Blown Cadillac - Custom Crusin 1959 Caddy   We told you before about the laid out, custom Cadilacs being build out in Lake Havasu by Sic Chops. This beautiful 1959 has a twin cousin 1960 that's also shown here. Learn more about the 60 here: 8.5 Beer Cans Tall! This one has a 600 HP Cadillac LSA under the hood! Look for a feature when I can get my camera near this thing... plus, I want a ride! Thanks for sending over the new pics...

Blown Caddy - Custom 1959 Cadillac   Heard of Sic Chops out of Lake Havasu, Arizona? If you're a fan of custom cars, especially custom Cadillacs, then you should have! I met Scott Laitinen, owner and super cool dude at the Scottsdale Goodguys show where him and some pals were demonstrating how a new-build 1960 Caddy was only 8.5 Beer Cans Tall!   Well, he's at it again! His latest creation is a 600 HP Cadillac LSA powered 1959 Cadillac sporting 2 inch chop off the convertible top.  Not bad... HELL, this thing's Sic!     Look closely and you'll see that there's a few finishing touches yet to finish... when I can grab the details and ask Scott about the owner and why, "My Ride is Me" I'll update this story. Until then, make sure to check out the SIC Chops homepage and to leave a comment below. Which Cad's cooler? This 1959 or hammered 1960's...

1968 Cadillac Coupe de Ville at SEMA 2012 (Click to see any picture full size) Click for everything @ 2012 SEMA Show from MyRideisMe Ever heard the saying, "A postman doesn't go for a walk on his day off"? Well, the owner of this 1968 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, Tim Johnson, is a painter by trade.  Tim's Caddy is a three year build. The long road to SEMA started in early 2010 when his soon-to-be wife Jacquelyn (he wisely married her 2 year ago) picked it up for him as a gift. He's been driving it for the last couple years, dodging (unsuccessfully) rain, puddles, sprinklers and every other kind of moisture due to the bare metal finish. With so many thumbs up for the swirly finish, and cause the Caddy was in such good shape to start with... Finally, just two weeks before SEMA, Tim decided to clean it up one last time to leave it metal with clear. I'm glad he did. Don't mistake this for any "Rat Rod"... The interior's finished and tight, stitched up by his buddy Eric Hunsaker over at Advanced Mobile Electronics in Las...

Best and Worst of SEMA 2012 In many ways, the picture above symbolically tells the SEMA show story... Especially the last day. I shot this Ford Mustang giving one lucky passenger the ride of their lives! Maybe, like the passenger, there was a little bit of, "Damn! I'm glad it's over!" I've spun around, everywhere, my head's a smoky haze of friends, new and old connections and feet-tires worn out to the belts! Yet I know... like every year... come next November, I'll be ready to do it again! It's SEMA! What is the SEMA Show? If you're reading this blog, you probably already know... but for those of you stumbling onto this page from a Google image search, let me explain: SEMA's nearly everyone and everything automotive on the planet jammed wall to wall, believe it or not, into the 3.2 million square feet of the Las Vegas convention center. It's massive! All mixed together, you've got nearly every car and truck represented. You'll find OEM's like Ford and Chevy with their custom creations and new models mixed in with the best custom car builders like Chip Foose,...

Cadillac's Top Model - Eldorado Biarritz When I saw this sexy Cadillac for sale at Auctions America Auburn Fall Auction - sorry, we missed it, it was Labor Day weekend... I immediately thought of a couple other Custom Cadillac Biarritz stories I did. Before we get to that, what's up with this award winning "Champagne Iridescent" Caddy? The experts predict the sale price at $80-100k. Here's what that gets you: By the 1960s’ Cadillac had claimed its supremacy as the flagship line for General Motors and bested the rest of its competition in the luxury car segment. Although the Eldorado line was heavily equipped with many luxuries that were standard on most models, it is worth mentioning the accessories that complete this outstandingly restored Biarritz. This particular car includes all power steering, brakes, windows, seats, top, antenna, plus Cadillac Air Suspension, cruise control, air-conditioning and much more. It is finished in Champagne Iridescent with complementing gold leather interior and black vinyl top. It is powered by a 390-cid V-8 with a Hydra-Matic Drive transmission. Most importantly, this example benefits from a no-expense spared restoration and is the recipient of an...

Custom 1960 Cadillac 1960 Cadillac Shot at the 2011 Goodguys in Scottsdale, AZ (Click on any pic to see full size) What's eight and a half Coors Light cans tall and a mile long? This 1960 Custom Cadillac built by Scott's Insane Chops in Lake Havasu City, AZ for owner David Hoekstra. It's got to be obvious by now, right? I shoot and publish stories about cars I like. You've probably seen I have an, arguably un-natural, hankerin' for wagons, but I also like what's more mainstream too... if you call 225 inches of laid out Caddy mainstream!   Need more evidence Sic Chops knows custom Caddillacs? Check out his latest, a chopped 1959 Cadillac Convertible. With 'bout 2300 cars packed into West World for the 2011 November Goodguys show, it takes a special bling to stop you in your tracks. This 60 Caddy did it so well the 'guys moved this car to front and center for all to see. Makes for great visibility and crappy photos with heads poking out all over the place. Still, the graceful elegance of the now 44 inch tall bad-to-the-bone Caddy woulda...

Custom 1959 Cadillac from D'Agostino The Grand National Roadster Show is truly the "Grand-daddy of them all" when it comes to hot rod and custom car shows. Where else would you find two super-custom 1959 Caddy's?  Finished to near perfection, take your pick of the "Custom Restoration" '59 Cadillac (story here) or this latest 1959 Cadillac custom from D'Agostino.  Put your hands together for "Elvis II" built for David E. Walters. Unlike the custom-restoration 1959, this is a true Biarritz. The full name is a mouthful: 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. Deserving the long name, the Biarritz marked the top of what was already a very expensive ($7401 in 1959) and extremely luxurious ride. With the 3x2, 345 horse Q-code Cad motor standard for the Eldorado, the options separating the Series 62 from the El-do include a host of cosmetic tricks in the grille, taillights and interior, but also include air ride from way back in the 50's! What's old is new as just about every custom you see these days is on air. Even with it's superbo-delux-ness right from the General and limited 1320 production, I'm glad to...

Custom 1959 Cadillac Photos by Paul "Swanee" Swanson I think I just coined a new term for cars: Custom Restoration.  Why? I guess we could just say "custom" because this 59's been customized front to back. On the other hand, the builder's shop, Xtreme Restorations out of Rhode Island, suggests his specialty is "restoration".  So somewhere between full custom, resto-mod and restoration, I introduce to you: Custom Restoration. What better start than a 1959 Cadillac!? Standing back, trying to take in the 225.0 in (5715 mm) length that is 1959 Cadillac, the first nod to "restoration" over pure customization has to go to the color choice.  Not a factory color, but also not the typical red or black; PPG supplied a Soft Yellow and Vanilla Shake to gracefully compliment the flowing lines of the Cad. I think it works perfectly and gives a taste of understated modesty to a car that makes a quite a statement! Back to a custom nod then, check out this interior! Bold yes, but as you can see it works! As outrageous as you might think it is, it's a factory ORIGINAL color on Cadillacs in...

Cruising what I call the main hall of the SEMA show, it's fantastic to see the great rides that make SEMA, the parts show, become SEMA the car show. Featuring the best built cars and timeless classics, it's a mix of some of the best rides in the country. I stayed close to "Hot Rod Alley" to find the booths of manufacturers I used and wanted to check out. Seeing the Mustangs and Camaros that are no doubt classic SEMA favorites was cool and will be featured here, but I've always like something different. Big power and stupid amounts of torque aren't different to the folks at Duramax performance discussion forum TheDieselPlace.com, but what about in a 1970 Chevelle? This is one of two cars I spotted at SEMA running a diesel and starting a new trend in hot rodding? Instead of choosing from from several small block Chevy's you've already seen or even throwing cubic inches or the tech of LSX in, Mike Racke of Fullerton, CA stayed with the General, but in the form of a 403 cu. inch LLY Duramax.  This beast runs a mostly stock...