You just can't beat a Cadillac when it comes to prestige, comfort and brand-name appeal. It's a car that has long been synonymous with success, and on the flip side, it's been the favorite car for the social elite as well as the vehicle of choice for the mafia.
Back in the late '70s, Cadillacs were notorious for being recognized as "official mafia staff cars" and it's because of the car's ability to hold 10 comfortably-three up front, three in the rear and another four in the trunk. But the extra room in the trunk was utilized for much different reasons when it came time for David Rodriguez of Long Beach, California, to get his own.
Take a quick look at David's ride and you'll be more than impressed with the craftsmanship of the vehicle. The lines on his '94 Cadillac Brougham are straighter than when it first came off of the assembly line and it's the perfect amalgam of metal and paint. The rich color of the custom taupe metallic paint was due in part to the amount of time that Pete from A-1 Auto put into prepping and spraying the vehicle. Once color sanded and buffed, the earthy tones add a warm luster to the ride and give it a feeling of luxury versus other cars that are painted with loud candy paints and murals.
All four corners of the vehicle are juiced by way of a switch setup handling front, back and three-wheel motion. The install was tastefully put together by Anthony Fuentes of Homies Hydraulics, but then again nothing less would have ever been expected since his name and reputation are attached to it. To ensure structural rigidity, the frame was wrapped and reinforced. Up front and nestled in the fenderwell is a set of 4-ton springs and out back a milder 2-ton setup was installed.
If it were only so easy to flip a switch to have the car roll over, spectators would be treated to a visual spectacle of microscopic detail. The A-arms are all molded and chromed to match the accompanying frame, while the red dots all throughout the suspension indicate that new polyurethane bushings were installed to ensure a firmer and more stable ride.
Inside, the interior retains most of its stock amenities with the only noticeable upgrade being the Clarion flip-out (7-inch) head unit and seven-band EQ located directly underneath. An Epicenter sub-bass control module controls all bass, while two Audiobahn amps feed the juice to the two JL Audio 12-inch woofers. Each speaker is protected by Audiobahn grilles and, in the doors, the mids and highs are accurately played through MB Quart separates.
The warm traditional theme is consistent all throughout the car, but once you pop the trunk, a setup is revealed that's accented by strategically placed lighting. The lights throw off rays which highlight two sets of four batteries strapped down to each side. Just underneath this setup, the belly of David's ride was color matched.
Ironically enough, the vehicle wasn't always this clean. It was actually stolen a while back, and in the process the worst happened. Rather than receive his vehicle back in one piece, the Caddy was hit and vandalized. So, David had to start on the vehicle from scratch. It wasn't an easy task at an estimated $30,000, but as with anything put together this brilliantly, it never does come cheap.
The vehicle was named after the year that David graduated from high school, and since then he's got himself into a few projects, including Harleys, a '64 Impala and '87 Chevy Luxury Sport. David puts the style in the Stylistics-his car club (the Los Angeles chapter)-and helps represent a club that flaunts the same style, pride and craftsmanship that's seen in this car.
Class of '94
Owner: David Rodriguez
Vehicle: '94 Cadillac Brougham
City/State: Long Beach, California
Club: Stylistics C.C.-Los Angeles
Engine/Drivetrain: 5.7 LT1 built by Jose Rodriguez of the The Rodz Customs in Long Beach with various painted, chrome and polished engine pieces. The Rodz "brothers" also performed some chassis work. Chrome plating was provided by Danny and D&G Plating, with anodizing by Elizabeth at Icon.
Body/Paint: Pete Caldera of A-1 Auto handled all of the body mods and two-stage taupe metallic paint.Interior: OG taupe leather with the Brougham pattern all done by Francisco Upholstery.
Sound System: A Clarion flip-out head unit, seven-band equalizer, two chrome Audiobahn amps, Clarion crossover, MB Quart mids and highs, and two JL Audio subwoofers were all installed by Pacific Stereo.
Setup: David hooked up with Homies Hydraulics for a two-pump setup with aluminum blocks, Adex square dumps in the front, Italian dumps in the rear, 4-ton front springs, 2-ton rear springs, 6-inch Homies cylinders up front, 12-inch rear cylinders, braided-chrome hoses, eight solenoids, eight Trojan batteries, #8 Parker hoses and four switches. Homies also reinforced and wrapped the frame.
Tires: P155/80-R13 Hankook
Wheels: 13x7 Icon wires laced in gold and powdercoat