The Confederate/Rebel Flag was the center of a controversy in the United States two weeks ago. At Diecast Motorsports, the only interest we have in this controversy is its impact on the diecast world. We have seen cars that have not sold in years, pick up and start selling like hot cakes–namely anything with the Confederate Flag or an interpretation of it. Many companies have produced the Dukes of Hazzard car, the “General Lee” which is a Custom ’69 Dodge Charger. Warner Bros. owns the rights to that car and have said any further releases will no longer feature the signature flag on its roof. This caused collectors and non-collectors alike to start paying high-dollar for some versions of this car that have sat around for years. Hot Wheels has the Dixie Challenger that wore the flag on its roof in 1981 and 2008 and also made a “knock-off” of the Dukes of Hazzard ’69 Charger that was produced for the 2006 Treasure Hunt Series.

Introduced with this version in 1981, the Dixie Challenger is a blown-engine-less version of the Rodger Dodger which was first released in 1974. The Dixie Challenger remained rather unchanged for its 1981-1983 run, however the change that took place was the removal of the Confederate Flag in 1982. It was replaced with a graphic that continued the design of the hood graphic. After that, the Dixie Challenger was shelved for 25 years until its 2008 release as part of the 40 Years of Hot Wheels Set–which notable also featured the aforementioned flag in a nod to its original design. The Dixie Challenger continues to be released to this day. Look for it currently as part of the 2014 Demolition Derby 5-Pack which is still lingering around various retailers.

At Diecast Motorsports, we have one of these relics from 1981 for sale. If you would like to own the Dixie Challenger shown below please visit thetoypeddler.com and BUY IT NOW. This item was sold on July 6th, 2015 and will be traveling to its new owner in Maryland.

RELEASE DETAILS: Orange Enamel Body (metal). Blue-Tinted Windows. Black Interior. Chrome Base (plastic). Made in Hong Kong. Toy# 3364. Released in 1981 as part of the Hot Wheels mainline.