1987 - The Highwayman

 

The trucks from The Highwayman (TV series, 1987–1988) are among the most bizarre and futuristic vehicles ever featured in a television show. Designed to stand out in a sci-fi/action setting, they were heavily customized semi-trucks that looked like they came straight out of a comic book or Mad Max-style future.

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The Highwayman’s Truck (Main Hero Truck)

• The truck was built on a Peterbilt 359 chassis — a long-nose classic American semi.

• Designed by Ron Cobb, a well-known concept artist who also worked on Alien, Back to the Future, and Total Recall.

• Fabrication and construction were handled by Jay Ohrberg, a famous custom vehicle builder (responsible for the 1989 Batmobile and KITT replicas).

Design Features:

• Enormous, futuristic cab with a sloped front and tinted dome-like windows.

• The front of the cab looked like a stealth aircraft, featuring a long, curved nose and high-tech details.

• The front cab doubled as a helicopter cockpit — in the show, it could detach from the main truck and transform into a small gyrocopter (somewhat implausibly).

• Huge sleeper section behind the cab, used as a mobile base for operations.

Jetto’s Truck:

• Jetto (played by Jacko), Highwayman’s Australian partner, drove a separate, also-futuristic rig — though it was less modified than Highwayman’s.

• It was a Kenworth cab-over, with customized armor plating and off-road features.

• Meant to look more practical and “brutish” compared to the sleek, high-tech look of Highwayman’s truck.

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In the Show:

• Setting: A near-future America where federal marshals drive high-tech vehicles to enforce justice on the highways.

• Trucks were outfitted with:

  • Computers

  • Weaponry

  • Surveillance equipment

  • Futuristic displays

• The tone of the show mixed Knight Rider, Mad Max, and Airwolf, with an emphasis on vehicular action and episodic futuristic problems.

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Fun Facts:

• The pilot episode truck design differs from the regular series design — the show evolved quickly.

• Jay Ohrberg created multiple versions of the Highwayman truck, including one with a functional detachable gyrocopter nose (though rarely used).

• The show's short run (only 9 episodes) has given it a cult status among fans of 80s vehicular sci-fi.

Where are they now?
It was restored and is currently owned by a mobile tattoo service called 'Highwaymen USA Ink' in Sulphur Springs, Texas USA. Jetto's truck with the detachable Peterbilt tractor was available for sale in North Hollywood, California on eBay as of July, 2023.

Jetto's truck

For Sale 2023