When LRM photographer Saul Vargas covered the Obsession Car Club show down in Atlanta, Georgia, last September, one of the more colorful cars on the lot was Emmanuel Avila's '96 Cadillac Fleetwood, "Calling Shots." It's hard to miss Emmanuel's bright yellow big-body with its eye-popping graphics, generous amounts of gleaming chrome plating and numerous custom touches both inside and out. A photo shoot was arranged on the spot and now everyone can examine this clean "dirty South" lowrider.
Originally from California, Emmanuel has called Powder Springs, Georgia, home for a few years now. Emmanuel knew all about lowriders from his days in California, but it wasn't until he witnessed the lowriding scene in "Hotlanta" that he decided that he had to represent. "I saw the boys from Obsession Car Club in downtown Atlanta and got with it," Emmanuel remembers.
What Emmanuel got with was a cool custom Cadillac built to be a driver. In fact, Emmanuel says that he "street rides it all of the time." The car also shines at the shows, thanks to the support that Emmanuel received from Manuel Leija, his wife, his friends at Players Image in Norcross, Georgia, and Obsession Car Club. Now, Emmanuel is a real player on the Southern lowrider scene. "My brother is into it too," he adds. "We like it; fun time."
Calling ShotsOwner: Emmanuel Avila
Vehicle: '96 Cadillac Fleetwood
City/State: Powder Springs, Georgia
Club: Obsession C.C.
Engine/Drivetrain: Emmanuel painted a few select parts at Players Image in Norcross, Georgia.
Body/Paint: At his shop in Atlanta, Jair Reyes applied the bright yellow House of Kolor paint scheme with graphics. Atlanta artist "Jomer" is responsible for the trunk mural depicting (in Emmanuel's words) "me and my girls."
Interior: The yellow and white seats and panels complete with Cadillac logos are the work of Tim's Auto Upholstery in Duluth, Georgia.
Sound System: Emmanuel's friends at Players Image in Norcross hooked him up with an audio/video system featuring a Sony CD/DVD player and numerous TV screens including a 16-inch Absolute monitor that drops down from the headliner.
Setup: Also at Players Image in Norcross, the big-body Cadillac was equipped with a two-pump Red's Hydraulics setup featuring four dumps, 8-inch (front) and 12-inch (rear) cylinders, six switches and six batteries. In addition, the frame was fully wrapped, and the chromed-out suspension was strengthened with 3-ton springs.
Tires: P175/75-R14 Remington
Wheels: 100-spoke gold center wires