Elena Rossi
The General Lee, one of the most famous cars ever, has had its paint colour speculated about for years. The car, a 1969 Dodge Charger, is known for its role in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard. While the car is most associated with the colour orange, there has been much debate about the exact shade. Some have speculated that it is Hemi Orange, Chevrolet Hugger Orange, or Flame Red. However, these theories have been disputed, and the true colour has remained a mystery until recently.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Original paint colour | Unknown, but believed to be orange |
| Possible paint colours | Hemi Orange, Chevrolet Hugger Orange, Flame Red |
| LEE 1 paint colour | Code T3 "Light Bronze Metallic" |
| LEE 3 paint colour | 1975 Corvette Flame Red |
| LEE 2 paint colour | B5 Blue |
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What You'll Learn
The original General Lee was painted T3 Light Bronze Metallic
The paint colour of the General Lee has been a topic of much discussion and speculation over the years. Many people think the car is Hemi Orange, which is the colour it is painted in the movie, but according to Travis Bell, the General Lee expert, this colour looked brown on film. Chevrolet Hugger Orange was also considered, but this shade was too bright and shiny, picking up camera reflections. For a long time, it was believed that the car was painted Flame Red, a 1975-1978 Corvette colour, which was close but still not the real colour.
It was only when Bell scanned the trunk lid of the original General Lee that the true colour was discovered to be T3 Light Bronze Metallic. This colour may have been chosen because it was believed to appear better on film than the other colours considered.
Interestingly, the General Lee cars used throughout the series varied in colour and specification due to inconsistencies in their construction. The Georgia episode cars consisted of five Dodge Chargers, the first three of which were built by Warner Bros. and labelled LEE 1, LEE 2, and LEE 3. LEE 3 was painted 1975 Corvette Flame Red with a special base coat. The first three General Lees started to show visible damage, so more were built, and the paint colour may have changed again.
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LEE 3 was painted 1975 Corvette Flame Red
LEE 3, the first unit close-up car and the first General Lee built by Warner Brothers, was painted 1975 Corvette Flame Red. This was a special base coat applied after it was discovered that the original paint, Chrysler code EV2 or
For years, fans of the show and car enthusiasts alike have debated the exact shade of the General Lee. Many believed it to be Hemi Orange, which was a close guess, but this colour appeared brown on film. Others suggested it could be Chevrolet Hugger Orange, but this was too bright and shiny, picking up camera reflections during filming.
The mystery was finally solved by Travis Bell, a General Lee expert, who had the opportunity to scan the trunk lid of the original car and discover its true colour. While the car was not, in fact, Flame Red, this colour was used for LEE 3 and was very close to the original.
The paint code for 1975 Corvette Flame Red is 70, and it is available in a paint pen, spray paint can, or brush bottle for repair work. However, due to inconsistencies in original paint colours at the time of vehicle manufacture, this paint may not match the existing factory paint, even if the vehicle has this specific factory colour code.
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LEE 1 was originally painted Chrysler code EV2 Hemi Orange
The General Lee is one of the most famous cars ever, and its paint job is particularly iconic. However, the exact colour of the original car has been a mystery to fans for years. Many believed it to be Hemi Orange, but according to General Lee expert Travis Bell, this colour looked brown on film and was scrapped. Others speculated that it was Chevrolet Hugger Orange, but this was too bright and shiny, causing unwanted camera reflections. For a long time, it was thought that the car was Flame Red, a 1975-1978 Corvette colour, but this was also not the case.
Finally, the mystery was solved when Bell scanned the trunk lid of the original General Lee. He discovered that the car was originally painted Chrysler code EV2 Hemi Orange. This was later repainted with a base coat of Flame Red due to blotches in the original paintwork.
The General Lee car was first introduced in the show "Dukes of Hazzard". The first three cars used in the show were labelled "LEE 1", "LEE 2", and "LEE 3". LEE 1 was a second unit car with a full roll cage and various features, including air conditioning and power steering. It was originally painted in code T3 "Light Bronze Metallic" with a tan interior and a black vinyl top.
Despite the confusion over the exact shade, the colour orange has always been associated with the General Lee. This is evident in the various orange hues used in the show and movie, including the faded orange seen at the beginning of the film and the bright Hemi orange painted by Cooter midway through.
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LEE 2 was originally painted B5 Blue
The General Lee is one of the most famous cars ever, and fans have wondered about its exact paint colour for years. The first three General Lees were labelled "LEE 1", "LEE 2", and "LEE 3" by picture car coordinator John Marendi. LEE 2, like LEE 1, was a second unit car with a full roll cage, a 383 V-8, a floor-shifted automatic transmission, and air conditioning. It was originally painted B5 Blue with a black interior, but the interior was repainted tan to match the interiors of LEE 1 and LEE 3. The steering wheel, however, remained black. LEE 2 was used for the opening scene in "One Armed Bandits", where Bo and Luke chased Rosco's police cruiser after Cooter stole it.
LEE 1 was originally painted in code T3 "Light Bronze Metallic" with a tan interior, a black vinyl top, and chrome rocker trim. The chrome vinyl top trim was supposed to be removed, but the left quarter panel had been poorly installed, so the trim had to be left on to hide the bodywork. As a result, most General Lees throughout the series had vinyl top trim.
LEE 3 was the first unit close-up car and the first General Lee built by Warner Brothers. It was originally an F5 Medium Green Metallic R/T SE (Special Edition) model with a tan vinyl top. It was painted 1975 Corvette Flame Red with a special base coat. The base coat was used because they found that LEE 1's paint appeared blotchy due to the direct application over the factory paint.
The paint colour of the General Lee has been a subject of much speculation, with many believing it to be Hemi Orange. However, according to General Lee expert Travis Bell, this colour appeared brown on film and was scrapped. Others suggested it was Chevrolet Hugger Orange, but this colour was too bright and shiny, causing camera reflections during filming. For years, it was thought that the car was painted Flame Red, a 1975 to 1978 Corvette colour, and while this was close, it was not the true colour.
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The movie General Lee was repainted a bright Hemi orange
The General Lee, one of the most famous cars ever, has long puzzled fans with its mysterious paint colour. The car featured in the film was originally a faded orange with a hand-painted "01" on the doors, black steel wheels, a standard front bumper, functioning doors, and no Confederate flag. Midway through the film, the car is vandalised and subsequently repaired and repainted a bright Hemi orange, along with the addition of well-known trademarks such as the American Racing "Vector" 10-spoke "turbine" wheels, an octagonal "01", a black grille guard, a Confederate flag on the roof, a "Dixie" horn, and "General Lee" above the door window openings.
The process of replicating the General Lee is well-documented, but the paint colour has always been a mystery. Many people assumed the car was Hemi Orange, but this was dismissed as it appeared brown on film. Chevrolet Hugger Orange, a colour from the 1969 Camaro, was also considered, but it was too bright and shiny, causing unwanted camera reflections. For years, it was believed that the General Lee was painted Flame Red, a Corvette colour from 1975 to 1978, but this was also proven incorrect.
The mystery was finally solved by Travis Bell, the leading General Lee expert. Bell scanned the trunk lid of the original car and discovered its true colour. Interestingly, the first three General Lees, labelled "LEE 1", "LEE 2", and "LEE 3", were painted in different colours. LEE 1 was originally Light Bronze Metallic, while LEE 2 was painted B5 Blue with a black interior, and LEE 3 was F5 Medium Green Metallic.
The varying paint colours of the General Lee replicas and the challenges in determining the exact colour of the original car highlight the enduring fascination with this iconic vehicle. The revelation of its true paint colour, culminating in the movie car's bright Hemi orange repaint, adds another intriguing layer to the legacy of the General Lee.
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Frequently asked questions
The paint code for the General Lee is unknown, but it is believed to be a shade of orange.
Travis Bell, a General Lee expert, believed the car could have been Hemi Orange, Chevrolet Hugger Orange, or Flame Red.
Hemi Orange is a Chrysler paint code EV2. It was originally used on LEE 1 but was repainted due to a blotchy appearance.
The VINwiki video reveals the true colour of the General Lee, discovered by Travis Bell.
The General Lee is a car from the show "The Dukes of Hazzard".
