Story: Evan “Evo” Yates
Photography: Jordan Donnelly
There’s only a pair of second-generation Cadillac SRXs in the world on 32-inch wheels, and both were at Forgiato Fest in Miami last year, suitably stationed nose to nose. The two colorful cousins, one Kandy Gold and the other Outrageous Bondi Beach, battled for top SUV honors at the automotive event last July, but only one brought home a first-place trophy. Subsequently, one of the colorful combatants went back into the lab to prepare for the next encounter, although it’s probably not the ride you’d think.
Broward County ambassador Dave copped the SRX brand-new off the lot in 2010 to satisfy his craving for a luxurious ride equipped with affluent amenities and a unique aesthetic. “I bought it because it looked like a little space shuttle,” admits Dave. “And Cadillac has always had nice technology in their cars, and I liked that.” Dave attempted a few varying combinations of wheels and paint, and he was temporarily satisfied with the popular Outrageous Bondi Beach hue and a set of rare 32-inch Forgiato Emilano wheels with properly painted accents. A custom set of door panels and a basic chrome grille topped it off, a final formula that proved enough to take home first-place honors in the truck/SUV class at the first annual Forgiato Fest. Being conscious of his competition, Dave put the lavish ’Lac back in the lab for a resplendent rendition instead of relishing in his victory. Dave surveyed the entire small-to-midsize custom SUV game, searching for additions that had yet to be attempted, ultimately deciding on rear suicide doors. “There was a similar truck down here with the same size rims as me, so I did the suicides just to kill ’em,” explains Dave. “I’m the only one down here with those.”
Dave entrusted only the best to convert his custom ride, especially the doors, as they are far from a simple hinge kit. Mad Mods of Pompano Beach, Florida, accepted the project, professionally enduring the hinge work and fabrication to give the copious Caddy the feel of a Phantom. The next trip was to “Kandy Randy,” where the Outrageous Chameleon paint was laid. “I went to Randy because he does the wettest paint around the city,” explains Dave. To complete the exterior, a custom Forgiato chrome grille was added to complement the massive 32-inch Forgiatos.
For the interior, Dave opted to remain predominantly OEM, feeling that ripping up such a luxurious cabin would result in degradation. “The new SRX is so nice inside, there’s no need to change up anything in there,” contends Dave. “The only thing we changed was the door panels, and we added the suede headliner.” As it sits now, Dave is more than convinced that his rich ride is at the top of its class, and he looks forward to the next opportunity to prove it. “I won Forgiato Fest with the other color, and [now that I’ve] switched the paint, I’m gonna go back and try to win it again!”
Spec The Technique:
Year/Make/Model: 2010 Cadillac SRX
Performance: Stock
Exterior: Outrageous Chameleon paint; Forgiato grille package; smoked-out taillights; suicide rear doors
Interior: Factory black leather; custom door panels with Cadillac insignia; custom speaker enclosure built by Power Audio
Ice: Two Beyma AST09 tweeters, one 10-inch mid, two 8-inch mids in each front door, one AST09 tweeter, one 8-inch mid, one 6-inch mid in each rear door; one MMATS 6-channel amp; all wires and connections by Stinger
Wheels/Tires: 32-inch Forgiato Emilano wheels; DUB TRI-ACE tires, 305/25/32
