From his years at Martin Bros Customs to his current business, here’s the latest on Mike Z, his Season 7 appearances, and what he’s doing today after Iron Resurrection.
Among the talented builders who helped make Iron Resurrection a fan favorite, few became as recognizable as Mike Z. Known for his calm demeanor, exceptional welding skills, and craftsmanship, he was a key part of the Martin Bros Customs team for years.
Even years after the show’s finale, curiosity about Mike hasn’t faded. Many viewers still want to know what happened to Mike Z after Iron Resurrection, where life has taken him since leaving television, and whether the recent health rumors circulating online are based on fact.
Here’s what can be confirmed—and what remains unverified speculation.
Who Is Mike Z on Iron Resurrection? The Welder Behind Martin Bros Customs
Before Iron Resurrection introduced him to a wider audience, Mike Z—whose full name is Michael Zabonik—had already built a solid reputation as a skilled welder and fabricator. Born on July 14, 1961, and originally from the Dallas, Texas area, he brought decades of hands-on experience to Martin Bros Customs, where precision metalwork was at the heart of every restoration.
At the Johnson City, Texas shop, Mike specialized in chassis fabrication, structural repairs, custom body modifications, and precision TIG and MIG welding. While Joe Martin envisioned each build, Mike was often the one turning those concepts into reality by fabricating parts that simply couldn’t be bought off the shelf. Whether rebuilding rusted frames, repairing structural damage, or crafting one-off brackets and mounts, his work played a crucial role in transforming neglected classics into award-worthy customs.
Although never the loudest personality on screen, Mike quickly became one of the show’s most respected craftsmen. Early promotional material even introduced him as one of Joe Martin’s core fabrication specialists alongside Shorty, Pompa, Manny V, Dirty Grande, Jason, and Cato—a reflection of how important his role was from the very beginning.
A Fan Favorite Whose Quiet Craftsmanship Spoke for Itself
Throughout the show’s early seasons, Mike became a familiar face as one of Martin Bros Customs’ primary welders. He appeared in dozens of episodes, handling many of the most demanding fabrication jobs while maintaining the calm, focused demeanor that viewers came to appreciate. Rather than chasing the spotlight, he let his work do the talking, a quality that made him stand out on a series known more for craftsmanship than reality TV drama.
His contributions were especially noticeable on builds requiring extensive custom fabrication, from constructing chassis and repairing structural damage to ensuring every weld met the shop’s high standards. Mike’s steady presence also balanced the personalities of Joe Martin, Amanda Martin, Shag Arrington, Shorty, Pompa, and the rest of the crew, making him an integral part of the team’s chemistry.
As the series progressed, however, fans began noticing that Mike appeared less frequently on screen. His reduced visibility sparked widespread speculation, but the most consistently reported explanation has been far more ordinary than many of the rumors suggested.
According to multiple reports, Mike chose to step back from regular filming to spend more time with his family and focus on personal responsibilities, as the demanding schedule of running a custom shop while filming a television series can be difficult to maintain over the long term.
Over the years, online rumors have ranged from health concerns to alleged disagreements with the shop, but none of these claims have been verified. In fact, some people claiming to have recently visited Martin Bros Customs have dismissed the health rumors altogether. Likewise, there have been no confirmed reports of any falling out between Mike and Joe Martin or the rest of the team.
Season 7 Confirmed Mike Was Still Part of the Team
Any doubts about Mike’s future with Martin Bros Customs were largely put to rest when he returned for Iron Resurrection Season 7. He appeared from the opening episodes, working alongside Joe Martin on a challenging 1960 Chevrolet Impala with an X-frame chassis, and continued to feature throughout the season on several restoration projects. His appearances confirmed that, despite spending less time in front of the cameras than in earlier years, he remained connected to the shop.
Around the same time, Amanda Martin shared a job advertisement seeking experienced metal fabricators along with TIG and MIG welders. The timing led some fans to wonder whether Mike was preparing to leave, but there was little evidence to support that conclusion.
Neither Mike nor anyone at Martin Bros Customs announced his departure, and the hiring drive was widely viewed as an effort to expand the team to keep up with the shop’s workload rather than replace an existing fabricator.
Taken together, Mike’s Season 7 appearances and the continued demand for skilled welders point to a business that was growing—not one replacing one of its longtime craftsmen.
Is Mike Z Still Working at Martin Bros Customs?
Whether Mike Z is still working at Martin Bros Customs is one of the questions fans ask most frequently. The answer, however, isn’t entirely clear.
Unlike Joe and Amanda Martin, Mike has maintained a very limited public presence in recent years, making it difficult to confirm his current day-to-day role at the shop. While his Instagram account has remained inactive since 2019, his Facebook page has shown occasional activity, including posts during 2025. In September 2024, he also shared a photo of himself with NASCAR driver Sheldon Creed at Bristol Motor Speedway, indicating that he remains active personally, even if he rarely posts about work.
Mike also returned to Iron Resurrection Season 7, which aired in 2024, confirming that he was still involved with Martin Bros Customs during the production of that season. Beyond that, however, neither Mike nor Martin Bros Customs has publicly addressed whether he continues to work at the shop on a full-time basis.
As a result, there is no verified evidence that Mike has left Martin Bros Customs, but there is equally no official confirmation detailing his current employment status. For now, his ongoing connection to the shop beyond Season 7 remains a matter of informed observation rather than established fact.
What is Mike Z Doing Now?
While many fans still associate Mike Z with Iron Resurrection, his work today extends well beyond custom vehicle restoration. In recent years, he has focused on Mike Z Land Work Services, a Texas-based business that handles land clearing, brush removal, drainage solutions, foundation pad preparation, and other property improvement projects.
Through occasional social media updates, Mike has shared glimpses of excavation equipment, completed jobs, and improvements made to his own property.
While it’s unclear how much of his time is still devoted to automotive fabrication, his work with Mike Z Land Work Services shows that he has expanded into land clearing and property improvement, bringing the same precision, work ethic, and hands-on approach that fans came to appreciate on Iron Resurrection.
A Craftsman Who Prefers Privacy
Unlike some former Iron Resurrection cast members who remain highly active online, he has never shared much about his personal life or pursued the spotlight outside the series.
That reserved nature is hardly surprising to longtime viewers. During his years at Martin Bros Customs, Mike was known for letting his craftsmanship do the talking rather than seeking attention, and that approach appears to have carried over into life after television. While he occasionally posts work-related updates, verified information about his day-to-day life remains limited.
His preference for privacy has also fueled much of the speculation surrounding his whereabouts. With few public appearances and infrequent social media activity, online rumors have often filled the information gap. However, many of the claims circulating about Mike—including recent health-related speculation—remain unverified and should be treated as such unless confirmed by Mike or Martin Bros Customs.
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Mike Z’s Lasting Legacy on Iron Resurrection
Long after the cameras stopped rolling, Mike Z remains one of the most memorable members of the Iron Resurrection cast. From fabricating custom chassis and repairing decades-old sheet metal to creating one-off components that couldn’t simply be ordered from a catalog, his craftsmanship helped shape many of the series’ standout restorations.
His technical skill played an important role in establishing Martin Bros Customs as one of television’s best-known restoration shops, while his quiet professionalism earned the respect of viewers who appreciated the work happening behind the scenes. Even as he has stepped away from regular television appearances and embraced a more private life, interest in what happened to Mike Z, where Mike Z is now, and whether he is still working at Martin Bros Customs has remained remarkably strong.
For many fans, Mike’s legacy isn’t defined by dramatic storylines or on-screen moments, but by the quality of the work he brought to every build. It’s that dedication to craftsmanship that continues to make him one of Iron Resurrection‘s most respected and enduring figures.
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