1969 Dodge Charger: The General Lee
What do you do when a car you’ve dreamed of owning for over 15 years shows up on the auction block at Mecum? You bid to win. That’s what Brandon Corrigan of Johnston, Iowa did as soon as his son pointed out a 1969 Dodge Charger up for auction in Texas.
Anyone with a television in the 1970s knows what it means to be a good ol’ boy. The Dodge Charger Brandon snapped up that day was none other than the General Lee from “The Dukes of Hazzard.” While it came with a “yeehaw” rally cry, Brandon saw a chance to flex the muscles on this car by upping the horsepower with a Hellcat Red-Eye with a custom bottom end and 100 more horsepower than a standard Hellcat. The new rally call might be “hold on” as Karl Kustoms dropped 6.2L of supercharged power with 707 lb-ft of torque under that brightly painted orange hood to replace the poorly running 440. We hear it does 60 in 3.6.
What do you get when you put a Hellcat Red-Eye in a 1969 Dodge Charger? You get a hell of a ride!
Upgrades and Additional Equipment
While speed is good, so are the other customizations that Karl Kustoms added. The Dakota digital dash is an upgrade, and the custom-built Ford 9 transmission from Quick Performance shifts the gears.
Vintage Air blows ice-cold for hot summer night cruises. Look cool; be cool.
“It’s pretty much all brand new, except for the body.”
– Brandon Corrigan
If anyone wonders how quickly Karl Kustom dives into a job like this, Brandon also said that it’s not like taking your car to other shops and waiting for a year and a half only to find out that it looks the same as the day you dropped it off.
“They get to it and get things done.”
– Brandon Corrigan
Something Extra
In addition to the performance upgrades, it comes with something else that sets this General Lee apart from other ‘69 Dodge Chargers; the cast of “The Dukes of Hazzard” have scribbled their names all over it, including the inside of the trunk lid where James Best (Sheriff Coltrane) and Flash offer best wishes. Almost every cast member has signed their name to this vehicle except Boss Hogg and Uncle Jesse.
Karl Kustoms can bring out the muscle in your muscle car. Like the General Lee, engine upgrades are no problem, and when it comes to updating the electronics, you can make dash improvements, save money on an A/C system, and even swap out transmissions.
We’re a machine shop, a custom shop, and a service shop, that focuses on restoration, accessories, custom painting and upholstery, and more. Contact us today for a ride upgrade.