At first glance this ride may appear to be a modified Cadillac CTS or even a Cadillac SRX, but looks can be deceiving. Hector Gutirerrez of Bell Gardens, California, decided he was going to build something unique and created a full-blown custom that confuses more people than trigonometry. When we saw the amount of detail in his pride and joy we knew it would fit this issue perfectly.
Starting life as a 2001 Chevy Blazer, Hector wanted more than a traditional 'bagged Blazer and delivered the SUV to the team at JT Autostyle in Rosemead, California, for some metal surgery. While in the capable hands of Tony, Steve, and Chad, the Blazer went under the knife and lost its entire front end, door handles, and rear taillights. In their respective place went on a 2004 Cadillac CTS front bumper, modified hood, headlights, turn signals, and grille. Out back, Cadillac EXT taillights fill the stock void, a roll pan was welded on, and an Escalade roof rack was installed. Never satisfied with normal, the crew also added a set of JT Autostyle Lambo-doors and added actuators to the hatch and tilt hood to allow remote operation of both. Welders cooling off, the paint spray guns were filled with candy orange and a custom mix of marbleized brown. The two-tone is properly broken up by a golden engine turn stripe with blue and orange pinstriping surrounding the hue.
More than meets the eye! How about that lift in the rear on 'bags?
Responsible for the slammed stance is Kevin at Sik Fabrications. Kevin installed the Contitec airbags up front and in the rear with a huge notch out back. Built to three-wheel, Hector can open the doors and drive on three wheels while remote closing the hood and rear hatch. Stuffed under each fender are 22x8-1/2-inch Lexani wheels with Nitto 255/35R22 tires mounted on each wheel. Now it was time to make the interior as custom as the exterior.
Vision Audio built a killer audio/video setup for Hector using a Clarion head unit, five JL Audio 300/2 amps, and a total of three JL Audio 13-1/2-inch W7 subs taking place of the rear seat. Six monitors keep video in line with the overwhelming audio, and a PS2 in the passenger airbag provides plenty of gaming opportunities. Joe at California Upholstery in Bell Gardens hooked Hector up with a slick interior by using brown carpet, tan suede, and ostrich leather throughout the cabin. The dash was smoothed and painted, but not before a 10-inch touch screen was added, and the HVAC controls were relocated to the glovebox. Each door panel was sanded smooth, with skulls and screens added for extra show points. Opening the rear hatch reveals the crazy-custom cargo area showcasing the JL Audio amps, tube-steel mounting brackets for the chrome-plated air tanks, and a globe representing Nokturnal car club taking over the planet.
No doubt about it, Hector has himself one sick custom that stands out in a crowd of wild paint jobs and trick body mods. Three-wheelin' with the Lambo-doors up plus the CTS front end leaves most competitors in the dust and proves his truck is a transformer.