Between the 1968 R/T 440 and the 1969 R/T 440, which Dodge Charger is the superstar of the Fratzog emblem fraternity? That’s a hard choice for any Mopar enthusiast, as both cars have their place in the pantheon of all-time great muscle cars. Their aura is so powerful that it imbues even toy models of the originals with an irresistible appeal.
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Photo: YouTube/Restorations4U
When the second generation of the Dodge Charger broke ground in 1968, car nuts were head over (w)heels for it, and for too many good reasons to count. The R/T package debuted on the nameplate one year after being introduced to the market with the road runner. No, not the Plymouth icon – that’s spelled with capital Rs (Road Runner), but with the Coronet R/T, dubbed by the copywriters as ‘road runner.’
So, in 1968, the restyled Dodge Charger made the headlines and became a box office sensation. Heck, it even stole the stage from the King of Cool himself. Remember the poster for ‘Bullitt,’ the movie that introduced Hollywood to the trend of breathtaking car-chasing scenes? Who’s got the front and center shot? That’s right, it’s not Steve McQueen or his Ford Mustang GT – it’s the sinister black-on-black 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440.
One year later, in 1969, another iconic Charger came around – the split-grille legend that would later give life to one of the most recognizable automobiles in television history: General Lee. The Orange Charger from Hazzard County, Georgia, is the getaway car of the ‘Dukes of Hazzard,’ the incredible stunts it pulls throughout the TV series have earned it a demigod status among classic American cars.
Photo: YouTube/Restorations4U
Die-hard fans of the car would go to the end of the world and back to get their hands on an original example. Three hundred twenty-five cars were used in the making of the TV series between January 1979 and February 1985, and most of them fell victim to the stunts performed during filming. It's easy to understand that anything related to this magnificent fictional machine is held to a high value in certain circles.
So much so that even toy replicas of the General Lee Charger get special treatment. Take the attached video as the perfect example. One discrete YouTuber passionate about upcycling old or beat-up toy cars brought a General Lee diecast 1:18 scale model to another life. We don’t know the provenance of the car or its history.
How it ended up in such a bad shape is of little importance now since we’re focusing on the restoration process. The YouTuber shows solid knowledge of how to fix a crusty toy car, and the ASMR video is satisfying to the point of addiction. The subject of this video was built with great attention to detail, but its fate after it was bought from the toy store wasn’t one to write home about, judging by its looks.
Photo: YouTube/Restorations4U
However, don’t be deceived by its rusty demeanor – there are content creators who purposefully ‘age’ various objects (toys, guns, tools, etc.) to make them look properly old and abandoned. Whether this Charger falls in this category is debatable (the screws holding the underside of the car to the body are speckless clean, and shiny, for once), but the work itself is no less impressive.
After dismantling the car into its main components, the YouTuber thoroughly cleans it. Then, the metal parts of the body are media blasted. Using a recycled lignite coal by-product for fast, abrasive cleaning, the restorer dusts off the old paint and prepares the body for the paint job.
Just like in a regular, life-sized shop, the toy Charger gets a coat of primer before it is covered in its signature orange hue. The inside parts, made of plastic, are also refreshed and repainted (in accurate detail). Still, the best part about this resto-build is the ‘engine.’ Using a 3D printer, the YouTuber makes the main parts of a supercharged 392 HEMI Hellcat. To be exact, a plastic copy of the real-deal V8 atrocity – this should be the first Hellcat-swapped General Lee ever, and what’s wrong with that?
Photo: YouTube/Restorations4U
Somebody might note the detail and argue that this toy car’s doors open – something that the movie star ‘General Lee’ 1969 Dodge Charger didn’t feature. The Confederate battle flag is in its rightful place on the roof, the ‘01’ decals adorn the sides of the toy, and the black bulbar sits proudly in front of the iconic grille.
As someone who grew up with toy cars of all shapes, sizes, makes, models, colors, and conditions, I can only applaud the work. I can’t wholeheartedly say – and I don’t care about it – that this car used to be a genuine abandoned toy or has been ‘seasoned’ specifically to be showcased in this video, but does it really matter?
Just look at it! For all its worth, I would instantly and gladly drop on the floor and reenact the Dukes of Hazzard’s most awesome scenes simply because this restored toy is too good-looking to make it a shelf queen.
