Optimus Prime: Marshall Watego’s Peterbilt 359

Photography by Warren Aitken and Vanessa Smith.

Watego and Sons Transport really know how to get people to look twice with its 1985 Peterbilt 359 Optimus Prime recreation which has captured the hearts and minds of South East Queenslanders.

It’s a Peterbilt and it’s a Transformer, a truly cool combination.

Marshall Watego is the owner and sole driver of one of Queensland’s most recognised Peterbilt trucks.

His 1985 Peterbilt 359 is named after one of his favourite songs, “Warriors in Chains,” however it is better known as Optimus Prime or O Prime with its distinct livery made famous by the Transformers cartoon of the mid 1980s and the following box office smash movie franchise.

Marshall’s beautifully created beast has received multiple prizes at the many truck shows he has attended. He has even been rewarded as the Rig of the Year for Truckin’ Life which was his childhood dream.

The reason for the swag of trophies is because it looks impressive, even for anyone that has never seen the Transformers movie, the Peterbilt is an eye-catching work of trucking art.

Even more impressive is that most of the work to make Optimus Prime what it is today has been done by Marshall and wife Nataile. In fact, he works out that they’ve done 95 per cent of the work since it was bought, originally found sitting on blocks in someone’s paddock.

He says now the truck is practically new except for its motor which has done around 1.8 million kilometres. It has new brakes, springs, airbags, gearbox, diffs, wheel bearings, seals, all new airlines front to back, all new valves and a host of other changes and updates.

It wasn’t a case of building this truck to lift his company profile or just to have a great looking ride. The reason is much closer to his heart and inspired by his dad, who lived a life in transport.

“It was the loss of my dad, Vern Watego that inspired me to build the truck,” Marshall tells Australian Custom Trucks.

“I promised him, when he was terminally ill with cancer, that I’d build the flashest truck in Brisbane and put him on there so people would never forget him,” he recalls.

Marshall kept his promise, with his dad having pride of place on the back of Optimus Prime’s cab. When the trailers are off there beaming back at you with the biggest smile is Vern.

Marshall and wife Nataile, by his own admission, did a great job sourcing parts, lights and chrome from the United States and fitting it on the truck themselves.

“We did all of the chrome and stainless from the headlights, grille, aircleaners, tank wraps, trim and stacks,” he says.

“I made the Texas bar out of an angle iron chassis rail and a sheet of stainless.”

Not only does it look impressive in the day time but with more lights than the average Christmas tree it looks very impressive at night.

“At last count the truck had over 180 leds on it,” he tells Australian Custom Trucks.

Marshall has a few people to thank for making his promise to his dad come to fruition.

“My close mate Boyd McKenna from QLD Diesel Spares, located in Hillcrest, helped us out not only with parts but fitting as well,” Marshall acknowledges.

“Fortuna put in new springs and did other minor suspension work while the custom paint was done by B&K Line and Signs,” he says.

Customising isn’t without its challenges, even when you aren’t doing the work yourself, but when you are its damn hard especially when you need your truck out there earning and working for you.

“Its tough working it then spending all night putting stuff on or pulling it off just to keep it going,” he admits.

“Staying focused can be hard especially when you’ve been sitting in it all week then have to spend all weekend under it plus still work over the weekend, that’s tough.

“The work is quite easy though, I’ve grown up with trucks and always repaired them myself for dad.”

It’s all worth it at the end of the day.

“The truck is extremely fun to drive,” he says. “Just pulling up anywhere draws a crowd with people that just want a picture,” he says.

Specifications and details

Owner: Watego and Sons Transport

Driver: Marshall Watego

Run: Localy around Brisbane.

GCM:42.500 tonne

Axle configuration:6×4

Type of Sleeper:Peterbilt 63 inch

Wheelbase:7.2 metres

Engine:350 Big Cam Cummins

HP:350hpTransmission:Road Ranger 18 speed Double Overdrive.

Front Axle: Rockwell 6 tonneRear axles:SP40sRear suspension: Peterbilt airleaf

Diff: 4.10

Fuel capacity: 1200 Litres

Turntable:__Jost__________________________________________________

Tyres:___11r Remington

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Cheers

Chris