If Mike Iglesias' '02 Cadillac Escalade looks as good in his shop as it does in a scenic desert dry lakebed, then he has a winner. Mike built this SUV as a showpiece for his store, M&M Custom Audio, in McAllin, Texas. His Escalade blends streetsmart looks with technical prowess, resulting in a rousing A/V ride.
Not much was done to the body, aside from the lambo hinges that make the doors thrust boldly upward, a custom grille, and the Milano Motoring 26-inch three-piece wheels, which were painted to match the body color and wrapped in Kumho Ecsta 305/30R26 tires that roll under the stock suspension. But, all of that is okay because this vehicle's sweet spot isn't chrome or body kits, it's that space in the back where normal Escalade drivers stow their groceries.
Ostrich and audio upgrades to the interior passenger spaces made the Caddy unique and maintain its classiness. Note the way the amplifier rack lies between the second-row passenger seats with a relatively low profile. The standard headrest and flip-down video suite entertains, while some of the subs and monitors in the back, which are placed in a forward-firing configur-ations, are visible here as well.
Anyone looking into the rear cargo area will see a contoured matrix of fiberglass, technology, and creativity. A pair of Ample Audio AC-series component speakers protrude near the upper part of the Escalade's D-pillars. They are angled to fire rearward and are backed by two more Ample Audio Exonic Extreme-series subwoofers on either side, while three more subs are arrayed below them near the floor. On the floor rises a retractable 23-inch Exonic monitor, which is visible from the rear. Bridging both walls is an almost X-shaped brace that lies flat and mounts three Ample Audio Exonic monitors that are facing the rear and three more facing forward. Strips of backlit blue cut along the wall and floor of this assembly, and the component speakers float in shark-fin shape, lit by the same blue light. Looking in from the second row doorway reveals a row of Ample Audio Exonic amplifiers that begin in a floating, center-console assembly between the two passenger seats and cuts back toward the 23-inch monitor in the rear. Overall, it's a very clean-looking setup.
The front and rear seats were re-upholstered in creamy leather accented by rough, brown ostrich-skin inserts. Ostrich panels also make their way to the center console storage lid, on the dash tower, beneath the Ample Audio Exonic SQ equalizer, and on the door panels. More Ample Audio separates reside in the doors. A Panasonic AVIC-3 head unit with a flip-out monitor replaced the factory unit. Sunvisor monitors, rear-facing headrest monitors, and a flip-down ceiling unit, all from Exonic, entertain the folks who are lucky enough to be riding inside of the truck, as opposed to those standing outside of it. Not that bystanders are robbed of any sort of audio and video excitement-thanks to the arsenal of audio in the back.
Mike wanted to thank the folks who were involved with the build process. TC Auto Works handled the bodywork that was done to this Escalade, while Milano Motoring provided awesome wheels for this project. M&M Custom Audio fabricated, installed, and wired the audio/video system and upholstered the interior as well.