Calgary Herald

THE VEHICLES OF HEARTLAND

They’re the shows other stars

- GREG WILLIAMS Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalist­s Associatio­n of Canada. Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or gregwillia­ms@shaw.ca. Driving.ca

Set on a sprawling ranch in the foothills of southweste­rn Alberta, CBC’s television drama Heartland is all about family and relationsh­ips. In the 10 seasons the show has been on the air, many of the actors have become ambassador­s for a western way of life.

While fans recognize show regulars, including Amber Marshall as Amy Fleming and Graham Wardle as Ty Borden, there are also a couple of recognizab­le vehicles that star in the show. Take the 1957 GMC 9300 step-side pickup owned by Borden. The truck, which appeared in the pilot episode filmed late in 2006, has become Borden’s constant companion.

“It was privately owned and rented for the pilot,” says Heartland’s transporta­tion co-ordinator Billy Janssen. “I’ve been on this since Day 1, but I did not do the pilot. We had to make a deal with the owner to buy that truck, and it’s been Heartland’s ever since.”

While there are livestock wranglers looking after the cattle and horses, Janssen and his crew could be considered vehicle wranglers. If it has wheels, it’s Janssen’s responsibi­lity. The job is something he never expected to be doing.

“I’m a farm kid with a major in livestock,” Janssen says from his working farm, just east of Innisfail. “About 24 or 25 years ago, I had a neighbour with some big equipment being used on a film set, and I had a Class 1 licence. I told him I’d give him a hand moving the equipment, and that was it. The job is just one of those curve balls life throws at us.”

Besides the vehicles used on Heartland’s set, Janssen looks after transporti­ng the actors, moving cars and trucks around for shoots, and getting lifts and booms where they need to be.

“A lot of rubber has to hit the road,” Janssen says.

In the pilot episode of Heartland, characters Marion Fleming and daughter Amy are transporti­ng an abused horse named Spartan. The pair is in a truck wreck. Mom dies, leaving Amy and father Tim, grandpa Jack, and sister Lou to keep the Heartland ranch a viable operation.

Fresh out of detention and arriving to serve a probation sentence, troubled Ty Borden arrives on the scene, driving his ’57 GMC pickup with a motorcycle strapped into the box.

The truck is a classic Canadianbu­ilt GMC, and it maintains all of its original running gear, including the 235 cubic-inch in-line six-cylinder engine and standard three-on-the-tree column-shift transmissi­on.

Maintainin­g the truck is an oldschool mechanic who prefers to remain anonymous.

“(The mechanic) has looked after any work we’ve needed,” Janssen says. “He tinkers with the truck and looks for any of the parts it needs and keeps it maintained. We have to be diligent with that, because we have actors driving it.”

Beyond the regular mechanical upkeep, rubber window seals have all been replaced and the bench seat has been re-upholstere­d. The GMC hasn’t ever given the crew a problem, always starting and stopping exactly as required.

The same can’t be said for Borden’s 1974 Norton 850 Commando, another noteworthy vehicle used in earlier seasons of Heartland.

“It’s the bane of my existence,” Janssen says with a laugh. “It’s a cantankero­us and finicky old bike that requires far more maintenanc­e than the old GMC.

“But, we’ve kept it up, and do keep it in good running order.”

The Commando was originally a Hi Rider model, equipped with tall handlebars and a special dual seat. However, the machine has been altered to appear more like the Roadster Commando.

All vehicles used on Heartland, whether new or old, are meant to match the character’s personalit­y.

“We don’t want all Fords or GMs,” Janssen says.

“When it comes to the vintage stuff, though, we’re talking about vehicles that are 40, 50 and 60 years old,” he says. “They’ve all got carburetor­s and distributo­rs, and sometimes the old vehicles drive me nuts. But, we have guys who can adjust and set points and fine tune a carburetor.”

Janssen says he isn’t a true classic car aficionado, but before he dies he’d like to own a late 1960s Camaro. But with a busy shooting schedule — not just for Heartland — and maintainin­g a working farm, “finding the time to drive the Camaro and enjoy it would be the problem.”

Heartland’s 10th season finale airs the last Sunday in March.

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 ?? ANDREW BAKO/DRIVING ?? The classic 1957 GMC 9300, on the CBC family drama Heartland, is driven by actor Graham Wardle, who plays Ty Borden.
ANDREW BAKO/DRIVING The classic 1957 GMC 9300, on the CBC family drama Heartland, is driven by actor Graham Wardle, who plays Ty Borden.

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