Looking at it now it may seem like a simple moulded plastic barn and farmyard with a chunky spoiler-adorned General Lee, but at the time this playset transported you right into the heart of the Dukes’ world. You could rev up the friction General Lee until its wheels burned, line it up in front of the ramp, and watch it blast off scattering crates and barrels in its wake. You even had a choice of stunts for good measure. Tired of a straightforward jump? Try ramming The General against the woodshed and marvel as it upends, spinning away on two wheels. If that’s not enough squeeze it down a narrow alley and watch the log fence tip it onto its side, to emerge as if Bo himself was driving. Need even more excitement ? Well it’s time for the big one….get the General to a good speed, carefully place him in front of the open barn and let go. In a matter of seconds he will blast through the barn doors scattering any debris in the process. Not only that but the General will emerge doing a wheelie.
The Barnbusters set was released worldwide, with the largest markets being in the US and UK. The US set came with a mail away offer, where you could buy an additional General Lee for $4.99 (this was made up of $4.47 for the car and 52 cents for postage and handling). As far as I know this offer was not extended to any customers who bought the set outside of the US, although every box came with a proof of postage token suggesting some further offers were planned but never followed up. See the gallery for an example of the mail away form.
The Barnbusters set was released worldwide, with the largest markets being in the US and UK. The US set came with a mail away offer, where you could buy an additional General Lee for $4.99 (this was made up of $4.47 for the car and 52 cents for postage and handling). As far as I know this offer was not extended to any customers who bought the set outside of the US, although every box came with a proof of postage token suggesting some further offers were planned but never followed up. See the gallery for an example of the mail away form.
Dukes of Hazzard Barnbusters Factfile
Date manufacturing began
1981 (it’s common to confuse the 1980 marking on the base of the set with the date of manufacture. The 1980 date stamp refers to the Dukes of Hazzard trade mark rather than manufacture of the toy itself, and the box is dated 1981).
Company of manufacture
Knickerbocker Toys, USA
Manufacturing variations
Bases and barn colours vary between sets. Some have a sandy yellow coloured base and chocolate brown barn, others have the colours in reverse. This also applies to the boxes and barrels, where a single colour of either sandy yellow or chocolate brown were supplied. Grey barrels may
also have been manufactured, but I cannot personally confirm this.
Date manufacturing ceased
Approx. 1984
Box
Two examples of box types, of which one is possibly a prototype. See gallery for examples.
Date manufacturing began
1981 (it’s common to confuse the 1980 marking on the base of the set with the date of manufacture. The 1980 date stamp refers to the Dukes of Hazzard trade mark rather than manufacture of the toy itself, and the box is dated 1981).
Company of manufacture
Knickerbocker Toys, USA
Manufacturing variations
Bases and barn colours vary between sets. Some have a sandy yellow coloured base and chocolate brown barn, others have the colours in reverse. This also applies to the boxes and barrels, where a single colour of either sandy yellow or chocolate brown were supplied. Grey barrels may
also have been manufactured, but I cannot personally confirm this.
Date manufacturing ceased
Approx. 1984
Box
Two examples of box types, of which one is possibly a prototype. See gallery for examples.