Full Carbon Fiber Ford F100 Bumpside!

#NoIt’sNotAWrap 

The family behind Brothers Composites knows rust—a little all too well, actually. In fact, cancerous rust issues were one of the driving forces for Niel Mattek, along with his two brothers and two nephews, to set up a custom carbon shop in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. They looked to build their own parts and body panels that wouldn’t succumb to the harsh winters of their region. 

Tracking down classic project vehicles that weren’t fatally deteriorating had proven to be a difficult task in the past, so Niel and his family of auto enthusiasts came up with a way to fuel their passion for classic vehicles in a format that would soon push the boundaries of the custom auto industry one segment at a time.

Brothers Composites gained quite a bit of notoriety in early 2022 with the carbon fiber reproduction 1965 Cobra body they created in partnership with Shelby. The Cobra’s limited number of 10 Diamond Edition cars retail for well over a cool million dollars ($1,200,000 to be exact), and the 88-pound body is actually one of the car’s premier selling points. Now, this type of modification and the price tag attached are something to be expected within the super-car community, but for their latest project, the team at Brothers Composites set their sights on working with another vehicle type that hit a little closer to home of their collective interests.

COBRA TO F-250

Contrary to what some may have guessed, the Brothers crew didn’t seek out a top-of-the-line modern luxury truck to work on next. Instead, they dug up something much more relatable and full of character—a 1972 Ford F-250 pickup. With classic pickup trucks steadily trending upward in popularity within the last few years, a ’70s era F-Series truck can hardly take up space in the same class as the Cobra in its as-is condition, but this one would soon ascend to much greater heights in such a surprisingly short amount of time.

…Niel and his family of auto enthusiasts came up with a way to fuel their passion for classic vehicles in a format that would soon push the boundaries of the custom auto industry one segment at a time.

The guys found the super-clean Bumpside specimen in western Idaho. Once the truck was picked up and brought back to the shop for full assessment, Niel and crew began working on it between paying customer jobs by creating molds from the truck one piece and panel at a time starting with the tailgate. When Niel and the crew came down from the high of seeing the pure carbon-fiber tailgate they were able to create, they put the rest of the build into overdrive to keep that positive momentum going.

NOT A WRAP!

Now, before going any further, we’ll take a moment to answer a question that comes up constantly within in-person and online conversations: No, it’s not a wrap! In fact, those five words are a recurring hash tag that accompanies nearly all of the photos Brothers Composites shares of their Ford truck on social media.

The amount of intrigue, however, doesn’t seem to come from online trolls or “haters.” Instead, the bombardment of questions comes from folks who are genuinely blown away that someone out there could/would build a full carbon-fiber ’72 F-250 to this degree of execution. Even though we now know all the answers, it’s still incredible to believe that this kind of truck even exists and is available to the masses for purchase.

No, it’s not a wrap!”

Yes, you read that correctly. This particular truck is NOT actually for sale, but you can carbonize your ’67-’72 Ford F-100 cab with parts and panels from Brothers Composites via MunsseySpeed.com. Learn more in the sidebar “Carbon-Fiber Parts and Panels for All!” on page 30.

MORE THAN CARBON PANELS

As difficult as it is to pull focus away from the expertly designed carbon body panels, this F-250 does boast some other incredible assets worthy of discussion. The front end of the factory Ford frame was outfitted with a Crown Vic conversion kit from Gateway Mustang as well as the company’s rear Street Performer 3-link setup to completely rid the 50-year-old truck of its outdated and tired factory suspension components.

Once Niel and the crew came down from the high of seeing the pure carbon fiber tailgate they were able to create, they put the rest of the build into overdrive to keep that positive momentum going.

Adding to the heavily upgraded chassis is a set of staggered width 20-inch HRE 527 wheels paired with Goodyear F1 SuperCar tires. To get those wheels spinning and to put the newly upgraded Baer brake systems to good use, a new Ford 7.3L Godzilla engine is in the works of being dropped between the frame rails. While the F-250’s full carbon body alone is enough to boast endlessly about, Niel and the crew had no intention of quitting while they were ahead and, instead, aimed directly for the stars.

GAME-CHANGERS

While there are portions of the truck that feature bonded carbon like sections of the cab and the inner door panels, this majority of this Ford pickup is solid carbon fiber, which is simply incredible to see in the form of a truck. Brothers Composites has been in the carbon/composite game for a while now, but they feel their name has gone mostly unrecognizable, which is something they wished to change. They took their love of old vehicles and approached the common rust related problems of their geographical location with a unique solution that has become all the rage in the custom auto industry.

…Truck builders out there can piece together a similar truck thanks to the painstakingly detailed efforts of the entire Brothers Composites team.

While there is still some work left to do with this project, what is currently done is truly a sight to see. The Mattek brothers, along with other valued family and team members have come together to create game changing works of modern automotive art while staying true to their old school aesthetics. We are truly looking forward to what comes next from Brothers Composites.

Carbon-Fiber Parts and Panels for All!

Brothers Composites sells the same carbon-fiber reproduction parts and panels for ’67-’72 Ford F-100 trucks via MunsseySpeed.com. From the tailgate and roll pan to the front bumper and hood, and pretty much everything in between—like interior door panels, transmission cover and front wheel aprons—truck builders out there can piece together a similar truck thanks to the painstakingly detailed efforts of the entire Brothers Composites team.

While there are portions of the truck that feature bonded carbon … the majority of this Ford pickup is solid carbon fiber …

While the price for each component is offered at a premium, what else would be expected from the level of quality of these parts—they’re almost otherworldly! For those who wish to leave the assembly work to the professionals, customers can still fully carbonize their cab by coordinating the shipping of it to Brothers Composites HQ for a full in-house transformation.

TECH SPECS

OWNER
Brothers Composites LLC 
1972 Ford F-250
Sheboygan Falls, WI

Engine & Drivetrain

• 2021 Ford 7.3L Godzilla V-8
• 2021 Ford 6R80 transmission

Chassis & Suspension 

• Shop: Brothers Composites and Craigore Kustoms
• Factory 1972 F-250 frame
• Gateway Mustang front Crown Vic conversion kit, rear Street Performer rear 3-link system
• Gear FX TrueTrac

Wheels, Tires & Brakes 

• 20×9 and 20×11 HRE 527 wheels
• 255/40/20 and 305/30/20 Goodyear F1 SuperCar tires
• Baer 6-piston brakes

Body 

• Shop: Brothers Composites, Sheboygan Falls, WI
• Full carbon fiber shell and body, including bed braces, fender brace, front bumper, rear roll pan, tailgate and bed
• Gloss clearcoat painted by Finale Speed, Yukon, OK

Interior 

• Shop: Brothers Composites
• Carbon inner door panels, transmission cover