LEE1 video...where is it?

[RallyeMike]

I had no idea that Lee #1 was a actually rebodied. he hype I heard early on it that it was saved. What a shame!

[tan top]

not trying to stir this up ,  i'm just curious

is there any good  documented pictures anywhere to show the work done to lee 1 at various stages ,  not the ones that have been doing the rounds on the net for years  , as intresting as they are , don't really show much ,

[Homerr]

Can someone give me an impartial (as possible) synopsis of Travis Bell, Mr. Murphy, and Jim Shine?  I'm new to this whole controversy.  I looked at the first 3 pages of the posted link so I've seen those pics.

[sanders7981]

not trying to stir this up ,  i'm just curious

is there any good  documented pictures anywhere to show the work done to lee 1 at various stages ,  not the ones that have been doing the rounds on the net for years  , as intresting as they are , don't really show much ,

That is a totally valid, and excellent, question... One would think that the restoration of a vehicle such as Lee 1 would have had numerous photos taken of the resto process.  And if not, then why? 

[chargerboy69]

Can someone give me an impartial (as possible) synopsis of Travis Bell, Mr. Murphy, and Jim Shine?  I'm new to this whole controversy.  I looked at the first 3 pages of the posted link so I've seen those pics.

I met Travis roughly 10 years ago at a Charger show we put on in Auburn Indiana.  He brought Lee1 up with him, it was green with the 71 on it at the time.  He was very nice to me as I chatted with him for hours.  It was only within the last 5-7 years did I start hearing poor comments about him.  From everything I have read it does not sound like he is the most honest guy, but I do not know him personally.

Jim, I believe was a member of this board, have not seen him on here for years.

[Mike DC]

                              
Short version of the story AFAIK:

Mr. Murphy bought the car to restore & sell, no better, no worse.  He was not known in the GL world before then.  He placed TB in charge of the project.  

The car's unibody was clipped.  The front subframe/firewall/engine bay is the original LEE#1, making it legally still the same car according to most laws.  But the roof and sides behind the doors are a donor unibody.  Most of the parts that could be identified as LEE#1/#71 were quietly sold off.  


**Travis Bell comes out as the villain in the story.  The secret parts-selling shenanigans are signature TB behavior.  Many insiders in the GL hobby were predicting big trouble as soon as it became known that TB had been put in charge of the resto.

Jim Shine was a friend of TB's who was heavily involved in the resto and knows the early GLs very well.  His own rep was honest aside from being involved with TB.

---

My biases:

Mr. Murphy - I've never met him.
TB - spent time with him years ago, we ended up on bad terms.
JS - spent time with him years ago, we always got along fine.

The restored car - extremely accurate re-creation overall IMO, it just draws criticism for the manner in which it was done.

---------------------------------------------------



** correction:

Travis & Jim & Kraig C & Corndog are all talking a few pages later in this thread.  Don't listen to me about who is responsible for what, let them speak for themselves.

   

[jaak]

Jim, I believe was a member of this board, have not seen him on here for years.

Yeah He was a member here for years, but after his involvement in the Lee1 recreation, there was a lot of controversy and arguments that caused him to leave the site.

Jason

[JB400]

Here you go  Close to the bottom of the page.  n

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dukes-of-Hazzard-Restoration-of-the-1st-General-Lee-DVD-/330668599560?nma=true&si=xuLIoBfc7CRy7Lkm1ffgbq6ghgs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[Cooter]

John S. Also found out about the BS surrounding the 'monies' made off 'Lee1's' parts and wasnt happy.
just a bad deal all around. If the roof was still good, it shoulda been left with the car as well as the original parts.
TB just left enough of the original car there to sell it legally.
A LOT more of Lee 1 shoulda been put back on the car.

[Mikesmoparperformance]

Here you go  Close to the bottom of the page.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dukes-of-Hazzard-Restoration-of-the-1st-General-Lee-DVD-/330668599560?nma=true&si=xuLIoBfc7CRy7Lkm1ffgbq6ghgs%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

AWESOME!!! 

We can look ad this 2 ways.1 LEE 1 is not a 100% Original. 2 LEE 1 still is there but in pieces If you find it all you got it back again. The front valance is here in the Netherlands!

[ACUDANUT]

A red/orange Charger with a gold engine compartment.   

[Mikesmoparperformance]

http://www.generalleefanclub.com/71/71.html

[Cooter]

A red/orange Charger with a gold engine compartment.  

The original car was gold/copper when bought by the show and painted orange. That's what's so weird, he went to the trouble of painting the car copper then orange to recreate so expertly, yet sold off the good original parts that could have been used???

[DTB]

Watched a youtube video of the new owner and the General Lee,that golfer guy... My impression was that he thought they wiped the mud off,pulled the frame straight and fired it up. I guess he did spend some money to fix it up a little after he got it. Heck supposedly the radio didn't even work.

Personally, It'd have to be over 60% original for me to consider it an original General Lee. If I was going to spend the money on one, I'd rather have a complete restoration including an uncracked windshield and a completed interior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_30wv5h0s

[Homerr]

OMG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_30wv5h0s#t=404

[Dreamcar]

OMG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_30wv5h0s#t=404

Is it just me or is the front door gap on the driver's side off near the bottom of the door?

[Dreamcar]

On a different note, what type of exhaust would Lee 1 have?....I love the sound

[Ghoste]

Old glasspacks?

[Dreamcar]

Old glasspacks?

If yes, that's the sound I want...eventually...in a few years...when I get to needing an exhaust as part of the cars rebuild

[Homerr]

Ok, you guys were catching the part where he is talking about "gotta get this all redone" as he looks around the interior?

[Dreamcar]

Ok, you guys were catching the part where he is talking about "gotta get this all redone" as he looks around the interior?

I noticed it too. Maybe he knew at that point that the backseat he was looking at was not the actually the back of Lee 1 so it wouldn't matter as much to have it finished

[Mike DC]

 
Somehow I doubt his reasoning is anywhere near that well thought out. 

He's not a Mopar originality nut or "Dukes" historian.  He's a rich guy who impulsively spent $100k on a toy car. 

[CornDogsCharger]

not trying to stir this up ,  i'm just curious

is there any good  documented pictures anywhere to show the work done to lee 1 at various stages ,  not the ones that have been doing the rounds on the net for years  , as intresting as they are , don't really show much ,

I saved this picture back when the LEE 1 site first popped up.  Not long after I posted my detailed version on the picture... it was pulled down.  Since I do body work for a living, the first thing I noticed was where the body was sectioned in.  All of the yellow/gold color was from the donor car.  The gray/pink color was from the original LEE 1.  For the longest time, everyone said that ONLY the firewall was re-used.  There was more... but not much.  Surprisingly, the floors, rear frame rails (except the last 12 or so inches), and the inner wheel houses were salvaged..... from the best that I can gather.  

Justin
"CornDog"

[Mikesmoparperformance]

Nice picturers! This is a good look how it was done. Thanks!

And I did not have the full video can't find it

[tan top]

not trying to stir this up ,  i'm just curious

is there any good  documented pictures anywhere to show the work done to lee 1 at various stages ,  not the ones that have been doing the rounds on the net for years  , as intresting as they are , don't really show much ,

I saved this picture back when the LEE 1 site first popped up.  Not long after I posted my detailed version on the picture... it was pulled down.  Since I do body work for a living, the first thing I noticed was where the body was sectioned in.  All of the yellow/gold color was from the donor car.  The gray/pink color was from the original LEE 1.  For the longest time, everyone said that ONLY the firewall was re-used.  There was more... but not much.  Surprisingly, the floors, rear frame rails (except the last 12 or so inches), and the inner wheel houses were salvaged..... from the best that I can gather.  

Justin
"CornDog"

good pictures  !! thanks for posting  

yeah ! agreed  I see what they done  too ,  hmmm not much of the original car left !!   by the looks of it they did not even try to keep the original inner panels ,  although pictures too dark to see the inside , does look like some gray primer in there !!
need detailed  interior pictures really