Dukefest

[Charger_Fan]

I never knew it was that big of a gathering.
That must be some sight to see all those GL's running around. I wonder how often someone hops in somebody else's GL, thinking it's theirs? "Suzy, where did we park"?

[69_500]

I can't believe that it is as big of a show as it is yearly. I mean I figured it would just balooon with the new movie and all, and then fall off a tad. But it appears to be growing still this year.

[genlee1970]

I hope so Al.  Is that a seperate deck lid you have to get signed other then the one on the General?

Nah Jason, I was just kidding. I usually carry my passenger side sun visor to get signed. I did meet up with people who were wheeling thier deck lid around with a hand truck and we met a family on the road to Dukes Fest last year who had thier decklid with them in the RV. The rest of the car wasn't finished, but they figured they'd finish the decklid and get a jump start on signatures. Pretty slick. Saw them at Carlisle as well. I guess alot of people get the glove box door signed but the ones on the 70 models are too textured to accept a signature well.

[genlee1970]

I never knew it was that big of a gathering.
That must be some sight to see all those GL's running around. I wonder how often someone hops in somebody else's GL, thinking it's theirs? "Suzy, where did we park"?

It is pretty cool to see 70 or so Generals all together in one show , or better yet going around the track, but it's even more fun to drive around town and see them all over the place, in car washes, restaurants, hotel parking lots. I think that's the one place where you could use a General as a bank robbery getaway car a stand a good chance of not getting caught.
   As far as the popularity, I think it has more to do with the reruns on CMT than the movie. I got so much more attention at the Nats this year, alot of it by kids under 10, so I doubt they saw the movie. Kids love the General. People were offering me money to take thier kids around the parking lot at our hotel at Dukes Fest. I did it for free, just the look on thier faces was worth it. Oh and seeing their little necks snap back into the seat when I gunned the throttle brought a tear to my eye......you know they were thinking "Mom's Windstar doesn't do this!!"

[THE COLONEL]

I never knew it was that big of a gathering.
That must be some sight to see all those GL's running around. I wonder how often someone hops in somebody else's GL, thinking it's theirs? "Suzy, where did we park"?

It is pretty cool to see 70 or so Generals all together in one show , or better yet going around the track, but it's even more fun to drive around town and see them all over the place, in car washes, restaurants, hotel parking lots. I think that's the one place where you could use a General as a bank robbery getaway car a stand a good chance of not getting caught.
   As far as the popularity, I think it has more to do with the reruns on CMT than the movie. I got so much more attention at the Nats this year, alot of it by kids under 10, so I doubt they saw the movie. Kids love the General. People were offering me money to take thier kids around the parking lot at our hotel at Dukes Fest. I did it for free, just the look on thier faces was worth it. Oh and seeing their little necks snap back into the seat when I gunned the throttle brought a tear to my eye......you know they were thinking "Mom's Windstar doesn't do this!!"

I did see the a couple people there with the trunk lids.  I could not imagine carrying that around for hours upon hours.

It's amazing, I have even had people ask me about The Colonel, if the car was originally orange and I painted it yellow, just because of the trunk lid.  Some have even asked me if my doors were welded shut.  I always leave my doors locked, even though the windows are down, but I had this 9 or 10 yeard old boy ask me that, and I told him to try to open the door.  You should have seen the look on his face when it didn't open.  I had to tell him it was just locked.

The amount of people at Dukesfest and the number of Generals there is amazing.  I remember Dukesfest 01 you only had to wait in line a matter of minutes for an autograph, now it is almost 7-8 hours.  I have seen it grow, and man has it.

[MoparMotel]

Well looks like were gunna be headin out there   Don't they jump a General every year out there?

[Mike DC]

Yeah, they have been doing it for the last two years now.  The driver will probably try to beat his 2004 jump distance (193 feet) if the situation allows.  Depends on how much good space the promoters can provide for the jump, and how well the car is set up & running.

A lot of people would like to see them stop doing it.
But it really draws a crowd, and the event promoters are in it for the money so there's not much we can do.  At least the stunt crew uses some pretty worthless cars to start with.  They're just rusty bare Charger shells dressed up to look good from 30 feet away. 

(The last time the crew jumped a car, they started with a bare rusty 1968 Charger shell that they got just 14 days before the jump.)

.

[Ghoste]

Maybe one positive side effect of the skyrocketing prices of musclecars means that short of Hollywood, all of these car smashing thrill shows will end. 

[THE COLONEL]

Yeah, they have been doing it for the last two years now.  The driver will probably try to beat his 2004 jump distance (193 feet) if the situation allows.  Depends on how much good space the promoters can provide for the jump, and how well the car is set up & running.

A lot of people would like to see them stop doing it.
But it really draws a crowd, and the event promoters are in it for the money so there's not much we can do.  At least the stunt crew uses some pretty worthless cars to start with.  They're just rusty bare Charger shells dressed up to look good from 30 feet away. 

(The last time the crew jumped a car, they started with a bare rusty 1968 Charger shell that they got just 14 days before the jump.)

.

I agree with Mike.  To tell you the truth, even though the jumps are cool in person, some of the Duke faithful say it is getting old, but Mike is right...it does draw a crowd.

[genlee1970]

I never knew it was that big of a gathering.
That must be some sight to see all those GL's running around. I wonder how often someone hops in somebody else's GL, thinking it's theirs? "Suzy, where did we park"?

It is pretty cool to see 70 or so Generals all together in one show , or better yet going around the track, but it's even more fun to drive around town and see them all over the place, in car washes, restaurants, hotel parking lots. I think that's the one place where you could use a General as a bank robbery getaway car a stand a good chance of not getting caught.
   As far as the popularity, I think it has more to do with the reruns on CMT than the movie. I got so much more attention at the Nats this year, alot of it by kids under 10, so I doubt they saw the movie. Kids love the General. People were offering me money to take thier kids around the parking lot at our hotel at Dukes Fest. I did it for free, just the look on thier faces was worth it. Oh and seeing their little necks snap back into the seat when I gunned the throttle brought a tear to my eye......you know they were thinking "Mom's Windstar doesn't do this!!"

I did see the a couple people there with the trunk lids.  I could not imagine carrying that around for hours upon hours.

It's amazing, I have even had people ask me about The Colonel, if the car was originally orange and I painted it yellow, just because of the trunk lid.  Some have even asked me if my doors were welded shut.  I always leave my doors locked, even though the windows are down, but I had this 9 or 10 yeard old boy ask me that, and I told him to try to open the door.  You should have seen the look on his face when it didn't open.  I had to tell him it was just locked.

The amount of people at Dukesfest and the number of Generals there is amazing.  I remember Dukesfest 01 you only had to wait in line a matter of minutes for an autograph, now it is almost 7-8 hours.  I have seen it grow, and man has it.

Locking the doors? Pretty slick. I'll have to try that. I was at a local show in 04 and returned to my car to find the door ajar. At first I thought someone was messing with it, then I figured they were trying to see if the doors were welded and were likely to embrrassed to get caught slamming the door closed. Pretty ballsy, opening the door on someones car, if you ask me.
    No kidding, they asked you if you repainted it. That's cool. Still on the fence about redoing it. I can see why John Schnieder told you not to, I mean, it's a done car. Then again, you could keep it yellow, use the flag and
and have "The Colonel" graphics made up. Hmmm, what to do about the door numbers.....ever wonder what a yellow General would look like? Anyone out there want to re- color the General on their computer. I'm a technological neanderthal, otherwise I would do it myself. That would give you a idea of how it would look without spending all the coin on graphics.
   Kind of wished I had been able to go when the autograph lines were short. Then again, my car wasn't finished til the 04 season, and Dukes Fest 04 was 2 weeks after Carlisle and 2 weeks before the Nationals. No way I could scam that much time off work in one month.
   As far as them jumping more cars, I have to admit, it was cool to see once in person, and sickening at the same time. These cars aren't getting any cheaper or easier to find and they'll not likely re-issue bodies like they did with the 69 Camaro. I don't think they'd lose an appreciable amount of attendance if they didn't do the jumps, and I'm sure the public would understand not wanting to waste a non renewable resource as valuable and coveted as a second generation Charger.

[Shakey]

As far as the cast, we have heard that the entire cast will be there, along with the stunt crew. 

I'd be quite impressed if Boss Hogg & Uncle Jesse show up!