Trucks are the hottest item in the hobby today and the market reflects this trend.
The domestic car builders pumped out some interesting special models over the years and the pace picked up in the 80s.
That’s why this MyStar Five for Friday features five special editions of trucks from the 1980s.
Jerry Sutherland
The first example came in 1980 with the GMC Indy Pace Truck. The truck wasn’t the pace car in 1980—the Trans Am had that honor.
That’s why the Indy Pace Truck copied everything from the Trans Am-styled front grille to the legendary T/A decal on the hood. It had the cool factor of a Trans Am, but you could haul bags of cement in the back. They even offered crew cab dually versions of this unique—and rare truck.
The 1980 Dodge Macho Power Wagon was another example of a very cool 80s truck. The Macho edition was designed to add some style to an 8-year-old truck platform that had done its time.
The graphics looked like a billboard for these humble-looking Dodges, and they told the world you weren’t driving Grandpa’s Slant-Six farm truck. They were all 4×4 vehicles and they are highly prized in 2026.
The legendary Jeep brand came up with a winner in the form of the 1981 Jeep Scrambler CJ-8. This handy little truck is now one of the most desirable Jeeps ever made and it was done under the AMC banner.
They were mostly built for fun, but the Scrambler could also handle a 1500-pound payload. The Scrambler also had great graphics and an optional-at-no-extra-cost removable convertible top. Jeep built a little truck with an instant cult following and the prices in 2026 reflect it.
The 1987 Ford XL-150 Lariat Bigfoot Edition was essentially a tribute to the legendary monster truck of the same name. This truck was aimed squarely at guys who loved monster trucks and wanted the look of Bigfoot with enough manners to be a daily driver.
The formula worked because these trucks are the Holy Grail to Ford guys. That’s because they only built a few hundred of them in all three forms (Ranger, F-150 and 250) due to problems like the extra tall wheels rubbing and a few unsanctioned items like the winch. The NHTSA threw a flag on things like that, and Ford didn’t think it was worth the risk. The notoriety drove these rare trucks to the stratosphere at recent auctions.
The last truck is the 1989 Chevy S10 Baja. This little pickup captured the 1980s wave of small trucks built for off-road adventures.
Chevrolet knew the best way to get a piece of the action was to build a truck specifically for that market. They only built the Baja in 4×4 versions, and added stuff like rollbars, skid plates, lights and suspensions that went far beyond a stock S-10. The bold graphics were the icing on the cake—this little truck was a pacesetter for an era. It competed well with the Toyotas.
In today’s car culture the truck is king—specialty models like these five are goos reasons why they are rock stars.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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