A Chevy Silverado’s Timely Closeup Under the Spotlight

There’s a lot to be said about a guy who knows he has spent enough time on the sidelines and is ready to experience the action on the field for himself. Kennan Damery from Enumclaw, Washington, has owned his 2000 Silverado for a while now, but it wasn’t until four years ago when he decided to get serious about building it up the way he had always envisioned it. He knew he could pull off something special with his Chevy, but all he had to do was take that first big step and let everything else just fall into place.

“I’ve always had a passion for lowered trucks”, Kennan says. “I’ve always wanted to build one that stood out, and I made sure to take advantage of the right time when it finally presented itself.”

Plans Begin

From all the years Kennan has spent checking out custom trucks at shows, he pretty much had a good idea of what he wanted to see done to his Silverado and who to call to help make it all happen. Knowing that he would be the happiest with his Chevy slammed on the floor, Keenan called on Jacob Stone of Stone Fab in Fresno, California, to provide some feedback on some suspension questions he had on his mind.

The ultimate answer to all of Keenan’s inquiries was to send the truck’s factory frame down to California to have Jacob build a custom ¾ chassis and piece together a winning ensemble of high-end accessories to make the most of the truck’s driving and parking experiences. Topping off the Chevy’s newfound frame that was specifically designed to promote a much more aggressive stance, dual Viair 380 compressors and an Accuair VT unit were brought in to enhance the process of creating an ample air supply and its distribution through the lines that dump into the Slam Specialties ‘bag at each corner.

To capitalize on the Silverado’s exciting pavement shredding abilities, Keenan placed an order for a new set of wheels, but not just any set would do. Instead of selecting them off the rack, the obvious right move was to reach for a set of one-off, staggered 22- and 24-inch Paradox wheels from Colorado Custom. If you’re going to dress to impress, there’s no better way than custom, right?

To better bring these massive hunks of billet to a more controlled stop, Wilwood braking components were also included in the truck’s chassis overhaul. In what seemed like no time at all, Kennan was soon looking at a killer foundation to build the rest of his Chevy on.

Styling the Exterior

While the chassis was making its trip back to Keenan, the plans to work on the Silverado’s body and bed were already well underway. To streamline the overall looks and flow of the exterior, the taillights and tailgate handle were shaved clean, and a roll pan and ‘Vette door handles were incorporated into the redesign to make the outer façade much easier on the eyes.

While Keenan wasn’t looking to get too crazy in terms of wild paint colors, he did have Rich Thayer of RJ Custom run with a subdued combination of Black Sand and Bright Silver Metallic hues with a centered split in the two colors with well-placed pinstriping and airbrushed real fire graphics to break up the monotony.

Glorious Interior

With the Silverado’s suspension and exterior well taken care of, Keenan then started with another aspect of the build that he wanted to make sure was addressed—the interior. Now, the glory of a lot of custom show trucks are made or broken inside the cab, and Keenan was not about to drop the ball this close to the truck’s finish line.

CSC Upholstery, in Oregon City, Oregon, helped by first modifying a set of Suburban bucket seats to fit inside the Silverado’s cabin before covering them in plush red leather. To push the look even further, the rest of the dash, door panels and more were either wrapped or painted to match the seats, which gives the interior an overall VIP demeanor. Of course, an assortment of accessories in the way of US Speedo gauges, a Colorado Custom steering wheel and a legitimate sound system were added to round off the cab’s list of premium amenities.

Silverado Success

This Silverado’s metamorphosis didn’t happen overnight, but its owner’s persistence and ability to stay focused on his dream throughout the years ensured its evolution remained on a steady track to success.

“I built this truck the way I wanted and changed some stuff along the way, but there’s nothing I would’ve done much differently,” Keenan says about his truck’s completion. “I learned that patience, drive and determination are all things to keep in mind when building a custom vehicle like this. Giving up should never be an option. Just do what you’re truly passionate about and it’ll all work out somehow.”

Keenan’s approach to building this Silverado showpiece of this caliber is very relatable to most of us who simply aren’t been able to accomplish everything with our projects in the matter of a single year. Good things take time, and when it comes to creating a truck like this without having even one regret once the dust settles says a lot about continuing to chase the dream while trusting in the process of progress.

Owner

Keenan Damery
2000 Chevy Silverado 500
Enumclaw, WA

Engine/Drivetrain

2000 Chevy 5.3L
Holley oil pan
Engine and trans painted
Texas Speed camshaft
LS1 intake manifold and injectors
Pace headers
Custom stainless 2.5-inch exhaust system by Cody Becker
Air intake
Stone Fab two-piece driveshaft and rearend narrowed
Eaton Trutrac

Chassis/Suspension

Shop: Stone Fab, Fresno, CA
¾ chassis w/ mandrel bent rails and powdercoated
Stone Fab front control arms
Slam Specialties front and rear ‘bags
Ridetech shocks
Dual Viair 380 compressors
Accuair Endo VT unit
Air lines ran through frame rails
Stone Fab aluminum fuel cell, powdercoated

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

22- & 24-inch Colorado Custom Paradox one-off wheels
Wilwood 16-inch, 6-piston brake systems front and back
Hydroboost master cylinder
Stainless lines by Cody Becker

Body & Paint

PPG Black Sand / Bright Silver Metallic paint by RJ Customs (Rich Thayer), Kennewick, WA
Pinstripe and airbrushed fire graphics in Kandy Orange & Red
OEM grille, billet insert
Front and rear tubs by Cody Becker
Recon brake light
Shaved taillights and tailgate, third brake light, roll pan, custom sheetmetal bed, Corvette door handles

Interior

Shop: CSC Upholstery, Oregon City, OR
Modified Suburban bucket seats covered in red leather
Custom center console built by Ryan Butler provided by Mark D.
Fully painted and wrapped interior
US Speedo instrumentation
Colorado Custom steering wheel
Alpine head unit and stereo upgrades by Mobile Music, Burlington, WA