PHIL GORDAN October 11, 2023 Chevrolet
Very few people carry the reputation and name that Kerry Daigle has earned over the past couple of decades. Since he was 15 years old, Kerry has been involved in trucks in some way or another. In 2012 he finally put his name on the map with his ’07 Chevy Silverado named “Leaux.” His first few builds before that were admirable, but the Silverado set new standards for everyone and his truck graced what seems like every national truck magazine. From 2012 to 2021, Kerry’s Chevy was a staple in the industry and revered by everyone.
As a SEMA build, we all know they are more trailer queens. But it won’t be on a trailer now that I own it.
Not many people can say their truck is “finished,” but Kerry had reached the peak of what he wanted done to his Chevy and finally decided to part ways with it for something new and fresh. As a self-proclaimed Chevy guy, Kerry had his eyes on this 2007 Chevy Tahoe owned by Matt Hofer that he had been working on. The truck was built so perfectly, it was the star at SEMA in Las Vegas in 2016. After Kerry sold his truck, he needed something different and preferred an SUV rather than a pickup so he contacted some friends to find out about Matt’s Tahoe.
“I definitely wanted something built by Jake McKiddie or NFamus,” Kerry tells Street Trucks. “Those are the standards by which trucks should be built.”
He found out that Matt still had the Tahoe, and it was sitting in a garage basically holding down the garage floor.
“It hadn’t been driven since the SEMA show,” Kerry says. “I feel it’s the best SUV on the planet, so I wanted it.”
The Tahoe had been severely neglected for about four years and was just sitting there, but based on Kerry’s knowledge and seeing pictures, he knew he had to have it. It took about six months of begging and groveling to get Matt to even entertain the thought of a sale.
“He had absolutely no interest in selling the Chevy,” Kerry says. “But I’m very convincing.”
It helps that Kerry had such a reputable name in the culture and being known for taking care of his vehicles. Matt finally broke down and allowed Kerry to buy it.
Of course, with any custom truck just sitting, there’s going to be some proverbial rust. Just two simple things needed to be fixed: tires and the engine. Matt reluctantly replaced all four tires and did a complete tune-up, changing spark plugs and all new fluids to get the Tahoe road-ready. A new battery was added and the Chevy fired right up. It was ready for Kerry to pick up after the negotiated price was paid.
Kerry made the trip from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Midland, Texas, which is a 13-hour trip one way. After picking up the truck, he did the one thing that showed how passionate he is in the truck culture. Directly from the pickup spot of the Tahoe, he drove to Orange Beach, Alabama, for a truck show without ever going home.
“I think I only took two quick naps on the side of the road,” Kerry says. “I was too excited to show it off.”
Although the SUV was built sturdy, Kerry had to get in and fix a few things to get it dialed in. The rack-and-pinion had to be fixed, the airline all had to be re-plumbed, the gas tank had a leak and had to be repaired, a larger and more efficient alternator had to be installed, and a few other things had to be modified.
“As a SEMA build, we all know they are more trailer queens,” Kerry says. “But it won’t be on a trailer now that I own it.”
In the truck culture, a lot is said about the building process versus buying a built truck. Although there is more respect in the process of building or having a truck built, the time it takes and the headache involved in shops and people misleading you on time and quality can get quite taxing on people. When you buy a truck that has already been built, you take it and go. You will eventually fine-tune it to make it your own, but Kerry had the advantage of buying a Tahoe that very few outside of SEMA 2016 were aware of.
“I feel like my last truck was like a street walker,” Kerry jokes. “It’s been everywhere and everyone has seen it.”
It was time for something new, and Kerry set a whole new standard for this Tahoe. Now, a new level of haters has emerged.
Kerry wishes to thank his wife, Jennifer, for being understanding and kind enough to let him buy this and pursue his passion to this level. A huge thanks goes out to Josh Jagneaux and Daniel Lehon at Alpha Customs for helping get the Tahoe buttoned up. As one of the longest reigning members of Aftermath truck club, Kerry has to give a big thanks to his club brothers for always being there and their passion in the truck lifestyle. They always pushed quality over quantity, and it shows in each and every one of their trucks.
OWNER
Kerry Daigle
2007 Chevy Tahoe
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Aftermath
CHASSIS
DRIVETRAIN
Engine:
BODY/PAINT
INTERIOR
STEREO
WHEELS & TIRES
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