but not exactly within driving distance for me here in southwestern Pennsylvania.  Last year, to great fanfare, Ben and Alma had a Dukes reunion in Sperryville called Hazzard Homecoming.  It was such a success that they are doing it again in 2012.  I can't wait. 

New Dukes stuff from the Steel City Con 3/7/2012

The Steel City Con is always a fun show.  It is a toy show held at the Monroeville Convention Center three times a year.  I feel I have been going to often over the last few years because I am getting to know several dealers by name.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  Jeremy of Pop Culture Connection sets up each show and its always fun to hang out with him.  (Three blog posts in a row that I mention him!!!)  In the past I have scored some great Dukes items.  At this show I picked up a few Dukes things.

This Daisy's Jeep model is still in the plastic wrap.  It is in very nice condition.  It surprised me that this was made in 1980.  Most of the Dukes merchandise come from 1981.  The models must have been ahead of the curve.  The seller of this item was a fellow Dukes collector and she told me she would check out the site.  I hope you see this and share with us some of your collection and stories.

These three items all came from one person.  I first noticed the paper party table cloth at his booth.  After asking about it, he told me he was an owner of a '70 Dodge Charger, and though it wasn't "Generalized" he has a fondness for the Dukes of Hazzard.  He sold mostly Hot Wheels and Matchbox, but told me he had some Dukes somewhere.  It took him a minute, but he remembered exactly what box they were in and pulled out this '81 Boss's Caddy and Cooter's tow truck.  I have each, but these two are in great condition.  There are two different versions of the Cooter truck.  Now I have both loose and in a package.  I think I have about five table clothes, time to maybe use one...nah.

All four of these "Bananas" magazines came from one seller.  I have noticed in the past that they had a few Dukes items at their booth, but nothing that I didn't have.  I almost didn't notice these at the show.  They are magazines geared toward kids that were put out in the early 80s.  I'll have to find out exactly how many featured the Dukes on the cover.  A quick web search told me that the editor of the magazine was R. L. Stine, later of Fear Street and Goosebumps fame.  Pretty cool.  I haven't done anything more than leaf through a couple of these.  One of these days I'm going to read them and see how funny they are.  Its really strange that they used the following photo for the cover, it really looks like Luke is yawning.

Those are the items from the most recent Steel City Con.  This past Sunday someone told me they were looking at the Con's website and saw me.  I didn't know I was on their site.  Turns out I am. 

That's a pic from my camera! From my site! Weird, but who cares, its me and Bo Duke together on a site that I don't own.  So its awesome.  I'll tell the story all about hanging out with John Schneider that day in a future post. 

I also got a few new things in the mail from my Dukes friend Don in Iowa. 







This is a press release, press photo, and autographed photo from Christmas Comes to Willow Creek.  It was a made-for-TV Christmas movie John Schneider and Tom Wopat did for CBS in 1987.  It was a pretty fun movie that I watched many times.  I don't think its been on in a while though.  They need to put that on DVD.

I also got this copy of an advertising poster that NBC put out to promote Knight Rider.  Looking back, it is pretty harsh.  We all know the General Lee won in the end. 

Nice subtle change made to the car. 

And finally there is this cool poster from Corey Eubanks, famous pilot of the General Lee.  He is the only guy I've ever seen fly an orange car.  This poster is signed in the upper corner.  Good stuff.  

Pop Culture Connection in Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Pop Culture Connection
105 East Pittsburgh Street, Greensburg, PA 15601
724-691-0179

Buying things on eBay has become very impersonal. Back in the day, after you won an auction, you got a message from eBay that said "here is the seller's info." You did the rest yourself. I understand all the security reasons that went into making eBay what it is today, but I kind of miss the interaction with sellers back then. Now you just pay as if you are buying from Amazon.

They don't sell many Dukes of Hazzard items at Walmart. They pop up every once in a while. There is no more Family Toy Warehouse, and Toy City has been gone for a very long time. So I just don't get to interact with Dukes sellers to often anymore. So imagine my surprise in late December 2009, while driving through downtown Greensburg, that I saw this magical window you see pictured above. Since that day, I have visited Pop Culture Connection regularly, and every time I go, I am in awe.

The owner, Jeremy, truly loves toys. He knows about everything there is to know about toys from the 70s to today. He even has some things from the 60s and earlier. My first visit, I bought every Dukes of Hazzard item he had, including this Dukes "Fuzz Detector" dashboard.

And every time I go back, he has more stuff. If you are a fan of Masters of the Universe, GI Joe, Thundercats and especially Transformers (Jeremy's specialty), Smurfs, Ghostbusters, WWF, Knight Rider, M.A.S.K., Barbie, Pee-wee Herman, Hot Wheels, Alf, Godzilla, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pac Man, Batman, Spider-man, Teddy Ruxkpin, or any other toy or collectible, you owe it to yourself to visit this store. Greensburg is about forty miles from Pittsburgh, PA. You will not go wrong stopping by Pop Culture Connection.