You do recognize this post-apocalyptic semi-truck thing that’s for sale, don’t you? You probably don’t—and that’s totally forgivable, as not many are into obscure onscreen truck trivia—but if you do, that means you’re part of the rad group that watched “The Highwayman,” a short-lived American action-adventure themed television series that aired for nine episodes on NBC between September 1987 and April 1988. Prior to the television series, there was a pilot movie produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.
The TV series, revolving around crime-stopping missions, inexplicable mysteries, and aspects of “Mad Max” and “Knight Rider,” was summed up perfectly by William Conrad in his opening narration for the series: “There is a world, just beyond now, where reality runs a razor thin seam between fact and possibility; where the laws of the present collide with the crimes of tomorrow. Patrolling these vast outlands is a new breed of lawman, guarding the fringes of society’s frontiers, they are known simply as ‘Highwaymen’… and this is their story… “
This wasn’t the most famous futuristically fantastic truck in the series—that would be the one belonging to the lead character, Highwayman, played by Sam J. Jones—but it did belong to the Highwayman’s sidekick, Jetto, an Australian outback survival expert played by Mark “Jacko” Jackson. Jane Badler played Ms. Tania Winthrop, the Highwayman’s boss, and Tim Russ played D.C. Montana, the guy behind the maintenance and modification of the wacky vehicles.
Jetto’s custom semi-famous semi-truck (if you can call it that) is listed on Craigslist for $65,000. Someone has the chance to adopt this futuristic machine (are those Ferrari Testerosa stripes on the side?) that’s taking on a natural patina that makes it even more menacing and mysterious. The seller, affiliated with American SuperLite, a heavy-duty truck LED light manufacturer located in North Hollywood, California, fittingly bought the truck to use as a show truck. The truck amassed an array of sponsors some 15 years ago at a truck show in Las Vegas.
Although it resembles a Steinwinter Supercargo 20.40 Cab, a super flat concept tractor first unveiled at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, it was apparently built in 1982 and registered as a 1982 Peterbilt. It’s allegedly “roadworthy and registered,” although we’d hate to encounter CHP for anything more than an autograph and photo opp with the hell-bound semi-truck.
The Peterbilt hides a new 700 horsepower Detroit Diesel engine (somewhere) with only 5,000 miles on it, backed by an automatic transmission. It “starts and drives great.” That means it’s basically a low-mileage Peterbilt, yeah, with an extra scoop of “What am I looking at?,” of course. The company that originally built it reportedly spent $500,000 on the project; it’s all steel construction with apparently no fiberglass.
So what would you do with this project truck? With a little bit of TLC, it might make for a good RV project, mobile home, or show truck. Perhaps it could bring in some cash as a movie rental or prop for various venues. Maybe it needs a full restoration, documented on a TV series. Maybe it needs to cruise the Vegas strip every now and then. Maybe it needs some company logos slathered on the side, becoming the ultimate rolling (or not) billboard. SEMA build, anyone? Maybe it’s best left as-is, frozen in time for a movie car collector to cherish. Or maybe it needs to go to work as an airport tug.
We can’t wait to see what happens. In the meantime, we’re gonna binge watch “The Highwayman” and hope someone buys it before we make some bad decisions.
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