Pompa is a television personality, probably best known for his appearance as a cast member of the show “Iron Resurrection”. The series is centered around the talents of highly skilled metal fabricator Joe Martin and his expert team, as they undertake challenging projects restoring classic old cars to their former glory. Car restauration shows such as this one have struck a chord with male fans, who enjoy watching old cars being transformed into custom works of art. Originally premiering on Velocity in April of 2016, “Iron Resurrection” has gained a large following of fans over its five seasons. Aside from the main star, Joe Martin, the show also features other incredibly talented mechanics, welders and fabricators, including Pompa, who mysteriously disappeared from the show after season four, without any explanation.
What is “Iron Resurrection”?
“Iron Resurrection” is an American reality television series that focuses on the day-to-day operations of Martin Bros Customs, an automotive restoration and customization shop located in Austin, Texas. The idea for the show came from James Conant, the creative director at Evkonic Imagery, who has been involved with similar projects such as “Outlaw Garage”. Each episode of Iron Resurrection follows the team as they transform old, rusty vehicles into breathtaking works of art. The show provides viewers with a unique insight into the painstaking process of car restoration, from the initial inspection and disassembly of the car, to the final paint job and assembly.
The show features a diverse cast of talented individuals, including Joe’s wife Amanda, and close friend Jayson Shar Arrington. The team set out to find and restore old, cast away cars and bikes. A skilled crew of automotive experts, which includes Pompa, Javier “Shorty” Ponce, and Jason Martin, then get to display their skills in turning the often rusty vehicles into gorgeous works of art anyone would be proud to own. The episodes usually end with Joe negotiating the best possible price for the newly restored vehicle.
Initially airing on Velocity, “Iron Resurrection” saw a significant shift when in 2018 Discovery acquired the majority stake of the Motor Trend publisher, resulting in a network rebranding. What makes “Iron Resurrection” stand out from other automotive reality shows is its focus on the art of car transformation, avoiding any exaggerated scenarios, drama, or staging events in order to attract more viewers. The cast members are bonded with mutual respect and trust, with the crew often making practical jokes and pranks with each other.
With no desire to create unnecessary drama, Joe Martin and his wife try to maintain a stress-free and relaxed work environment. Joe even stated that the cast members aren’t actors, but simple working people, and that the professionals should handle the drama scenes.
Another identifying characteristic of the “Iron Resurrection” is the minimalist approach to the car restorations, compared to numerous other shows that go above and beyond for their projects. Despite the humble appearance of their projects, the crew take great pride in their attention to detail which ensure that the vehicles they renovate will be functional for a very long time.
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Throughout its five seasons, the show has featured a diverse range of vehicles, including classic cars, trucks, hot rods, and even motorcycles. Some of the most memorable transformations include a 1964 Buick Riviera, a 1959 Chevy Apache, and a 1978 Jeep CJ7. The show also sheds light on the personal stories and motivations of the owners of these vehicles, adding an emotional element to the show.
Aside from being a successful entertainment series, “Iron Resurrection” has also been able to give back to the community. The team has worked on some charity projects, including the restoration of a 1962 Chevy C10, which was auctioned off to the benefit of the Lone Survivor Foundation.
Over the show’s runtime of five seasons and over 40 episodes, “Iron Resurrection” has found large success with the audience, earning a rating of 7.8 stars on IMDb.
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How was “Iron Resurrection created”?
Joe Martin gained popularity starring in the Discovery series “Bikers Build-off,” focused on building custom bikes. He finally caught the attention of Velocity Channel producers in 2004, who approached him with an offer after his win over Shinya Kimura. After creating a teaser for the show, Joe got the producers’ approval – he now acts as one of the producers and takes care of the behind-the-scenes tasks. His wife Amanda on the other hand, takes care of finances as she has a history in banking. Amanda is also good at securing cars at extremely low prices.
The success of the show came as a huge surprise for Joe and Amanda, and in many ways it changed their lives. Still, the couple maintain their humility, stating that they are just ordinary people who got very lucky. The frequent positive encounters with fans have made them grateful to the show, and the experiences they’ve had along the way.
Pompa disappears from “Iron Resurrection”
The premiere of season 4 of “Iron Resurrection” was a big surprise for the fans, as the cast of the show was notably different, with some recurring members such as Pompa disappearing without explanation. As he was part of the original cast in season one, Pompa became quite popular with fans, mostly for his reserved personality and humor. Fans were insistent on knowing the reasons behind the disappearances, and took to social media platforms for answers. Producers of the show eventually revealed why several other members departed from the show, but Pompa’s circumstances remained a mystery.
It was stated that cast members Shorty and Cato left in order to take care of their families, and fans speculated that the same might be true for Pompa. Despite their being no indication of conflict between the missing cast members and the production team, such fan theories also emerged. Another speculation for Pompa’s departure comes from him being a frequent target of jokes and pranks, as he was easy to scare. After being on the receiving end of these pranks, some of which included fireworks, some fans thought that he had reached his limit, and decided to leave. However, other fans highlighted that Pompa rarely took these pranks seriously, and often had a lighthearted reaction to them.
Despite the fans unrelenting curiosity to discover the truth behind Pompa’s departure, they remain in the dark, with no conclusive information to support any of the mentioned theories. Pompa’s presence on social media platforms is also very limited, providing no insight into his thoughts, or current whereabouts. The only thing that can be concluded is that he loved the time he spent working on the show.
Will Pompa return in “Iron Resurrection”?
Ever since Pompa departed from the show, fans have wanted to know whether there is a possibility of him returning. Their questions remain unanswered, especially as Pompa himself is inactive on social media. However, there has been a glimpse of hope for the fans who are eager to see Pompa back in the show. Joe Martin, who is very active on social media, posted video in March of 2022 in which Pompa could be seen with one of his pit bulls. As the video came from Joe’s shop, along with a hashtag “Season Six”, many fans started to believe that Pompa will appear on season six of “Iron Resurrection”.
Finally, in November of 2022, Joe posted a photo of Pompa on his Instagram account, with the caption suggesting that he’ll be appearing in season six. Fans were delighted with this information, and flooded the comments with support and excitement for the new season. Although the information about his return on the show remain unofficial as they come from social media, it’s still very likely that fans will be able to enjoy watching Pompa on the small screen in the near future.
Other departures from the show
In addition to Pompa, the show was also missing some other familiar faces, such as Shorty, Manny, and Gato. Fans were taken aback by the changes in the cast, and demanded to know the reasons behind them. Eventually, the show’s producers disclosed that these cast members left the show so they could prioritize their personal lives, however, it’s unknown what in particular.
Shorty
Shorty, a painter on the show, left the series after becoming a grandfather, and deciding to focus more on family and his personal business in Dallas. As his custom paint shop is located in Johnson City, Texas, more than three hours’ drive from Dallas, it’s likely that the distance had a large impact on his decision.
In response to the numerous emails and messages he received, Shorty made a video statement to his fans in which he explains his decision. He stated that after thinking about his options he found it made for sense to dedicate his time to his shop and family and not the show. He hinted at his potential return to the show, and invited fans to come visit him in his shop if they pass through Dallas. Shorty left the show while still in good relations with the cast members, and has promoted his business on various events with Joe and Amanda, which disproves rumors that he was fired from “Iron Resurrection”.
Cato
Phill Cato is a skilled upholstery specialist and a beloved cast member who left, leaving fans disappointed. While the producers attributed his departure as relating to family, it was not the reason why Cato left, but because his wife got a new job in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s since moved his family and company to Atlanta, giving it a rebranding as “Cato’s Custom Upholstery”.
Despite several cast members leaving, the show’s producers confirmed that they had all remained on good terms with each other.
Cato Custom Upholstery – Temple, TX pic.twitter.com/yi2ApUzlpN
— JT Rooster (@RoosterPhoto) December 17, 2013
When is season six of “Iron Resurrection” expected to premiere?
The highly anticipated fifth season of “Iron Resurrection” was finally released in June 2021, which marked the end of a nearly two-year break. Following the season finale, fans began speculating about a possible sixth season, the show’s renewal…. or cancellation. While it remains unofficial whether the show will be renewed, Joe Martin’s posted clues on his Instagram account, which suggest that work on season six has begun. Joe shared a photo of his wife and their dog in November 2021 with the caption “Season Six”. As there were cameramen present in the photo, it was a great sign that season six was being filmed. Aside from that, Joe posted many images of vehicles which have undergone transformations. Fans were probably most excited to see Pompa on one of Joe’s recent Instagram updates, which most likely signaled a return of a fan favorite cast member. There is not much for fans to do now, besides wait for the official announcement of the hoped-for release date.
