LEE1 video...where is it?

[Dreamcar]

First, thank you Jim for sharing your part of the story. When I started this thread I had no idea it would go the way it did. All I was looking for was the Inside Line video narrated by TB 

I've re-read the posts and I'm still a little confused as to why certain parts were removed, but that doesn't really matter. In my opinion, there's only a handful of people that truly know what could've and should've been saved on Lee 1 instead of replaced. Lee 1 is a piece of history and getting a group of people together to decide on what work to do may not lead to a consensus.

[jimduke01]

Thanks for sharing that info Jim Shine . I think your heart was and is in the right place but your voice wasn't heard by the bean counters. I don't think anyone holds you responsible for this mess. From the lee one dvd it looks like you dedicated a part off your life to this project.I think that the car turned out great to but you seemed to think more could have been saved and used and I guess thats the whole point. I'm so  disappointed that Bubba Watson threw the Original windshield in the trash and is cutting out the full cage. Does he have any idea about this cars history? Now the only evidence that this car is Lee 1 is the Warner brothers vin on the dash? Couldn't he just build a replica lee the way he wanted it, could of saved some money. R.I.Pieces Lee One

[Brock Lee]

First, let me say I WANT people to be skeptical of what I say. Don't "take my word for it". Just consider it before making a decision.

Second, just because you see a picture of a part removed doesn't mean it didn't end back up on the car (I have seen a number of pics taken during the resto). And sometimes a part you see may not even have been from Lee1! It is all about context. And I still find it crazy people think they can judge the condition of something from a couple pictures.

Third, how much of Lee1 do you think was in the 71 car? Every piece of removable (and some non-removable) sheetmetal was changed before becoming the 71 car (exception being the front valence, which was toast). There were even non General Lee and even some non-Charger parts used on it. These were not "Lee1". But people are led to believe otherwise.

Crawl under Lee1, there is plenty of evidence underneath.

As for why didn't he just build a clone..I know the reasons. I still consider Marvin a friend. I will not go into that. Things were put into motion when I came around. I had a choice, I could let it play out and know that I and many others would not be happy with the detail that went into the car, or I could play a role in seeing it came out "right"..plus I made new friends and moved to this great area. I don't think anyone involved would dispute the accuracy of the final product was my doing. I did my job the best I could and have zero regrets.

[jimduke01]

Just to clarify I meant Why wouldn't Bubba Watson buy a replica. It just seems like he's making it worse. Throwing the original window away! Is he nuts? Your right about the #71 car. I never thought about how many parts were looted to make other generals. It looked to be a pretty complete car though. I see your point on that. I feel it should of been left as found so guys like me can pay for a ticket and get my picture taken with it    I feel like Lee one belonged to all of us Dukes fans. Selfish right? You can't please everyone

[Brock Lee]

If I owned the 71 car, I wouldn't have touched it. But I didn't.

Truth be told, Bubba wanted a General Lee and bought the only one that came through Barret Jackson on that day. I spent a lot of time talking to him in the days leading up to the auction (I had no idea who he was). In my view, he only started to "get" what the car was about after he had already bought it. He had a car guy there that went through the car to make sure it was solid and safe and that guy gave him the green light to buy it. There were other interested parties I spoke to that straight told me they were going to "step aside" for Bubba.

I still recall our conversation back at the car after it hit the block. As he listed off the changes he had planned (others included repainting the car, a Hemi, new wheels, ditch the sloppy numbers) he stopped and said "I can see I am killing you..so I will stop."  It seemed as things sunk in he was having a change of heart, but he has already made some changes, so I wouldn't be surprised if more are in the works. 

[Mikesmoparperformance]

  shocked

Bubba Watson 

[Dreamcar]

Jim, since you saw more of Lee 1 than any of us will, can you tell me what type of exhaust was put on it? I heard it and love the sound.

[Brock Lee]

We didn't go stock on the exhaust. It had the stock manifolds, but the rest back was a 3 inch dual exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers. On the show it was actually a single exhaust with factory muffler and all. We had considered going back stock, but the remains of the exhaust was rusted or crunched. The whole area where the two manifolds meet was destroyed. Since we had to start over anyway, we took a liberty on that spec.

[Dreamcar]

Glasspacks or chambered?

[Brock Lee]

They were definitely not glasspacks. I have the invoice. I could find the exact part number, but they were not special. 

[Dreamcar]

If you have it near, sure I'll take the part number! That would be awesome. But if it's too much of a hassle, don't worry about it. Thank you so much for joining this conversation Jim!!!!!

[Brock Lee]

I will dig it up. That stuff is not handy at the moment. I will be sure and post that, but otherwise, I pretty much have said all I had to say.

[Dreamcar]

Great, thanks!

[Dreamcar]

This short article from an interview with Jim mentions the donor car...just thought I'd share:

http://www.themusclecarplace.com/tmcp-podcast-125-jim-shine-on-restoring-lee-1

[Brock Lee]

The invoice says it has 50 series Flowmasters.

[Dreamcar]

Thanks Jim

[Ghoste]

Jim, thanks for bringing a different light on a story that I'm sure you're sick of.  It's refreshing to hear from someone actually involved.

[Brock Lee]

Glad you appreciate it!

The story is the story. For a guy like me that car means something totally different than most. It set up a bunch of circumstances that changed my life. I still live in Indianapolis (now 8 years). I am here because of that car, so the whole deal had an affect on my most basic lifestyle to this very day.

The negativity around the car, I dealt with it. The challenge for a while was getting hit up all the time from people wanting paint colors, graphics templates, and other detailed GL specific info that I didn't feel like sharing. When I didn't share I would get attacked. There is this attitude that is very common that people are entitled to this stuff. Plus, I had invested way too much time and energy into all this. I neglected myself. I look back at pics of me over the Lee1 years and I got FAT. It was time to start thinking less about pointless stuff like cars and start thinking about myself for a change.

BTW- I did reinstall some parts and did some other work in the year I had it. I just remembered a funny story some of you may appreciate.

One day during the build we went to get parts at The Paddock. When we returned the engine guy says "Jim, look what I did for you." He took the original horn pad and dyed it with the same dye we used to paint the new center console body. It looked terrible and I was upset because there was overspray on it from them painting the cage, the orange, and even some blue/green 71 car paint. It was unveiled with that dyed pad. When I was tinkering on it, putting stuff back in, etc. I sat down one day and carefully removed all the dye. Luckily he didn't prep it, so most, if not all of the 70's overspray remained in tact. So, if you look at pics of it taken within the first few months of it being done, you will see the tan dye on that pad, which made it much lighter.

[CornDogsCharger]

Jim, I'm actually glad that you have been willing to shed some light on LEE 1.  The little details and stories (during and after the build) are what's very interesting.  It sounds like you were emotionally attached to the car, which is great... because your heart was in it... and the small details that were unique to LEE 1/71, like the original overspray on the horn pad, were not overlooked.  I just wanted to say that I'm right there with you as far as being over with the whole LEE 1 saga.  About a year and a half ago I even called Travis out of the blue, just to kind of bury the hatchet.  We talked for about an hour.  We talked about whats going on with his life, whats going on with my life, LEE 1, Cannonball Run Van, and other stuff.  I haven't spoken to him since, but it was good to get that part out of the way and to move on to more important things.

As far as the "we were told" comment... "we" was meant for "myself" along with a few other recipients of LEE 1 parts.  And "were told" was direct from Travis... not hearsay or what was read on the boards.  I guess I really should have just said "I was told by Travis that...".  Like I mentioned before... when Travis and I discussed Lee 1 parts over the phone, he told me that Marvin wanted the parts to be in the hands of the true fans of the car.  So that's what I was led to believe.  I'm sure, at the time, that is exactly what Marvin wanted.  Do I agree that Marvin changed his mind many times during the build?  Heck yeah!  Travis and I talked frequently during that time and I heard many stories.  I never heard the part about Marvin wanting to do away with all evidence of the car in 71 form... but it does not surprise me.  I'm glad that he changed his mind... it's just part of the cars history.

I feel as though the car was properly repaired.  It would have been nice to save more of the car's originality but like Jim said, most of LEE 1's original sheet metal was picked off back in 1978 soon after it was jumped.  When replacing that much sheet metal... with used sheet metal, it is best to replace it as an assembly.  In doing so, some of the inner structure will have to be sacrificed in the process.  I listened to the interview with Rob Kibbe and Jim... and Jim mentioned that the car drives down the road GREAT.  If the car was just patched together, and only received a exterior cosmetic restoration, like many people thought it needed, then the car would still drive like a worn out, jumped, prop car... and could not be enjoyed.  All in all... the car was done right.

Jim, I hope you were able to make a lasting impression on Bubba, enough so that he will retain as much of the car's originality as possible. 

Justin
"CornDog"

[Cooter]

Another one gone.

[jaak]

Yes, I am Jim Shine.

Just wondering... sounded like (by the way your were talking) you was around when it was being built.
Do you still own a Charger/General Lee?

Jason

[69wannabe]

It's a touchy subject anytime you mention LEE 1 around any dukes fans. What was said above is very true that after the car was jumped and parked many parts were robbed off of it to fill other needs. I saw a pic from a personal collection of Henry Hollman that showed LEE 1 in pieces after the jump. No pass. door, no taillight panel, no grille or front valence even the radiator and front of the engine was gone. I could see the timing chain and gears in one pic. Lots of parts were already gone off the LEE 1 car since back then it was just a totaled charger to them. Just last year me and a friend went to the spot where LEE 1 was parked for many years after it left covington just to see where it was for so many years until it was picked up by TB. It was only an hour and 15 mins from where I live and I had no idea it even still existed. Well, water under the bridge at this point.

[Mike DC]

  


Another vote of thanks to Jim for speaking up.  

Now that a few years have gone by and emotions have cooled down, maybe his version of the story will have a better chance at taking root in popular memory.   There's been a lot of B.S. flying over this car and it would be nice to have at least some of it settled down.  



Jim - I'm gonna try to send you a PM in the next day or two.  

[Ghoste]

Thats what I was thinking too Mike.  It'd be nice.

[Dreamcar]

Maybe Jim should have a small website with his story...hint hint