Have any of you with General Lees used the car at conventions/charities?

[elanmars]

Just wondering if anyone has experience with using their General Lees (or any other "famous" car) at car, comic book, Dukes of Hazzard conventions and charities for business. At comic cons I've seen Deloreans done up Back to the Future style, I've seen people do that Chevy from Supernatural, the Scooby Doo van, Jurassic Park Jeep, and not of them all that well done, so it makes me think I could use my so-so General Lee-looks great in pictures, and people love posing with it all the time, even when it's been off the road for a few years now, people of all ages, colors, LOVE that orange, 01, and rebel flag...I know there's gotta be a General Lee out there making the rounds at comic book conventions.

Just an idea I'm playing with, having people pose with the car and get a picture for a few bucks. May help with keeping the car going, and to eventually do away with the orange paint and General Lee graphics, and have it painted black like I really want.

[ws23rt]

I have no clue about how much money you could make with the photo opportunities you mentioned --but would expect it to be far lower than the cost for you to show up for those events in the long run.
I also suspect that with the number of GL cars out there the competition for any money is that much tougher.
If you really want a black car you will never have it while making gas money with an orange one.

[ws23rt]

Your post caught my eye for another reason.
You have a GL replica car?---Is that what you bought or did you make it a GL car?

My question may get off topic some but I do wonder how much of the interest these days really comes from the Dukes of Hazzard show?

I for example grew up with these cars before the show and my interest is in how the charger was in the car world. The Dukes of Hazzard show added something to the car that I never grabbed on to.  

If your interest initially came from the "Dukes" and you now want to make it back into a non GL charger that is interesting.

[smithenhiven]

Sorry friend, but I can't see anybody wanting to pay money to get their picture taken in front of a car, unless perhaps it was an actual screen used car, or as part of a pose with one of the actual Duke Boys themselves.  Most of the time, that sorta thing is complementary as part of the event anyway (I recall taking my kids to a monster truck event, and before the show, the kids were able to stand by any truck they wanted for pictures; had someone wanted to charge money for that, I'd have said "time to take our seats", lol).

Perhaps you'd be better off renting your General Lee to the event coordinator of whatever function is going on, that way the car's presence is free to the average show-goer?

[Mike DC]

Sorry friend, but I can't see anybody wanting to pay money to get their picture taken in front of a car, unless perhaps it was an actual screen used car, or as part of a pose with one of the actual Duke Boys themselves.

Zillions of kids in the early 1980s did exactly that at the World of Wheels shows.  No actors.  The cars were nice replicas for the time but were not screen-used.  




Replica owners are not technically allowed to make money off their GLs.  
(It's like a homemade Superman costume - you can make it, and you can wear it in public all you want.  Just no profiting.)

Warner Bros has normally looked the other way with GL replicas, as long as the profits & attention level is minor and nobody claims to be affiliated with WB.

[1965gp]

I have a GL replica and while I do get tons of people taking pics (especially parked next to the wife's black and gold TA)- I don't know that people would pay for it. I can see possibly setting up a display for donations for Wounded Warrior, March of dimes, Shriners etc. I think that is what the owner of the speed racer Mach V did this year at the Autorama but I don't know how much was donated.

[elanmars]

I have no clue about how much money you could make with the photo opportunities you mentioned --but would expect it to be far lower than the cost for you to show up for those events in the long run.
I also suspect that with the number of GL cars out there the competition for any money is that much tougher.
If you really want a black car you will never have it while making gas money with an orange one.

I wouldn't go further than 3-6 hours from where I'm at, I make all my cars drivers, so gas wouldn't be too bad (especially since it has a 318 in it). You'd be surprised at the decent money I saw the people with Deloreans, that Impala from Supernatural, etc were making for people just to pose by/next/inside those cars.

[elanmars]

Your post caught my eye for another reason.
You have a GL replica car?---Is that what you bought or did you make it a GL car?

My question may get off topic some but I do wonder how much of the interest these days really comes from the Dukes of Hazzard show?

I for example grew up with these cars before the show and my interest is in how the charger was in the car world. The Dukes of Hazzard show added something to the car that I never grabbed on to.  

If your interest initially came from the "Dukes" and you now want to make it back into a non GL charger that is interesting.

I grew up with the show, and was a fan of it as a kid...but I just found a good deal on this car, which was already done up with the orange paint and graphics, front guard. I'm more of a Charger fan in whatever shape, or form, so for me, the car as the General Lee is fun for the attention it gets, but otherwise my intention has always been to eventually make it to what I want it to be (unless, of course, someone gives me a great offer on it as is). So I suppose it's the reverse of the usual, people wanting a Charger to turn into a General Lee, whereas I want to de-General Lee-ize it haha.

A lot of people go nuts over it, but then, I also live in south Louisiana, so...but yeah, I got this car because of a good deal on it, and I wanted to badly replace my wrecked '69 Charger (I'm sure you've seen the pics of a white 69 Charger that's destroyed, that was mine, I survived that).

[Drache]

I had people offering money just to have their picture taken in one of my Darts. I never accepted any money for it as it went against what my car was at the show for. People were paying money to be able to sit in a Lamborghini and have their picture taken at one show I was at.

[68X426]

Easier way to make money is to make/buy a life size cardboard cutout of a GL and travel with it for photo poses. 

Like these folks and the cow: https://www.cardboardcutouts.com/cutouts/0709/holstein-cow

[RCCDrew]

I have a GL replica and while I do get tons of people taking pics (especially parked next to the wife's black and gold TA)- I don't know that people would pay for it. I can see possibly setting up a display for donations for Wounded Warrior, March of dimes, Shriners etc. I think that is what the owner of the speed racer Mach V did this year at the Autorama but I don't know how much was donated.

Was that your cars at the Houston Autorama last year? If so, great cars.

[RCCDrew]

Your post caught my eye for another reason.
You have a GL replica car?---Is that what you bought or did you make it a GL car?

My question may get off topic some but I do wonder how much of the interest these days really comes from the Dukes of Hazzard show?

I for example grew up with these cars before the show and my interest is in how the charger was in the car world. The Dukes of Hazzard show added something to the car that I never grabbed on to.  

If your interest initially came from the "Dukes" and you now want to make it back into a non GL charger that is interesting.

I grew up with the show, and was a fan of it as a kid...but I just found a good deal on this car, which was already done up with the orange paint and graphics, front guard. I'm more of a Charger fan in whatever shape, or form, so for me, the car as the General Lee is fun for the attention it gets, but otherwise my intention has always been to eventually make it to what I want it to be (unless, of course, someone gives me a great offer on it as is). So I suppose it's the reverse of the usual, people wanting a Charger to turn into a General Lee, whereas I want to de-General Lee-ize it haha.

A lot of people go nuts over it, but then, I also live in south Louisiana, so...but yeah, I got this car because of a good deal on it, and I wanted to badly replace my wrecked '69 Charger (I'm sure you've seen the pics of a white 69 Charger that's destroyed, that was mine, I survived that).

Wow, that was your white Charger. Glad to hear you made it out of that car. My suggestion is to try your idea. You never know until you try it. I would guess that the General Lee is an even more famous car than the DeLorean.

[1965gp]

Thanks RCC, yes those were my cars at the Houston Autorama.

The one place this may work is a local comic on type event as you suggested. It's full of millennial's with too much money. We went last year to get John Schneider to sign the console of my GL and everything cost $$ there.

[Brock Lee]

Have done numerous comic and fan conventions with a showcar quality General Lee for many years.

Charging money is futile. People will still snap photos with their cameras from a distance. The best we have done is set out a "tip jar". We have made a couple hundred dollars a day doing that. If you think paying for a spot to place a car only looking to make money off pictures, you will not make much. You need to sell something else to make it worth while. We use the car to get attention to our booth, then any money made in the photo tip jar is gravy.

Some random lessons learned:

Don't bring more than one. It confuses people and blows the illusion of "THE" General Lee (first year we did it we brought three..dumb).

Bring your own stantions. The shows will often try and upcharge for them and they usually are too tall and sketchy.

Get ready to be "schooled" on all sorts of bogus information about those cars.

If you insist on payment for a photo, get ready to watch people get really crafty and brazen about snapping off free pictures. They take it as a challenge.

Prepare for events where a fire chief will inspect your car. Often indoor events will require your car have very little fuel in the car, a disconnected battery, no odor of fuel, no leaks, and other requirements. Know these ahead of time so your car is not kicked out by the fire chief. Some areas are more anal about that than others..but you must be prepared.

[fc7_plumcrazy]

Your post caught my eye for another reason.
You have a GL replica car?---Is that what you bought or did you make it a GL car?

My question may get off topic some but I do wonder how much of the interest these days really comes from the Dukes of Hazzard show?

I for example grew up with these cars before the show and my interest is in how the charger was in the car world. The Dukes of Hazzard show added something to the car that I never grabbed on to.  

If your interest initially came from the "Dukes" and you now want to make it back into a non GL charger that is interesting.

I was young when DOH was in TV but I liked the cars before.
To me DOH cars always look ugly for the same reasons you mentioned.
It wasn't meant to be unless there is V2 on the fender tag

Carsten

[BrianShaughnessy]

Not me,  but I have a couple friends with GL's.  

One went around following John Schneider for awhile.   He was at Carlisle one year and did a few other shows with him... he got paid fairly well I suppose.    His car was noticeable because it's a 68 with a 69 tail panel.

Another picked up at least $500 one time showing up for a show.   Maybe he did more .... don't know.  Haven't spoken to him lately.

[Back N Black]

I don't have a GL, but I have people knocking on the door all the time to hire my charger for graduations and weddings. I probably did 10 grads and a couple of weddings.

[1965gp]

I am suppose see to have my GL in a wedding late this year- we'll see if it happens. A friend f a friend so I really don't expect anything. He's a stereo guy so maybe he can help on one of the other cars?

[HPT BANDIT]

I currently have a General Lee in the works and plan on taking it to a couple events to raise money for the empty stocking fund. I'm not really into the letting a bunch people sit in it and take pictures, but I hope the interest might raise money for a good cause.

To those who have been asked to have your car at their weddings... what do you charge for that?

[69ChargerMikey]

I have one I'm building right now. Making money from it never crossed my mind. I've always wanted one and that's why I'm building it. If I get tired of the gl stuff, I'll just remove the decals and throw a black bumble bee stripe on it or something. Lol!