Verifying/Authenticating a screen used GL

[kevinstich]

Is this really a serious question. You wonder about a buyer when it comes to connections with the show or any other car that has connection to other notable people/shows?  All i wanna know is if there a way to authenticate or bunk... That is all. If it turns out to be replica, then so be it, I pass on it.... If it's something to do with the show, I am interested and want to pursue. Any legitimate help would be much appreciated!!

[ws23rt]

Is this really a serious question. You wonder about a buyer when it comes to connections with the show or any other car that has connection to other notable people/shows?  All i wanna know is if there a way to authenticate or bunk... That is all. If it turns out to be replica, then so be it, I pass on it.... If it's something to do with the show, I am interested and want to pursue. Any legitimate help would be much appreciated!!

This question was not intended to be serious. It is however intended to question the value of something that is based on someones past use of a vehicle and how that affects it's value. I find humor in peoples behavior. I am one of those people and if I had a car that sold high because of who owned it before I would play it up like anyone else. The smile I have comes from how odd it looks when we step back and ask the question.
I am responding to the thread topic and not to any individual responder.
The real question remains. How will the value of these cars be agreed to among buyer and seller years from now? Will it be a piece of paper that says it is so? A survivor is that. A clone is a clone. A restored original is what can be proven. If these movie cars are to hold value there needs to be a sound way to show it.

[1974dodgecharger]

100% understand, that's why we are trying to find the paper trail. He says he has it, he is just in no hurry to scour for it i am guessing. We are making the 700 mile trip to see them soon, should get more answers.

What can i look for on the back glass for the number etchings?   I have the VIN, just not something I am sure is a good idea to share on a public forum?

car be worth more if he the previous owner kept the car in its original condition with the dings/dents/ etc..from the show itself it shows originality in it.  When you restore it then you just have another restore and anyone can claim anything to me its good as a clone if one restored an original dukes car.

[Indygenerallee]

car be worth more if he the previous owner kept the car in its original condition with the dings/dents/ etc..from the show itself it shows originality in it.  When you restore it then you just have another restore and anyone can claim anything to me its good as a clone if one restored an original dukes car.

X2 That's why many of the original screen used "jump" General Lee's are still all bent up and "not pretty" because once you restore it, it's just another cloned General Lee. 

[kevinstich]

Having the opinion that it is just another restore original is all good and well.  But we all know the value is much better with the history no matter what you have done to the car as long as you have followed the correct guidelines to restore.  The history and the paper trail is what makes it worth so much.  Having it look great in the process is just an added benefit.  I for one would rather have it restored looking nice and have that paper work instead of having a piece of crap original sitting on some jack stands rotting away in a garage... Just my opinion.   The question remains....Any body able to provide help with authenticating from the VIN or otherwise?

[GL#10]

Keep trying to Contact Wayne Wooten from the Dodge Charger Registry ,  they marked the cars in several places , yes the back window was one , the cars Warner Brothers had left from the show bar 2 all went to Wayne Wooten and members of the registry , and the W.B issued the statement that unless you have one with the COA , your either looking at a clone or one that was stolen, this was in 1991 .


That being said for $60k he had better have a COA from W.B , other than that the charger is not going to be worth anymore than a non GL or replica , in the same condition on the market.

Just because he says he got it from someone who worked on the show , or his uncle aunt's sister in law did , doesn't mean anything with out a COA , and if you go to resell it  , that's what people
will want to see PROOF paperwork COA directly from the W.B , most auction houses wont sell it without paperwork directly from the W.B .

Wayne Wooten is your best bet for information and verification of this charger .

[marshallfry01]

Well back to the original question, ways to know if it's a general is too look at the bottom left corner of the back glass to see any numbers carved in the glass, usually the fender tags are missing, there will be tan over spray over EVERYTHING in the interior, look to see if a wide push bar had been welded to it before it was restored, and make sure it matches the "aj thrasher" push bar. I know you said the car has been restored, but maybe some of that evidence is still visible. If you can post a pic or two of the car before it was restored I could tell you in a heartbeat if it's real or not. And if he can prove its a real general, I think it's worth $60,000 all day long. But if he can't prove it, then $30,000 is a fair price in my opinion.
I hope that helped you out a little.

[marshallfry01]

Gl #10 beat me to the answer haha

[ws23rt]

Keep trying to Contact Wayne Wooten from the Dodge Charger Registry ,  they marked the cars in several places , yes the back window was one , the cars Warner Brothers had left from the show bar 2 all went to Wayne Wooten and members of the registry , and the W.B issued the statement that unless you have one with the COA , your either looking at a clone or one that was stolen, this was in 1991 .


That being said for $60k he had better have a COA from W.B , other than that the charger is not going to be worth anymore than a non GL or replica , in the same condition on the market.

Just because he says he got it from someone who worked on the show , or his uncle aunt's sister in law did , doesn't mean anything with out a COA , and if you go to resell it  , that's what people
will want to see PROOF paperwork COA directly from the W.B , most auction houses wont sell it without paperwork directly from the W.B .

Wayne Wooten is your best bet for information and verification of this charger .

So it sounds like a COA would be equivalent to a build sheet?  Information on that document should match up to the car vin or some other feature of the car.
I can see that as being enough to get more money out of the car at resale.
Would that COA include information about where that car played a role?

[kevinstich]

Thanks, I will check on that info and keep digging on him about that paper work. We are 700 miles apart so  phone calls are about all i can do for the moment.  I'll let you all know the progress or any findings

[GL#10]

So it sounds like a COA would be equivalent to a build sheet?  Information on that document should match up to the car vin or some other feature of the car.
I can see that as being enough to get more money out of the car at resale.
Would that COA include information about where that car played a role?

No the COA , just states the VIN and that it was a W.B General lee , nothing more , there is no way of knowing where your Tv GL appeared or what episode , unless you really watch the show and pick your GL out , i know  a couple of the owner's have done  this .

I know of two T.V series General lee's for sale at $150k  ,documented COA  , have they sold  , no .

[JT01]

Also ask if the car has rear helper springs all TV Generals had them they could of been removed if it is real but just something to ask.

[Ghoste]

Would it be reasonable to assume that the ones WB sold through Wayne would have all been from the end of the series?

[Mike DC]

There was one car from the 17 that had been mounted up on a billboard display several stories in the air at WB.  It already had some moderate jump damage at the time.  That car was never overhauled to match the appearance of the late-series cars.  

The other 16 surviving cars were done up like the late series GLs.  When Warner Bros changed suppliers of GLs during the series they had bought out the existing pile of GLs from the earlier suppliers.  The cars were converted to match the new continuity at that time.    Broadly speaking they were later built cars that survived, although a few cars & parts show evidence of the earlier builders.



By the later years of the series they had some specialized cars.  Closeup cars, ski cars, drivers, etc.  They didn't wreck them in anything like the order they built them.  Some of the 17 cars have evidence of several seasons of repeated driving & banging, other cars they wrecked almost as soon as they were built.  

[Ghoste]

Okay.  I guess I was just thinking the fact they survived would have meant they weren't pressed into service until near the very end of the series.

[Mike DC]

                
There is some truth in that idea - the "survivors" were not heavy jump cars.  None of them (aside from the billboard car) had gotten a full rollcage and done a big unibody-demolishing jump yet.  

The worst jump damage was some mini-jumping 3-5 feet up in the air.  They used to do that with nothing more than the 2pt "dummy" rollbars and lap belts.  Those cars had lots of bent sheetmetal, even some slightly tweaked unibodies, but not the big heavy wreckage that the show was known for.