Hurricane Ida has left a large wake of destruction, including heavy damage to a Dukes of Hazzard star's studio and car. The 1969 Dodge Charger, known as the General Lee, is the prized possession of Bo and Luke Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard television series. The orange racing icon is widely known for its unmatched speed and aerial car stunts that help the Dukes evade the corrupt law enforcement officials like JD “Boss” Hogg.
John Schneider starred in the hit show as Bo Duke. While Tom Wompat, who played his cousin Luke, occasionally helmed the General Lee, it was normally Schneider that found himself in the driver’s seat. The Dukes of Hazzard ran for seven seasons on air and inspired an additional theatrical reboot in 2005 by the same name. The reboot, featuring Johnny Knoxville and Sean William Scott, renewed interest in the show but also brought heavy controversy. Opponents argued that the rebel flag on the hood and the car’s name were offensive due to its historical connection to racism in the US. Warner Bros. took the complaints into consideration and began to omit the flag from products containing The General Lee in 2015.
Social controversy isn’t the only way the vehicle has been impacted by time, as Schneider recently revealed. TMZ reported that Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on Schneider’s studio and The General Lee. A series of photos published on the site show the devastation caused to Schneider’s property in Louisiana. Unfortunately, General Lee didn't fare so well against Ida and it doesn't look like Schneider is going to be able to just buff it out.
The photographs show the iconic vehicle crushed below a large uprooted pine tree. The roof has completely collapsed due to the weight, and it now sits wedged at an angle against the ground. There also looks to be extensive structural damage to the buildings. Schneider owns and operates an independent film studio on the property. The actor also submitted a short video of himself on site discussing the devastation and urging people to support recovery efforts by buying items from John Schneider Studios.
Fortunately for Schneider, the car shown isn’t the only General Lee that he owns. He actually has several cars that were used for filming The Dukes of Hazzard. Numerous replicas were made for the series since they were often totaled during stunts. It is estimated that over 300 vehicles were destroyed while filming. Although it sadly seems Schneider’s personal car has met an untimely fate as well, hopefully he is able to repair the damages as quickly as he constantly did to the Kent Farm during his time on Smallville.
Source: TMZ