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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.10
                     GENERAL RELEASE AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

         This General Release and Severance Agreement ("Agreement") is entered
into between Robert A. Pickering ("Employee") and Dura Automotive Systems, Inc.
("Company") in connection, with the termination of Employee's employment.

                                    RECITALS

         A.       Company has employed Employee as an at-will employee; and

         B.       Employee's at-will employment will terminate for a legitimate
                  business reason, which will be Employee's voluntary
                  retirement; and

         C.       Employee and Company want to amicably provide for the orderly
                  termination of Employee's employment, for the payment by
                  Company of severance pay and benefits not otherwise due and
                  owing to Employee, for the waiver, release, and discharge by
                  Employee of any claims arising in the course of or out of
                  Employee's employment with Company or the termination of
                  Employee's employment with Company, and for Employee's
                  agreement not to sue Company.

                  Based on the foregoing Recitals, which Employee and Company
accept as true and as part of the basis for this Agreement, and in consideration
of and in reliance upon the representations and promises in this Agreement,
Employee and Company agree as follows:

         1.       Termination of Employment and Final Pay

                  (a)      Employee will voluntarily retire effective December
                           31, 2003 ("Retirement Date").

                  (b)      Company will pay to Employee, with Employee's final
                           paycheck, all earned wages through the Retirement
                           Date, minus any applicable withholdings, and all
                           accrued unused vacation shown on the Termination
                           Benefit Calculation Worksheet attached as Exhibit A,
                           minus any applicable withholdings.

         2.       Severance Pay

         Company will pay the Employee the severance pay specified in the
attached Termination Benefit Calculation Worksheet, minus any applicable
Withholdings, in equal installments on Company's regularly scheduled paydays.
The first payment will occur on or about the first regularly scheduled payday
after the following events:

                  (a)      Employee has signed the Agreement; and

                  (b)      The seven-day revocation period set forth in
                           paragraph 22.d of this Agreement has expired without
                           Employee's revocation of this Agreement.

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         3. RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE

         Effective on the Retirement Date, Employee will be eligible to
participate in the Atwood Mobile Products Retiree Medical Plan, subject to and
in accordance with the provisions of that plan.

         4. DEFERRED COMPENSATION

         Effective January 1, 2004, Company will grant Employee credited vesting
service until March 1, 2005 for the purpose of the Excel Industries, Inc.
Restated 1989 Deferred Compensation Plan and Agreement, as amended June 1,2002.

         5. LEADERSHIP ELECTIVE APPRECIATION DEFERRAL BENEFIT PLAN

         Effective on the Retirement Date, Employee will be eligible to
participate as a retiree in the Leadership Elective Appreciation Deferral
Benefit Plan, subject to and in accordance with the provisions of that plan.

         6. LEADERSHIP STOCK PURCHASE FLAN

         Effective on the Retirement Date, all premium shares will be fully
vested. Stock certificates will be issued in accordance with the provisions of
the plan. Employee will be responsible for all tax obligations at the time the
certificates are issued.

         7. LEADERSHIP TEAM BONUS

         If Company, in its discretion, grants bonuses for calendar year 2003
to members of the leadership team, Employee will be eligible to receive a bonus
for calendar year 2003 on the sane basis as other members of the leadership
team.

         8. STOCK DISCOUNT PURCHASE PLAN

         Effective on the Retirement Date, Employee will be ineligible to
participate in the Stock Discount Purchase Plan.

         9. RETURN OF COMPANY PROPERTY

                  (a)      Employee shall return all property belonging to the
                           Company, including, but not limited to, all
                           documents, credit cards, keys, pagers, phones,
                           identification cards, computer software and hardware,
                           business plans, financial statements, or other
                           property on the Retirement Date, if practicable, but
                           in no event later than three business days after the
                           Retirement Date.

                  (b)      On or before the close of business on December 31,
                           2003, Employee will return to Company, the Company's
                           vehicle, a 2003 BMW 745 LI, Vehicle Identification
                           Number WBAGN63403DR12106 or will purchase that

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                           vehicle from Company for its book value that will be
                           determined as of December 15, 2003.

         10.      CONSIDERATION IN EXCHANGE FOR EMPLOYEE'S PROMISES

         The consideration set forth in paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9(b) of
this Agreement is not otherwise due and owing to Employee and is fair and
adequate consideration in exchange for Employee's promises contained in this
Agreement. Company will provide that consideration to Employee only in exchange
for Employee's promises and obligations under in this Agreement. Employee will
not receive that consideration unless Employee signs this Agreement, does not
revoke the Agreement, and fulfills Employee's promises and obligations under
this Agreement.

         11.      RELEASE

                  (a)

                           (i) In exchange for Company's obligations under this
                           Agreement, Employee, to the fullest extent permitted
                           by law, waives, releases, and discharges Company,
                           together with its current and former officers,
                           directors, agents, employees, parent company,
                           subsidiaries, affiliated entities, related entities,
                           attorneys, any other representatives, and successors
                           in interest (collectively referred to as "Released
                           Parties"), jointly and severally, from any claims and
                           any causes of action arising in the course of or out
                           of Employee's employment with Company or the
                           termination of Employee's employment with Company
                           under any state and federal statutes, including the
                           Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 USC Section
                           621 et sea, and under the common law.

                           (ii) In. exchange for Employee's obligations under
                           this Agreement, Company, together with its current
                           and former officers, directors, agents, employees,
                           patent company, subsidiaries, affiliated entities,
                           related entities, attorneys, any other
                           representatives, and successors in interest, waives,
                           releases, and discharges Employee, to the fullest
                           extent permitted by law, from any claims and any
                           causes of action, under any state and federal
                           statutes and under the common law.

                           (iii) Employee and Company intend that, to the
                           fullest extent permitted by law, these waivers,
                           releases, and discharges will be a general release,
                           will extinguish any claims and any causes of action,
                           and will preclude any lawsuit or any other legal
                           claim by either party against the other party about
                           anything that occurred before the date of the signing
                           of this Agreement This Agreement includes a release
                           of Employee's right to file a lawsuit or to seek
                           individual remedies or damages in any EEOC-filed
                           lawsuit, and this release will apply to any Charge of
                           Discrimination about any events that occurred up to
                           the date of the signing of this Agreement The only
                           claims and causes of action that Employee is not
                           waiving, releasing, and discharging are for the
                           consideration that Employee will

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                           receive under this Agreement and any claims and
                           causes of action that, as a matter of law, can not be
                           waived, released, and discharged.

                  (b)

                           (i) In exchange for Company's obligations under this
                           Agreement Employee gives up, to the fullest extent
                           permitted by law, any right to file any lawsuit
                           against Released Parties about anything arising in
                           the course of or out of Employee's employment or the
                           termination of Employee's employment under any state
                           and federal statutes, including the Age
                           Discrimination Act, 29 USC Section 621 el sea., and
                           under the common law.

                           (ii) In exchange for Employee's obligations under
                           this Agreement, Company gives up, to the fullest
                           extent permitted by law, any right to file any
                           lawsuit against Employee under any state and federal
                           statutes and under the common law.

                  (c)      The consideration, set forth in this Agreement is in
                           full accord and satisfaction of:

                           (i) any claims and any causes of action that Employee
                           has, may have, or may have had against Company
                           arising in the course of or out of Employee's
                           employment with Company or the termination of
                           Employee's employment with Company; and

                           (ii) any claims and causes of action that Company
                           has, may have, or may have had against Employee.

                  (d)

                           (i) Except for any claim for unemployment insurance
                           benefits, Employee has not filed any claims, charges,
                           suits, or actions of any kind against any of the
                           Released Parties that have not been fully
                           resolved, and

                           (ii) Company has not filed any claims, charges,
                           suits, or actions of any kind against Employee.

                  (e)      If either party asserts any claim against the other
                           party within the scope of paragraph 11.a or 11.b, the
                           other party may assert this Agreement as a complete
                           defense to that claim. Further, the party asserting a
                           claim will reimburse the other party for the
                           attorneys' fees and expenses that the other party
                           incurs in defending any claim, notwithstanding any
                           other relief to which the other party may be
                           entitled.

                  (f)      Any lawsuit based upon a claim arising out of or
                           relating in any way to Employee's employment with
                           Company or the termination of that employment, or to
                           any alleged breach of this Agreement, will be
                           brought,

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                           if at all, in a state or federal court located in
                           Oakland County, Michigan, and the parties waive their
                           respective rights to commence or maintain any action
                           in any other forum. Further, the selection of
                           venue/forum is made without regard to forum
                           nonconveniens.

         12. NO REINSTATEMENT

         Employee waives any right to reinstatement or reemployment with
Company or any affiliate.

         13. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

         Employee will not, directly or indirectly, disclose or use any
Confidential Information for any purpose whatsoever. The term "Confidential
Information" means trade secrets and other information concerning Company not
generally known to the public which Employee acquired by virtue of his
employment including, but not limited to, internal business and marketing plans
and strategies; production, coating, and manufacturing processes and formulas;
financial information; pricing practices, policies, margins, and related
information; and customer lists and other information relating to customer
relationships.

         14. NON-DISPARAGEMENT

         After the Retirement Date, Employee will make no adverse or disparaging
comments about Company, its employees, or its products, which may tend to impugn
or injure their reputation, goodwill or relationships with Company's present or
prospective customers, employees, vendors, or with the business community
generally, and Company, its board of directors, and its officers will make no
adverse or disparaging comments about Employee,

         15. NON-DISCLOSURE

         Employee will not disclose the existence and terms of this Agreement to
any person (except as required by law or as necessary to enforce this
Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee may disclose .this
Agreement's terms to Employee's spouse and legal and financial advisors (each a
"Permitted Party"), who shall have the same responsibility as Employee to keep
confidential the existence and terms of this Agreement. If Employee or any
Permitted Party discloses the terms or existence of this Agreement in violation
of this paragraph, Company's obligations under paragraph 2 and 3 above will
cease, and Employee shall become obligated to repay immediately to Company any
severance benefits, including severance pay and health premiums, already paid.

         16. NON-COMPETITION

                  (a)      For a period of one year following the Retirement
                           Date, Employee may not serve or participate as an
                           employee, contract worker, independent contractor,
                           consultant, owner, or otherwise, either directly or
                           indirectly, in any enterprise that competes with the
                           Company in the Recreational and Specialty Vehicle
                           market or any market currently served by the Atwood
                           Mobile Products Division ("Competitive Enterprise").

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                  (b)      For a period of one year following the Retirement
                           Date, Employee will not have, either directly or
                           indirectly, any business contact with or perform any
                           work for any Company customers or prospective
                           customers with which Company bad any business contact
                           during the twelve month period before the Retirement
                           Date either on Employee's own behalf or in the
                           service of or on behalf of any Competitive
                           Enterprise.

                  (c)      During the one year period following the Retirement
                           Date, Employee will immediately inform Company in
                           writing of the name and address of each relationship
                           with a Competitive Enterprise after beginning the
                           relationship.

         17. NON-SOLICITATION OF CUSTOMERS

         For a period of one year following the Retirement Date, Employee will
not, directly or indirectly, either on Employee's own behalf or in the service
of or on behalf of any Competitive Enterprise, divert, solicit, or attempt to
divert or solicit any Company customers or prospective customers, including, but
not limited to, any current Atwood customers, for the purpose of providing
products to those customers or prospective customers. A "customer" is any entity
to which Company has provided products within the twelve month period before the
Retirement Date; a "prospective customer" is any entity that has been subject to
documented Company sales and marketing activity within the twenty-four month
period before the Retirement Date.

         18. NON-SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES

         For a period of one year following the Retirement Date, Employee will
not, directly, or indirectly, either on Employee's own behalf or in the service
of or on behalf of any Competitive Enterprise, divert, solicit, or hire away, or
attempt to divert, solicit or hire away to or for any Competitive Enterprise,
any person then employed by the Company.

         19. COOPERATION IN LITIGATION

         Employee will cooperate and assist in the prosecution, defense, and
trial of any lawsuit, charge, complaint, or any other legal issue, which is now
pending or may be filed in the future, asserted, or brought by or against
Company, and Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable travel and related
expenses in connection with that cooperation and assistance.

         20. PENALTY FOR EMPLOYEE'S NON-COMPLIANCE

         If Employee, in the judgment of Company, violates any of Employee's
obligations under paragraphs 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18 of this Agreement, then
Company will discontinue any further payments under paragraphs 2 and 3 of this
Agreement, and Employee will be obligated both to repay all amounts paid by
Company under paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement and to pay any costs and
attorney fees incurred by Company in the enforcement of this paragraph 20.

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         21.      COMPLETE AGREEMENT

                  (a)      This Agreement and the attached Termination Benefit
                           Calculation Worksheet set forth the entire agreement
                           of the parries and supersede any prior agreements
                           between them.

                  (b)      This Agreement may not be modified except in a
                           writing signed by both parties to this Agreement.

                  (c)      Employee is not relying in any way on any statements,
                           promises, or representations made by Company or any
                           Company employee or agent in entering into this
                           Agreement.

                  (d)      Employee is not entitled to any compensation,
                           bonuses, commission vacation pay, severance pay,
                           fees, or any other consideration from Company,
                           except as Employee may be entitled to by law, under
                           this Agreement, or under the terms and conditions of
                           any Company employee benefit plan, including
                           retirement plans.

         22.      KNOWING AND VOLUNTARY ACCEPTANCE

                  (a)      Employee has read and understands this Agreement in
                           its entirety;

                  (b)      Employee has been advised to seek legal counsel and
                           any other advice Employee wishes with respect to the
                           terms of this Agreement before signing it and has had
                           ample opportunity to do so;

                  (c)      Employee has been offered twenty-one calendar days
                           after receipt of this Agreement to consider its terms
                           before signing it (but Employee may elect to return
                           the signed Agreement on any earlier date). Company
                           has made no promises, inducements, representations,
                           or threats to cause Employee to sign the Agreement
                           before the end of the twenty-one day period;

                  (d)      The Agreement will not become effective until seven
                           days after its execution by Employee, and Employee
                           may revoke this Agreement during the first seven days
                           after signing it by providing written notice to
                           Company, to the attention of Theresa Skotak, Vice
                           President, Human Resources;

                  (e)      Employee enters into this Agreement knowingly and
                           voluntarily, without duress or reservation, of any
                           kind as of the date of this Agreement

         23.      GOVERNING LAW

         The law of the state of Michigan will govern the interpretation and
enforcement of this Agreement.

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         24.      NON-ADMISSION OF LIABILITY

         This Agreement shall not be used or construed as an admission of
liability or wrongdoing by either Company or Employee. Company denies that it
acted unlawfully, tortiously, or in violation of any employment contract toward
Employee.

         25.      SEVERABILITY

         If any one or more than one of the provisions contained in this
Agreement are, for any reason, held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in
any respect, the rest of this Agreement will remain enforceable. The Agreement
Will then be construed as if it never contained the invalid, illegal, or
unenforceable provision.

         26.      SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

         This Agreement is binding and shall take effect for the benefit of (i)
Company, its officers, directors, agents, employees, subsidiaries, affiliated
entities, related entities, attorneys, any other representatives, and successors
in interest; and (ii) Employee, Employee's heirs, assigns, executors,
administrators, other legal representatives, and successors.

         27.      BINDING AGREEMENT

         This Agreement will become binding and enforceable after the seven day
revocation period in paragraph 22.d of this Agreement has expired with the
revocation of the Agreement by Employee.

ROBERT A. PICKERING                         DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.

/s/ ROBERT PICKERING                        By: /s/ THERESA SKOTAK
---------------------------------           ---------------------------------
Signature

                                            Title: Vice President
                                                   Human Resources

Date: DECEMBER 29, 2003                     Date: DECEMBER 19, 2003

Date of Delivery to Employee: December 19, 2003 via mail

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                    TERMINATION BENEFIT CALCULATION WORKSHEET
                                      FOR
                              ROBERT A. PICKERING

SEVERANCE PAY

         a.     Weeks Severance Pay:                               26

         b.     Weekly Base Pay:                             $5637.50

         c.     Total Severance Pay (a times b)          $ 146,575.00

Severance pay is paid in installments according to the Company's regular payroll
cycle beginning the first pay period after the expiration of the Agreement's
seven-day revocation period or January 1, 2004 whichever is later.

VACATION PAY

Vacation pay due to you will be paid with your final paycheck even if you have
not signed the General Release at that time.

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