Now that we've all been briefed about Rene Martinez's state of mind and well-being in the feature on his '68 CST (page 20), we'll take another dive into his utilitarian psyche with a look at the 12th '67-72 Chevy to reside in his garage. Rene found this truck on eBay not too long after he bought what he says was the most beautiful truck he'd seen yet, an ultra-clean dark green and white '72 Cheyenne Super even his wife said he needed. Well, when the auction ended on this ochre and white shortbed before your eyes, it looked like he needed this one, too!
Number 12 arrived as a cherry original truck that just needed a polish and a lowering job. Remember the bit about Rene seeing a slammed mustard Chevy that got his wheels turning? After having a dozen of these things, he knows his way around 'em fairly well, and in the shade of the 1,800-square-foot shop he recently built in his backyard to better facilitate his habit, he buffed the stock paint and polished the original chrome with blinding results.
Rene got down and dirty with his buddies at Fat Fender in Fresno to rid the '72 of its nosebleed stance. They used parts from Early Classic Enterprises to bring the front down 3 1/2 inches, while the back came down a full 5 inches to lower and level the Cheyenne Super that much closer to the dirt. Other than that, the truck's underpinnings are as GM intended, with factory power disc and drum brakes capped with Boyd Coddington Hot Rod 8x10 and 10x20 wheels that give the Chevy that "just right" stance.