This Aircraft-Hauling Peterbilt Has a Custom ARI Sleeper and Is Up for Grabs for $220K

Folks, the mean and red machine we see in the image gallery has no name, but that doesn't take away from the fact that we're looking at one solid expression of the trucking lifestyle. Oh, and just so that we're on the same page here, this sucker's even up for sale.

Now, to understand a bit about what we're up against here, we need to head to where this story began. In the case of this 2021 Peterbilt Ultra Cab, the crew responsible for what we see is none other than ARI Legacy Sleepers, an American custom sleeper shop that's been around since 2001. To understand a bit more about the level where they play, they've even featured on the History Channel show Modern Marvels.

As for this here, Peterbilt, it's clear that there's something special about it, and that's what we're here to explore, but since this tractor is currently up for sale, be sure to keep your attention on all that it has to offer, if you're into this kind of vehicle, that is.

Starting with the obvious attractive point of this machine, that massive bull or moose bar that makes this rig look like it's been ripped right out of Mad Max. In the darkness of night, those marker lights integrated into the chrome just give off a menacing look, and once paired with those stacks, it looks like a bat out of hell.

Moving our way toward the rear of the tractor, that sleeper ARI is clearly responsible for pops into view. It's here that we lock eyes with an all-weather, all-season habitat crafted from a fully insulated fiberglass shell and aluminum trusses. This is ARI's RB side-door option, and according to the manufacturer, this puppy comes in with an average weight of 3,380 lbs (1,533 kg).

As for "The Hun's" shell, be sure to take in all the chrome accents found on the rear, that custom paint job with the Hungarian flag being depicted, and, again, tons of marker lights, telling the world that this sucker's coming through and just how much space is needed.

Speaking of coming through, I did a bit of digging, and the company name stamped on the driver and passenger doors, Southern Pride, is a crew that hauls oversized aircraft parts and components. This also means that the X15 Cummins engine under the hood had its work cut out for it, but only for a tad over 262K miles, so it can pull in a little more, especially with the right care.

But what's the sleeper like inside? To find out, let's swing open that side door and step into this mobile home. As you'd expect, the interior of this unit is one that's been custom-built to order, and even though it comes across as simple, I like to think that there's room for the new owner's personality. Oh, and that plaid bedspread has got to go.

What I found rather interesting as I explored the list of features that a standard sleeper has in store was the feeling that I'm looking at nothing more than an RV or travel trailer. That's because each unit includes spaces like a wet bath, a complete galley block, and a modular dinette that transforms into a bed during downtimes. These babies even include a generator and insulated water tanks.

As for The Hun, this puppy has all those great features in store, and probably a few more, too; they're just not mentioned in the list of features this rig has in store. Oh, and if it's storage you need, ARI's sleepers have more than enough.

Now, I mentioned that this puppy is currently up for grabs, and to get your hands on it, we're being asked to drop $220K (€205K at current exchange rates) on the truck and sleeper alone. If you need or want the trailer, too, another $62K is required.

As we near the end of our time here today, I want to invite you on a short journey through imagination so that we may get a feel for what life lived in The Hun may be like. Maybe you're a big rig driver yourself, making this little exercise even easier to understand.

Picture yourself having delivered a piece of the next airliner to take off from assembly lines. As you leave the lot, the trailer - empty for the return home - a plane you helped bring together soars overhead, and you smile at the thought that you helped make it happen. You turn on your favorite tunes and start the two-day drive back North or wherever it is you're going. Nothing but you and the open road now, and this is really where we can appreciate the magic of a fully-equipped sleeper.

Traveling across the US in my dad's own rig, I'm rather well-accustomed to what a solid sleeper means. The beauty of taking a shower in your own space, making coffee in your underwear, and enjoying lunch on the edge of some highway overlooking the Pacific or Atlantic is just priceless.