A SEMA-Bound ProMotorsports Build

Building a cool new truck to show off at SEMA is nothing new for Jim Lewis and his team at ProMotorsports in Edmond, Oklahoma, as that’s what they do. This stunning new ’07 Cadillac Escalade EXT is their most recent creation. Like so many other enthusiasts, Lewis used the latest generation Escalade because it was an immediate hit, especially among the urban lifestyle crowd, so team ProMotorsports thought one would make a great representative demo vehicle for their shop. Billy Lewis came up with the flat black concept, with tons of chrome and polished metal to contrast the flatness of the finish. While the paint may be the first item that attracts you to this truck, the crew at ProMotorsports actually started the build underneath it all by increasing the performance of the Escalade EXT.

Adding Boost and Big Power

They delivered the Escalade to House of Boost in Overland Park, Kansas, for some quick boost. From the factory, these Cadillacs make good power with 400 hp on tap, but Lewis wanted more, which is exactly what Dorian Comeau and his House of Boost delivered. Comeau and company installed a polished belt-driven ProCharger supercharger, which really woke up the engine.
They installed the supercharger with polished billet aluminum mounting brackets on the driver’s side of the engine, right next to the factory alternator. The supercharger inhales through a K&N cone air filter before pressurizing the incoming air and passing it through the ProCharger intercooler, before it is ducted into the factory throttle body, on the front of the intake manifold.
While in the import-tuner world it is cool to show off your intercooler with a big-mouth bumper cover, Lewis wanted a more stealthy approach. To accomplish this, the installers simply mounted the intercooler in front of the A/C condenser, using custom brackets. To help the engine more easily expel spent exhaust gasses, the team installed a stainless steel Corsa Performance exhaust system. This system not only looks and sounds better—it flows better. Dual polished tips exit below the Escalade’s rear passenger-side fender in the factory location.
The engine package now delivers about 600 hp with excellent streetability, allowing Lewis to easily drive the Escalade EXT to and from shows and events.

Suspension, Stance, and Rolling Stock

With the engine tuned, the Caddy was brought back to the team at ProMotorsports where it was time to improve its handling. Visually, for Lewis’ tastes, the Escalade sat too high, even with the massive 26-inch wheel and tire combination he planned to install, so he and his team installed a Pedders Suspension drop kit, which lowered the front of the truck 3 inches and dropped the rear 5 inches.
The team also installed new Hellwig anti-sway bars in the front and rear to help minimize body roll when the big truck charges through the corners. To go with the new suspension components and to promote that baller image, they installed a set of KMC Dime 26×10-inch chrome split 10-spoke wheels and wrapped them in super-low-profile 305/30R26 Hankook Ventus ST tires.

Exterior Prep and Suede Black Paint

The next order of business was to strip the exterior of all its emblems, trim and door handles in preparation for paint. Some may wonder why repaint a new truck, but Lewis and his team wanted this Escalade to stand out from all of the other big-wheeled Escalades they expected to come across at the SEMA show and other events. As you can see, the results are stunning and sure to stop most passerbys.
The Suede Black Dupont paint was sprayed by Clint Drabek of Clint’s Restorations in Norman, Oklahoma, before the truck was transported back to Lenexa, Kansas, for reassembly.

Chrome, Trim, and Exterior Details

To contrast the black suede look, the team installed many polished aluminum and chrome trim pieces to replace the factory hardware. The most noticeable change is the Strut grille and side vents. The new grille and side vents are made from triple-chromed stainless steel with a wire mesh insert that has been painted black to match the truck.
New IAG billet aluminum door handles were also installed to continue the smoothness of the Escalade. To dress up the rear of the Caddy, the taillights were blacked out and the Cadillac Crest emblem replaced with one that is black chromeplated. Inside the EXT’s bed, the team installed a BedRug carpeted bed liner to protect the bed and its contents.

Interior Upgrades and Sound Control

To dress up the stock Escalade interior, Lewis turned to Custom Factory Interiors in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where they dyed the handles, lights, switches and trim black. Then they installed a custom black suede headliner to go with the ebony leather seat upholstery. While the interior components were out of the truck, the ProMotorsports team installed Dynamat sound deadening material throughout to reduce road noise and improve sound quality of the upcoming aftermarket sound system.

Audio and Video Integration

Rather than replace the integrated factory navigation/audio unit, the team used a Coastal E-Tech interface module to integrate video with the factory system. Additional video for rear seat passengers comes in the form of a pair of replacement VizuaLogic headrest monitors installed on the front seats.
Sounds from the Escalade system was also upgraded with a full complement of Boston Acoustics amplifiers and speakers. Audio signals from the head unit are carried through a pair of Boston Acoustics amplifiers mounted at the front of the truck bed, connected with Scosche EFX audio cables. A GT28 two-channel amplifier is used to power a pair of Boston Acoustics SPG555 oval subwoofers, mounted in a custom-sealed enclosure behind the back seat. The four-channel GT42 amplifier is used to power the front and rear Pro50 5-1/4-inch speakers mounted in the factory locations.

Final Results and Crowd Reaction

All involved built one very unique Escalade EXT. It not only stands out, more than its good looks, this Cadillac Escalade EXT packs big power under foot and in the passenger compartment. The build team certainly exceeded their goals as they’ve created a custom Caddy that’s become a crowd favorite.