Arriving at a local show with his new Escalade sporting 22s, Mike Halterman of Antelope, California, thought he was the big daddy of the event. After all, he did have a $50,000 SUV, big wheels, and exclusivity. But, after he quickly realized how much time and money luxury SUV owners were pouring into their rides, Mike knew more had to be done in order to steal the limelight and put it back onto his prized ride. Collecting his thoughts, making contacts with some influential people, and saving some money allowed him to start on his dream project. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Mike began the search for top-notch installers to spice up his Escalade and turn the heads of every judge at the show. A phone call was placed to Paradyme Car Audio of Sacramento to build a system that would both shake the earth and bring a smile to the faces fortunate enough to gaze at the Caddy. After the extensive list of modifications were ordered, the crew at Paradyme installed a 6-inch Pioneer monitor and DVD player, an 8-inch screen flush-mounted into the dash, and two 6-inch Pioneer monitors in the front headrests. Replacing the passenger-side air bag is a PlayStation 2, and resting between the seats in the middle row is an Xbox, complete with a video switcher for multiple viewing, gaming, and entertainment. Located inside the center console of the front seats is a TV tuner, amp output gauge, and Pioneer 12-disc changer.
With the insane video system wired and dialed in, the team at Paradyme turned their focus to the audio side of the install. The front kick panels are now stuffed with a complete set of 6-inch components by Kicker, and the factory speakers were replaced by Kicker coaxials. Mike requested that the third-row seat stay put, and after accepting the challenge, a custom plexiglass, wood, and leather enclosure and amp rack was designed. Housing three Kicker Solobaric L-7 10-inch subs, the custom box also houses three Kicker amps, two Lightning Audio capacitors, and a backup battery. Covering the enclosure is Nuance leather, which features a custom-cut Escalade script with blue StreetGlow neon for a dramatic nighttime effect. Now Mike's Caddy had plenty of interior custom touches, but still lacked the exterior goodies for show placement.