WWGRMD: modern-day Dukes Of Hazzard

Tom_Spangler wrote:

NEALSMO wrote: Am I really the first to mention P71? It does all that stuff on a regular basis.

Too identifiable as a police car. You don't want the hero car to look like the ones chasing it. That goes for the modern Charger, too, for that matter. I like the Fox body Mustang idea. Old enough to be cool, but still plentiful, cheap, and infinitely modifiable.

Now see that depends on the situation I think. In a movie, yes you want them looking different enough. But for a tv series or real life, being able to blend in could make some good escapes.

Think of that Prius commercial where all the red prii get on the highway to confuse the cops. So a big blues brothers style police chase, but you kick the lights on and circle around in the shuffle, and disappear into the crowd of cops cause you look just like them. Would probably work once. If they don't have license plate readers and for some reason there are a bunch around. (I've seen modern tv, this isn't as terrible as idea as it sounds)

Ian F wrote:

mndsm wrote: The idea with moonshiners is to be inconspicuous, but fast and able to outrun the fuzz. Subaru wagon of whatever flavor with an ej seems to fit the bill.

So... not a bright orange car with "01" on the sides and a flag on the roof? There's "realistic" and then there's "TV". I agree - either a new Challenger or a beat-up 4x4 truck which seems to be what current "real" moonshiners drive (vaguely remembering a short-lived show on History Channel or something).

Well, if we're doing the modern equivalent of an ostentatious 70s paint job, one has to look no further than any of the awd offerings in the fast and thr furious. "He did the stare and drive on you, didn't he? He learned that from me".

I'd swap out the chrome for some beadlocks with BFG all-terrains, add all skid plates from the off-road versions along with the shocks. I'd keep the subtle look, and no racist flag on the roof of course, perhaps a small American flag on the fenders where the Ferrari prancing horse lives.

I'm no Subaru fan, but I'll add my vote in with those who've suggested an AWD boosted Scooby. Seems like the logical answer without relying on tired old stereotypes.

Maybe it's the recent Baby Driver movie trailer, but the more I think about it, the more I can see a Dukes re-boot with a Subie as the hero car.

I went on the internet and found this.

Klayfish wrote: Sorry to be Captain Obvious here, but the TV show debuted using a 10 year old (at the time) Dodge muscle car. Would you not start now with a nearly 10 year old Dodge muscle car? '08 was the first year for the 2 door to return (Challenger), so I'd start there.

Exactly this.

We like to think of the vintage aspect of the car used, but that's because we're all old now, and the show is old now.

When it debuted it was a 10 year old car. You could set up a similar premise. Guy bought it new in '08 and broke it racing, then couldn't afford to fix it during the Great Recession. He parked it under a tarp and there it sat for 10 years until Cooter and the boys got a hold of it...

The only reason it's odd is that in the 10 year old Challenger example a 2008 was the first year of the body style, and it's still the same today, so it doesn't look like a 10 year old car. The Charger used in the show ended it's body style run in 1970. So this...

10 years later a Dodge Charger in a showroom in 1981 looked like this...

I'm not sure what car was an "end of era" automobile around 2007. There hasn't been nearly as drastic a shift in auto design/manufacturing/engineering.

xflowgolf wrote: I'm not sure what car was an "end of era" automobile around 2007. There hasn't been nearly as drastic a shift in auto design/manufacturing/engineering.

A Crown Vic. Last civilian models were 08s, police ones lasted through 2011.

And these days, the definition of "old car" seems to be a bit older, since cars both last longer and there hasn't been anything like the oil crisis / massive EPA restrictions / etc to force a radical change in cars like there was from 1968 to 1980. It would make sense for the car to be something that's bottomed out on the depreciation curve, and that would probably be something from the '80s or '90s at this time.

If the Dukes Boys were around today, I'd expect them to hang out at a lot of the "outlaw drag" sort of events in the South. You might either want to take some inspiration from what's in the pits, or what's in the parking lot.

rslifkin wrote: A Crown Vic. Last civilian models were 08s, police ones lasted through 2011.

While true, the Vic is iconic as a police car. You can't have the outlaws driving the police car. It just doesn't work aesthetically.

MadScientistMatt wrote: And these days, the definition of "old car" seems to be a bit older, since cars both last longer and there hasn't been anything like the oil crisis / massive EPA restrictions / etc to force a radical change in cars like there was from 1968 to 1980. It would make sense for the car to be something that's bottomed out on the depreciation curve, and that would probably be something from the '80s or '90s at this time. If the Dukes Boys were around today, I'd expect them to hang out at a lot of the "outlaw drag" sort of events in the South. You might either want to take some inspiration from what's in the pits, or what's in the parking lot.

Agreed. That harkens back to the concept of something that's visually identified as "old" in today's vehicle marketplace. An early LS F-Body or maybe even a Fox-Body represent cars that were more "tin can" than the current ergonomically focused safety crush zone built, airbag equipped, vehicles of today. The last of the "old" rear drive / V8 / frame cars in coupe form pretty much died in the 80's with the G-bodies (Monte Carlos, Cutlasses, etc.). I think going back that far detaches the viewer though, as they're already past disposable... they're already rare. Disposable cars are 90's era or newer based on what we currently see plentifully in high volume pick-n-pulls.

If imports are allowed, I second the notion of a 1st gen STI. Big wing, rally cred, and Monster/Ken Block ridiculousness to apply. Take the rally bred imagination to the extreme.

I didn't see where he said he wanted to recreate the show. Just what car would you use to do the driving like they did in the show.

Me thinks y'all are reading too much into it.

Well, one thing is for sure, the Duke boys would be runnin crystal meth, instead of moonshine, and likely have neck tatoos. As far as car, I agree with 10 year old Mustang, or Challenger. Maybe a Charger, because nostalgia.

wheelsmithy wrote: Well, one thing is for sure, the Duke boys would be runnin crystal meth, instead of moonshine, and likely have neck tatoos....

Not necessarily. Moonshine is still around, and far more tolerated than meth. I've heard you can even get it in pumpkin spice these days, alongside more traditional options like apple, blackberry, or peach.

FCA already makes the vehicle, and it even has the right name already: the Ram Rebel.

Of course, if you want a car-based vehicle, do something like this rendering:

Tony Sestito wrote: Of course, if you want a car-based vehicle, do something like this rendering:

That wins! ...also the Duke boys modded theirs in one episode similarly for better off road ability:

http://www.themusclecarplace.com/kf-show-23

I don't see the need to lift anything in order to slide around on dirt roads. I don't see the need for a truck. I don't think a Subaru would make it much farther than the first impact with a hay bale let alone the second.

The general was not a moonshine car. Uncle Jesse had the moon car, black four door LTD. The general was the race car.

This is a no-brainer. C5. Done.

"In the spirit of..." Beau and Luke, I would stay Mopar; mid-80s cars can be had for <Challenge money (you didn't mention budget). Creative shopping could get you cop brakes and Gates belts and hoses. Bit of a lift, bigass snow tires, done.

I really think SN95 is the answer here. Old enough to be dirt cheap, driven by a lot of rednecks, kind of an "end of an era" vehicle before Ford's quality went up and the modern muscle boom took off. Any newer muscle just doesn't have enough rattles in the interior. If you squint, they almost look 'classic' now compared to today's stuff.

Bam!

Tony Sestito wrote: Of course, if you want a car-based vehicle, do something like this rendering:

...I vote this.

But the fact that Dukes' was my favorite show as an impressionable young boy, probably explains this:

For the record, my thoughts initially was to recreate the show which would be easy except for the FEEL.

A lot of the feel I think would be to have iconic cars to replace the iconic original ones. That's the tough part.

Nick (Bo) Comstock wrote: I don't see the need to lift anything in order to slide around on dirt roads. I don't see the need for a truck. I don't think a Subaru would make it much farther than the first impact with a hay bale let alone the second. The general was not a moonshine car. Uncle Jesse had the moon car, black four door LTD. The general was the race car.

I was thinking of the movie (I know, sacrilege) when the boys actually did run the juice and Jesse just cooked it.

If we're talking the spirit of the car, any current ish pony car with rwd and a manual would do it. Mustang, camaro, charger/challenger.

Tony Sestito wrote: FCA already makes the vehicle, and it even has the right name already: the Ram Rebel. Of course, if you want a car-based vehicle, do something like this rendering:

Rendering?? How about a real one?

Seems wrong for Bo and Duke to drive a Challenger. If memory serves, that's what Daisy drove before the boys drove it off a cliff.

Imagine Boss Hogg in his Cadillac (CTS-V) with a set of longhorns on the hood?