Car-centered reality TV has us used to seeing Mopars and hot rods everywhere, that’s why it’s such a fresh breath of air to see “Texas Metal” taking the reins of the truck customization industry on the small screen. Using the art of metal fabrication and showcasing the creativity and skills of Ekstensive Metal Works’s staff, there isn’t any doubt that “Texas Metal” is the show motorheads and big-car-likers had been waiting for, when the show premiered in 2017.
That being said, it hasn’t been an easy road for the show and its stars, especially considering how hard it is to keep up relevant in the ever-changing industry of reality TV.
Nonetheless, could these issues have led to the cancellation of “Texas Metal” or is there still a lot more to see of the show on screen? Stay here to discover it!
Was “Texas Metal” Canceled?
Every time a show takes too long to get renewed, fans inevitably start worrying about whether a cancellation is in the works. Though “Texas Metal” was suspected to have such a sad fate, the truth is that the show not only hasn’t been canceled but also is expected to premiere more seasons in the near future.
By March 2023, “Texas Metal” successfully aired its sixth-season finale. This latest sixth-episode-long season was shorter than the previous one, which aired 12 episodes in a twice-a-month schedule from January to June 2022.
While it’s unclear what has motivated this unstable episode structure, fans might be happy to know that there are no signs of a possible cancellation of the show. That being said, in 2023 “Texas Metal” premiered its first spin-off – “Loud and Lift” – which steps a little aside from Bill Carlton’s business Ekstensive Metal Works to focus on other small Houston-based businesses, which also want to make themselves a name in the local truck customization industry by competing against each other.
All in all, everything seems to be going great for Bill Carlton and the show, which launched his business to international fame. Nonetheless, even if “Texas Metal” were to end anytime soon, there’s no doubt that the show’s left a more than a good impression on all of us.
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What Happened To Tim & John?
One big change noticed by fans during “Texas Metal” sixth season was the absence of Tim “Timmy” Donelson and John Villarreal-Vega, two long-time stars of the series. It didn’t take fans too long to solve the mystery of whatever happened to both men, as in September 2022 Timmy had already announced that he had started a new business with John as his business partner: ‘he and I have been trying to run the company after work, but not enough hours in the day resulted in needing to make a BIG change’, he wrote on Instagram, referencing his leave from Ekstensive Metal Works.
Regarding John, he also expressed his excitement on his Instagram over opening Timmy John’s Machine & Fabrication, confirming as well that he had decided to focus on his new business, leaving his job as a fabricator for Bill Carlton, for whom he had worked for 10 years.
While the news of both men’s resignation from Ekstensive Metal Works and official exit from “Texas Metal” altogether caused mixed opinions in the show’s fanbase, that hasn’t stopped their business from growing. As seen on Timmy John’s Machine & Fabrication’s social media accounts, the business has gained almost 3,500 followers and works on many projects, starting from their usual truck customizations to small but outstanding metal craft-made accessories.
What Happened To Heath?
The name Heath Moore surely sounds familiar to those who have been following “Texas Metal” from the start. As the show’s original upholstery expert, Heath was known for his high-quality job, combining creativity and a daring attitude while designing the truck’s interiors which became fan favorites during the earliest seasons.
However, Heath was nowhere to be found after the show’s fourth season and the next ones, making it clear that he’d abandoned “Texas Metal” for good.
Although Heath hasn’t explained the reasons for his exit until this day, it’s suspected that his disappearance from the show was caused by a very tough personal situation he went through in early 2021. As he informed his followers back then, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and had a rough time away from his family: ‘Besides wondering if the virus would kill you in your sleep. Not being able to touch them was the hardest part. Today is gonna be great’, he wrote on an Instagram post, announcing that he had finally tested negative for the virus in March of that year.
Nowadays Heath is focused on Heath Moore Interiors, his upholstery business work which has gained quite a huge popularity, having over 20,000 followers on Instagram and 1,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Was The Show Sued?
Despite staying away from the usual dramatic touches that reality TV is known for, “Texas Metal” hasn’t escaped real-life controversy at all. Those who have watched the show from the start surely remember its first episode ever, entitled “Low Down and Dually” and aired in November 2017.
The episode centered around Ekstensive Metal Works, as the staff worked to not only customize a 2017 Mercedes Benz Sprinter and turn it into a cool and sharp-looking piece of art, but also to ease its use to owner Dave Shade, who hadn’t been behind a car’s wheel in over 15 years due to a disability. Dave was moved to tears after seeing his renewed van and Bill Carlton was as happy as ever, but that was sadly not the end of the story between the men.
As read on online court records, in 2020 Dave sued Ekstensive Metal Works for debt collection. While a lock on court documents make it hard to know the details behind the case, the legal battle has been ongoing for years and is nowadays pending trial.
Off-Television Success
Despite rising to fame through the screen of MotorTrend’s “Texas Metal”, Ekstensive Metal Works was already well-known in the automotive customization industry long before the show’s premiere in 2017.
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Founded in 1994, Ekstensive Metal Works is both the result of Bill Carlton and his parents’ efforts and imagination. As he recalled in the show, everything started with his father setting up a small car shop in the family’s backyard, taking the first step into what Bill describes as the ‘American dream’: ‘having the house on the property, the shop in the back, just a perfect scenario for what he envisioned’, he said.
As years passed, Bill learned his father’s craft, and joined the business sooner than later, adding expansions and machinery to it without a concrete plan, just for the joy of making his parents’ dream come true. As Ekstensive Metal Works gained local fame, Bill’s and his staff’s works gained features in important platforms such as HOT ROD Magazine, along with exhibition spots at the annuals Specialty Equipment Market Association events, eventually becoming famous enough to star on a TV show.
Overall, Bill Carlton has walked a long way to make his business not only a local sensation but to expand its recognition around the world through “Texas Metal”. Despite losing a couple of cast members and staff along the way, and gaining some controversies as well, it’s clear that “Texas Metal” still has much to give to its audience.
