If you were left disappointed that your bid for former "Dukes of Hazzard" star John Schneider's own copy of the iconic '69 Dodge Charger offered recently on eBay was beat out by a nearly $10 million hoax, have no fear, Bo Duke is ready to give you a second chance.
Over the weekend, Schneider placed the car back on the Internet auction site. However, this time, there is a catch -- he's hired a company that specializes in pre-screening auction bidders to avoid selling the car to a false bidder the second time around.
As you recall from previous articles on www.oldcarsweekly.com, the original auction fell through after commanding an unprecedented winning bid of nearly $10 million when the alleged bidder claimed that his online account had been hacked.
Auctionwire, a company specializing in online auctions, will require all potential bidders to prove that they have the funds available prior to placing a bid. Bidders will also be required to provide a bank's written guarantee that the money will be paid out when the auction ends on May 29.
If jumping through all the legal hoops hasn't yet put an end to your dream of cruising the backloads at more than 200 miles per hour to the soulful sounds of "Dixie," then the starting price of $500,000 may not prove to be much of an obstacle either.
Despite having been put back up for sale over the weekend, by late Monday evening, the auction had not received a single bid, despite having been viewed by nearly 13,000 Duke boy wannabes.
While this particular car is only reported to have made a brief appearance in the television series "The Dukes of Hazzard," the modified Charger, with the distinction of being owned by the actor who portrayed Bo Duke in the original series, was used in the 2000 TV movie "The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood."
Far from being a stock '69 Charger, John Schneider's car currently has a 511-cid crate engine under its hood that produces approximately 725 hp of stump-yanking muscle, Dodge Viper brake system and a custom roll cage. True to its dust-churning image, this car was personally driven by Schneider in a number of road rallies and celebrity races.
As you prepare to write a check to cover your bid on Schneider's car, remember, a '69 Charger that was used in the hit television show would ordinarily be worth around $150,000. However, this one does come with a fancy brass plaque bolted to the dash stating that it is from Schneider's own collection, and it has the signatures of many of the original cast under its hood.
If you are still interested in owning this piece of pop culture history, then be sure to have your banker write you a short note before viewing the listing at eBay.
To place your bid on John Schneider's very own 'General Lee,' click HERE.
