The Martin Bros Customs F100 Shop Truck
By Rob Fortier – Photography by John Jackson
TV these days … there’s just a lot of garbage to sort through in the current lineup of programs, so I typically don’t bother. That said, one show currently being filmed/televised that is worthy of viewing amongst all the aforementioned waste of airtime is Martin Bros Customs’ Iron Resurrection, which is now in its fifth season airing on the MotorTrend network. Now based out of the Austin, Texas, area (Johnson City to be exact), the Martin Bros. were an established name long before they were “discovered” on TV … long before. But as their show depicts, they have a knack for turning vintage rides into award-winning gems, whether it’s two- or four-wheeled.
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Along with custom motorcycles, which is how I first became familiar with Joe and Jason Martin via their appearances on Biker Build-Off, one of their fortes is custom classic trucks, as can be witnessed on episode 10, which aired back in August, where they take a “bare-bones” Chevrolet Advance Design and turn it into a “showstopper.” (If you’re patient, we have a full feature shot on that truck that we’ll be running here in the not-so-distant future!)
Earlier in the season, the show depicted another vintage hauler makeover, however this one had a more “familial” twist to it. As Joe told us, “My wife Amanda’s uncle called to let me know he was selling his ’56 [F100] truck, which had been sitting inside his airplane hangar since 1989. We ended up purchasing it for $800 and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it,” and the following ‘56 Ford F100 resurrection was captured on film for the world to see … on TV!
Joe went on to say that most of the guys in the shop participated with the build in some form or fashion: Much of the fab work was done by Joe, Bryan Spencer, and Mike Z. Joe also did the artwork, which his boy Tommy Ramey sealed over with a satin clear. (Ramey and Spencer also did underlying body and Meadow Mist Green patina’d paintwork.) Despite the F100 being mostly stock exterior-wise, there are some custom touches here and there, such as the front and rear rolled pans, modified bed rails, and so on.
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Powered by a MagnaFlow equipped Texas Speed 6.0L LS3 engine backed by a GM 4L80E automatic transmission from GM Performance, the F100 now rides on a Martin Bros.–built 2×4 mild steel chassis. The team custom fabricated the rear 4-link suspension and Independent Front Suspension (both of which utilize QA1 coilovers and Wilwood brakes), which not only sets the truck at the perfect ride but put the 20- and 22-inch 5-Port SKO Budnik wheels perfectly in each fender opening. Suffice it to say, the ’56 F100 looks just as bitchin sitting still as it does haulin’ ass!
Finally, before the episode was a wrap, Justin Jones/Circle J Custom Upholstery did just that with the interior—wrapped it up in brown vinyl and fabric (from Douglas Interior Products) and German square-weave (from Relicate). Martin Bros. had previously wired the old truck with an American Autowire Highway-series harness and installed Dakota Digital digital-analog F100 retrofit gauges, Vintage Air AC, an Ididit steering column with a Budnik wheel, and a Lokar nostalgia shifter with a custom shift knob and shift-boot bezel.
