XTREME LEE

Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s Early Affinity for Cars

When “The Dukes of Hazzard” first came on the air, Kenny Wayne Shepherd was only 2 years old. But like so many kids across America who followed the Dukes’ family antics, he developed a strong affinity for the General Lee, as well as cars in general.

Musical Talent Meets Automotive Passion

While over a decade would pass before he was actually driving, Shepherd was well along by that time in his understanding and mastery of guitars and the blues. As he explored his craft in the company of the many highly respected blues players, his talents soon became obvious to many.

Shepherd’s Musical Success and Love for Cars

Following a succession of concert tours and blues/rock albums—including his first platinum album while still in high school—Shepherd’s commitment and contribution to musical history has become the stuff of legend. Just check out his latest album, “10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads,” and you’ll know why this is true.

Musicians with a Passion for Cars

Strangely enough, while it’s easy to see Shepherd and other musicians exploring the gifted world of tonality and song, it’s often difficult to picture them doing anything else. Then again, if you consider Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Billy F. Gibbons, Jimmy Vaughn and other musical innovators who look to their automotive interests for relaxation, it’s not so surprising to learn that Shepherd also digs cool cars.

The Birth of Xtreme Lee

First seen by millions of viewers as the car came together on cable’s “Rides” television show, Shepherd’s Xtreme Lee reflects his affection for “The Dukes of Hazzard” days, and, more to the point, his affinity for Mopars. Between concert dates and other musical commitments, Shepherd spends as much time as possible working with the crew at Year One on his latest project, a Plymouth Duster. Yet, because of the exposure that’s come before, as well as the images shown here, this ’69 Charger still provides us a historical connection between one great guitarist and our world of super rodding.

Building the Xtreme Lee

After discussing the broad strokes of the General Lee project with Shannon Hudson, owner of Redline Gauge Works, along with team members from Picture Car Warehouse, Shepherd left the details to those who specialize in such efforts. While this car would never see the extremes of all the cars that inspired its creation, the historical connection to the General Lee Charger is seen, both visually and metaphorically, as this is meant to be only a representation of those cars and what they stood for. They crashed many cars for TV, so numerous General Lee cars were built for show stunts.

Reinforcing the Chassis

To provide a solid foundation for this project, the stock chassis was reinforced with Magnum Force subframe connectors, which effectively stiffen it to closely maintain correct suspension geometry, even when driven to the limit. Further improvements came by way of a pair of Fat Man Fabrications dropped spindles, joined by Magnum Force tubular control arms and PureVision tie-rod ends at either end of a Steer & Gear steering box. To fully enable the chassis in the most trying of conditions, a Hydratech brake system makes use of the nicely styled 18×8-inch Budnik wheels and 245/40-18 BFGoodrich g-Force T/A radials.

Rear-End Modifications

Look between the 19×10-inch wheels and 285/35-19 g-Force T/As filling out the rear fenders and you find an 8-3/4-inch Mopar rear axle from Randy’s Ring & Pinion. It turns 3.55:1 gears maintained with a Sure-Grip positraction. Other rear components intended to plant rubber include a pair of Eaton rear leaf springs that drop the ride height 1 inch and another pair of KYB shocks for comfort and control.

The Powerhouse Drivetrain

Good thing the chassis is stout, because the drivetrain from Mopar Engines West (MEW) would overwhelm anything less, as this 500ci Dodge builds massive amounts of torque. Bored to house larger JE forged-aluminum pistons, the block was also machined to accept a longer stroke, created using an Eagle crankshaft and rods. Once the short block was ready for the inevitable, a pair of Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads was ported by Angie at MEW and then fitted with a Comp Cams valvetrain to ensure absolute reliability. To make the most of this combination, one of Edelbrock’s most popular Mopar intake manifolds was joined with the various electronic fuel-injection components in an effort to maximize power and improve driveability. Once the combustion process is kicked off by the Electromotive ignition, a pair of TTI exhaust headers sends spent fumes through a custom stainless steel exhaust system sporting a familiar Mopar note.

Engine Details and Transmission

Other high points of this thundering drivetrain include a pair of custom Plymouth B1 valve covers, a Milodon oiling system and oil pan, a selection of special fasteners and brackets and loads of subtle yet effective detailing that suits the Xtreme Lee quite well. Beyond the engine is a fully reworked 727 Torqueflite, reworked by Cope Racing Transmissions. It uses a PTC 3,000-rpm stall-speed converter and a B&M shifter.

Interior and Custom Touches

Interior touches recall the basic look of an original ’69 Dodge Charger, although upon closer review you find that the quality of the materials has been greatly enhanced. In the hands of Jerry Noone, the beautiful suede and leather hides were perfectly fitted to the seats, along with Bentley carpet on the floor, which provides an entirely different level of sophistication. Additional upgrades include, naturally, a top-grade audio system incorporating an Eclipse touch-screen head unit feeding remote amps and an array of speakers suited to the owner’s musical passion. Add to this an integrated satellite navigation system housed within the same in-dash unit, along with a custom set of instruments, and there’s no shortage of informational input.

Show-Stopping Paintwork

The Corvette Flame Orange coating from DuPont is the same color used on every official General Lee Charger seen on TV, although this finish shines much brighter than any of its predecessors. Painted by Bamma at Picture Car Warehouse, the paint scheme is complete, right down to the numbers and other accents, including the beautifully airbrushed wind-torn Rebel flag on the roof and the Xtreme Lee callouts about the doors. And if you’re thinking the flag represents anything negative, it’s all about the rebel spirit that has made this country what it is today.

A Historical Connection in Music and Cars

While it may only be a coincidence that guitar greats like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his counterparts embrace history—whether it’s in their music or their cars—there’s no question that they make as much history as they hold dear, note by note and car by car.