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The Freightliner Interstate 200 Limited Edition Truck was unveiled in 1985. The special four color paint design accompanied a 79” Sleeper with 2 bunks, aerodynamic roof fairing and electronics package (including a portable computer, which had less power than the cheapest PDA available today).
It was a limited edition truck. Guess how many?
Only 200 were ever made. The Interstate 200 only came with a CAT 3406 the Cummins 444 was not an option.
And that, dear truck fans and readers, is all that is known on the internet about this limited edition. People, if you know more about this short run of trucks, please write it down and send it over to us. We want to increase our library of just this kind of trucking lore and history. Trucking, like all professions, has a history full of stories.
Custom Beast in Southeastern Canada
What is it? You don’t see this every day. We see a lot of Kenworths, Peterbilts, Freightliners, Macs, Volvos, and many others, but this one? It’s a HET (Heavy Equipment Transport System) made by Oshkosh powered by a Detroit Diesel 8V92 .. can haul like 70 tons. … 70 tons (140,000 pounds)!
According to the man who runs one:
“My truck and trailer scale out at 58,480 pounds empty. When I have the three axle jeep and two axle stinger pinned on I’m 78,000 pounds empty. I can legal about 230,000 pounds gross depending on which state I’m in. My T800 with 550 cummins pulls it no problem.”
A little about the custom job:
“We dressed it up a little…put square headlights because they are more readily available….and my boss designed the cheese grater grille…which i think looks stupid as hell…but whatever, not my monkey not my circus.”
Apparently, the level of power supplied by these trucks is required:
“Its not overkill when you need to go into the wind turbine pad which is a “site road” which is gravel sprkinled on a farmers field…and with grossing 200 tonnes…you need the snort to drag the trailer…there are 96 tires on that thing. We also have a pair of kw t800s and a western star 4794x with 2 spd rear ends. We use those for the on highway stuff
Even though some might wonder about the amount of work required to do the brakes and bearings and other things on these, according to someone who uses them:
“Made in Germany…we have 4 lines from 1996 with less than 25% of the linings worn off…..its all proportional braking….there are another 36 duals that you cant see on that trailer”
Lime Green Custom Shows the Good of the US Petroleum and Trucking Industries
This lime green custom semi petroleum hauler is part of a fleet owned by the Rethwisch family of Tomah, Wisconsin that was built from the ground up.
The fleet now includes seven Peterbilt 389s, and part of the reason the family has made every one of their fleet custom and impressive is to show the good of the petroleum industry and the trucking industry. The Semi’s within their fleet are all fitted with various ELD’s (Electronic Logging Device) such as this VDO Roadlog rated by ELDreviewer, for example.
Ten Four magazine interviewed and quoted Bill Rethwisch, Jr., about this:
“We’ve always tried to promote a positive image in all parts of trucking,” said Rethwisch. “So many gas and chemical haulers you see out there don’t seem to have any pride, so we try to use these trucks as promotional tools. It gives the drivers we have a sense of pride and a feeling of being part of something bigger.”
Several of the Rethwisch’s custom semi trucks have won awards, including Pride & Polish and Shell Best of Show awards.
This particular semi though:
“Bill acquired a 2013 Peterbilt 389 with a 12.7 liter Detroit and an 18-speed Eaton-Fuller transmission from Fitzgerald Glider Kits in Crossville, TN for his driver Jeff Schultz.”
The father and son began with their crew an extensive rebuilt in Feb of 2014. The tore the truck apart, pulled out the complete drivetrain and interior. They sand-blasted the frame, then they could apply the pain and install the custom deck plate. They also put in a stationary fifth wheel to give it a “clean look.” They also did:
- 4 straps on the fuel tanks (to make things look smoother)
- New Dynaflex exhaust system
- Hooked the exhaust to the Detroit engine
- Customized the Detroit engine (500 horsepower) with matching paint and chrome
- Put “Rethwisch” logo on side of valve cover.
They built this lime green project between Bill Rethwisch, his dad, the driver Jeff Shultz and his dad Chuck Shultz.
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