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Frankie's Updated Collection

01.11.09

Our active Chevron Cars Blog fan, Frankie, has expanded his 35-car collection since we met him back in 2006. Three years later, Frankie now owns a whopping 53 Chevron Cars, which he calls his "MEGA" collection. Frankie writes us:

"I've been working my way upwards since 2004, now it's 2009, & this collection is almost complete! I just need to find Davey Driver, Taylor Taxi, Hope 01, 02 & 03. That's going to make my awesome collection complete!"

Sounds like you've been working hard and searching around to build your collection. Thanks for the update on your collection, Frankie!

Has your Chevron Cars collection grown quite a bit since we last featured you on the Chevron Cars Blog? Send us a picture and let us know how your collecting is coming along!

Will there be new cars this Fall?

01.11.09

Many of you having been wondering whether Chevron will roll out with any new toy cars this Fall. Well, the answer is yes!

A new Breast Cancer Awareness car will be released this October. This will be the 9th such car released since 2001, and join a cast that includes Hope 2001, Hope 2002, Hope 2003, Faith, Cherish, Promise, Courage and Spirit. Have any guesses on the new car's name? Let us know! We'll have more information on this brand new car in October.

There will be no Victor E. Vans coming out this year.

A brand new very cool car will be out for this Holiday season. We are very excited about this, because so many of you have asked about it. We assure you it will be a worthy follow-on to Fuller Fire Truck. Be sure to have signed up for our newsletter know the moment it arrives.

We love to hear your creative ideas for new cars and how you maintain your collections.

Jesse's Collection

01.11.09

Dorothy, a long-time Chevron Cars fan, sent us a letter about her 12 year old great grandson Jesse and his Chevron Cars collection. Jesse has quite an impressive collection which he has showcased here in this wonderful display.

In addition to the great variety of Cars in his collection, Jesse also owns more than one of many of the individual Cars, including 2 Payton Pizzas, 2 Casey Coupes, 3 Chandler Chips, 3 Summer Scoops, and 2 Fuller Fire Trucks! This collector even owns some of our very first Chevron toy cars, including Sam Sedan, Wendy Wagon, Tony Turbo, Freddy 4-Wheeler and Patty Patrol. Jesse has some other collectibles, too, like his Woody Wagon pin, Fun Club Kit, and Riley Roadster t-shirt.

We love the shelves he has set-up outdoors and the way he has displayed his collection with the larger cars on the bottom and duplicate cars grouped together. We're also impressed that each car is still in its original box--what a dedicated collector!

We noticed Jesse owns Hope 2002, Hope 2003, Faith, Cherish, Courage and Spirit. We hope you're all as excited as we are for the brand new Breast Cancer Awareness car next month! Be sure to sign-up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with our newest cars.

Thank you Dorothy and Jesse for sharing your collection with us!

Daniel's Silver Della

09.01.09

Once in a while, one has to just take one's hat off and salute a truly dedicated and imaginative Chevron Cars fan. Daniel's re-creation of Della is one such moment. Daniel is a 6 year old in northern California. An avid car collector, he found himself with an old Della in bad shape. With his Dad's help he re-painted it silver. Wow! Now that's a great idea for a car. Daniel calls it the Silver Bullet.

A most enthusiastic collector he is too. When he goes back to Mexico for a visit, he gives his extra cars to friends and relatives. Way to go Daniel. You are a true Chevron Cars star. The classy picture of your Silver Bullet 'n Roses is priceless.

Isaiah's Collection

01.11.09

Arranged by size, Isaiah has displayed his favorite Chevron toys cars for us. He enjoys playing with his cars with his family. With so many cars, playing around must take up quite a bit of space!

Isaiah thinks that the best car is Zachary Zoomer. As you may know, Zachary Zoomer has always gotten the most joy out of being a kid, so we're glad to see that Isaiah is doing that as well. We especially love how he has 3 little pigs from Maddie Mudster leading the pack -- we wonder, have those three little pigs ever met the big bad wolf?

Isaiah tells us, "Some day I hope to have collected every Chevron toy car ever made." Well, Isaiah, there are two more cars coming out this year, so you'll soon have more to collect. Keep up the great work!

Not Chevron Cars, but . . .

29.06.10

We are often asked about the Chevron trucks shown here in an image sent in by Jake, who recently received these "beautiful model trucks" as a gift. He writes that "on the undercarriage of each model, it says 'Exclusively for Chevron.' These models are made in England by the Lledo Toy Company."

You have it correctly, Jake. These intricate model trucks were made between 1990 and 1993, and are a few inches long. Lledo was a company founded by Jack Odell, and bore his name spelled backwards. Odell was a partner in the firm that made the famous Matchbox die-cast metal cars many readers may remember. When he left the firm in 1982, he started Lledo with a number of former Matchbox alums. No wonder these are such wonderful objects.

The black car in the middle is a replica of a 1920 Red Crown Gasoline Ford Model T Tank Truck. Imagine, a Ford Model T as a gasoline delivery truck! What would Travis Tanker say?

On the right is a red 1936 Packard Standard Announcer car. The green car on the left seems to be the 1939 Chevy RPM Pickup.

Thanks Ajke for sending this in and reminding us of the great tradition of oil-related vehicles going back almost a century.

New Victor E. Van's Launched

09.01.09

Two new sports Victor E. Vans were launched in September. The San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Portland State University (PSU) cars are now available online and at select retail locations respectively in the San Diego, CA and Portland, OR areas. Furthermore, the University of Southern California (USC) car which was very popular last year is now back in stock on the website and at relevant Los Angeles, CA retail locations. More new Victor E. Vans will be announced later in the fall. Check them out at the Chevron Cars Toy Store.

New Chevron Cars?

09.01.09

A lot of you - hundreds in fact - have been asking whether there will be new Chevron Cars this year and whether Chevron is planning to continue manufacturing new Chevron Cars. Some of you have even been wondering whether it makes sense to go on collecting Chevron Cars.

We are delighted to let you know that there will be new cars this year and next and Chevron remains committed to these popular and fun products collected by young and old alike.

In the fall of 2008 we expect a new series of sports Victor E. Vans. Some but not all of these cars will be available on the website. We apologize for the one or two Victor E. Vans that will not be available but this is due to contractual reasons we have no control over. Rest assured that most of the new sports Victor E. Vans will become available on the site, in limited quantities. We expect a new Breast Cancer Awareness car this fall as well.

For the holidays we are looking forward to a brand new Chevron Car, one of the best ever and one thousands of you have been requesting for years. Stay tuned, it will be fabulous.

Finally, we hope that certain out-of-stock cars will be brought back into stock this year or next, although nothing is firm yet. The best way to remain informed about new cars is to check this blog, or subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.chevroncars.com/user/newsletter_subscribe.php

Ryan's Collection

29.07.09

Check out Ryan's impressive collection of Chevron Cars! His collection started six years ago with one Sam Sedan. Now, Ryan has 53 Chevron Cars with one Autopia car—and he's only nine years old!

Ryan's favorite Chevron Car is Trevor Tow Truck—can you find Trevor in the picture of Ryan's collection? He's there... Does Ryan have your favorite car in his collection? Can you find it in the picture?

Thank you, Ryan, for taking care of so many Chevron Cars. Don't forget to visit the My Collection page on our website to register your cars and print Ownership Certificates.

Chevron Cars over the Years

29.01.10

From a sparkling clean Sam Sedan to a cool and healthy Moe Muscle, Chevron has been releasing Chevron Cars since 1996. Can you believe that a whopping 20,000,000 cars have been sold? These cars have made it to many homes over the years, sparking tens of thousands of Chevron Cars collections. They have also inspired very many of you to write us with your innovative ideas and submit creative drawings of what you'd like to see in the future.

One of the special characteristics of these cars is that each one has a different and unique personality. Looking for some adventure? Take Freddy 4 Wheeler for a spin in the mud, or Brent Blizzard for a cool ride through the snow. Feeling a little hungry? Flag down Payton Pizza for a couple hot slices or Chandler Chip for a refreshing ice cream cone. If you need a ride to school, Sally Schoolbus has you covered, and Tyler Taxi would love to bring you over to your friend's home. Maria Minivan loves to take families around town, while Pete Pickup and Horace N Trailer will bring your furry friends along. Patty Patrol and Fuller Fire Truck are always doing their best to protect and serve the community.

In addition to the regular edition Chevron Cars, there have also been a few special edition cars that we've released over the years. Chevron created the Victor E Van series in 2007 so that you can show your spirit for your favorite university and a variety of sports. Chevron is also proud of beginning a Special Edition Chevron Car series in 2001 that is designed to raise awareness about breast cancer. Devotion, an energetic helper, recently joined the Chevron Cars family this fall to help inspire those around her.

Few fans can boast to have a complete collection with the rarest Chevron Car of all - the Gold Dusty. In 2000, Chevron produced only 1,000 of these cars as gifts to Chevron Executives and personnel and to Disney Executives at the re-opening of the Chevron-sponsored Autopia ride at Disneyland. You may see one on Ebay.com every now and then. You can learn more about this extraordinary Chevron Car here.

Our Chevron Cars would not have achieved such great success without our many devoted Chevron Cars fans. We hope that our Chevron Cars have brightened your days, and thank you for the years of support!

Introducing Devotion--the new Breast Cancer Awareness car!

01.11.09

After numerous emails and comments asking when the newest Chevron Car is going to arrive, it's finally here! We want to welcome the newest car to the collection--Devotion!

Ever since 2001, Chevron has created a Special Edition Chevron Car designed to raise awareness about breast cancer. Devotion joins a proud line of cars, including Hope 2001, Hope 2002, Hope 2003, Faith, Cherish, Promise, Courage and Spirit.

With a radiant ruby exterior, Devotion is an energetic car dedicated to improving the big picture. She's always ready to help out, whether it's cleaning up the house, baking for a bake sale, or rounding-up clothes for the needy.

Devotion believes that good deeds bring good fortune, and we couldn't agree more. With her star-bright smile and big heart, Devotion shows that devoting time and energy to those in need can help in the fight against breast cancer and those whose lives are affected by the disease.

Devotion will be available while supplies last on the ChevronCars.com Toy Store and at select Chevron retail stations starting October 1st, 2009. Chevron and your local dealer are proud to contribute all net proceeds from the sale of this Special Edition car to promote the early detection of breast cancer. Our Special Edition cars tend to sell relatively quickly, so be sure to snag yours as soon as possible!

Ian's Drawing

29.01.10

Ian recently sent us his creative drawings of two new Chevron Cars--Molly Movin' and Pierce Packin'. We highly recommend that you click on each image for a larger version so that you can see the incredible details on these drawings!

Molly Movin's side says "CC Moving Co." and has "Molly" next to the side doors that open. The back of the truck also opens, featuring a small 'M' on each side of the door. From the front, you can see that Molly's eyes move side to side as she looks for the best house in which to move. Molly comes with a couch and small box accessories that you can store as she drives around town. Ian also made sure that Molly came with a sheet of bumper stickers so you can decorate and personalize her.

Just like Molly Movin', Pierce Packin' also has "CC Moving Co." printed on his side, as well as side and back doors that open. If you take a careful look, you'll see that the license plate even reads "Techron"! With a great big smile, Pierce Packin' also moves his eyes to look for a great house in which to move. For accessories, Ian has included an end table, boxes, and a sheet of different bumper stickers.

We love and are very impressed by the level of detail in Ian's drawings! Did you notice the bird in the tree? Or the truck in the background following Pierce Packin'? Or even how the box accessories say "fragile" and have an arrow pointing up?

We think that these cars would make a great duo together, just like Bailey Bouncer and Brandon Bumper, Charlie Chaser and Dylan Dasher, and Chandler Chip and Summer Scoop. Since they love to help people out, we think Molly Movin' and Pierce Packin' would be great friends with Pete Pickup and Cary Carrier.

Thank you for sharing your idea with us, Ian!

Chevron Cars for this Holiday Season

29.01.10

Wondering what to get your loved ones for this coming holiday season? The Chevron Cars Online Store is your one-stop shop for picking-out your gifts and avoiding the holiday shopping rush. Don't forget to type FREE SHIP in the Coupon Code section when you are checking-out to receive free standard shipping on orders that are $40.00 and over!

Every Chevron Cars collection should include our two newest 2009 members--Moe Muscle and Devotion. Finely toned and tuned, Moe Muscle is an energetic car who knows the importance of exercise. With a radiant ruby exterior and big heart, Devotion is a Breast Cancer Awareness car who loves to help her neighbors out and inspire others to do good deeds.

Another special Breast Cancer Awareness Chevron Car that is currently available is Spirit. Spirit has a generous attitude and lives to spread acts of kindness. This cool coupe would make a great addition to any Chevron Cars collection.

Fuller Fire Truck was a fantastic hit when he was released during the last Holiday season and is ready to roll again this year. This Chevron Car would make a great gift to anyone courageous and aspiring to lend a helping hand to the community. Chevron Cars fans especially love that the ladder lifts, swivels and extends to help at any height, and how Fuller comes with a firehouse dog that can ride along or jump out and play.

Any car from the Victor E. Van series would make a great gift to a college student, alumnus or energetic sports fan. The Victor E. Van cars representing San Diego State University, University of Hawaii, Texas A&M University and University of Southern California are still available in our online store. All of these cars enjoy serving as a reminder of good sportsmanship. They also each come with team logo stickers so that you can customize your very own fan van.

Check out the Chevron Cars Online Store today!

Richard's New Car Drawing

09.01.09

A creative new idea for a car was recently sent in from Richard who is a fan of the Chevron Cars. His idea looks like a camper van with a window in the middle and a slick brown stripe that runs across the side of the car. We also love the drawings next to the car of the tree, tent, and campfire which shows that this car is really enjoying being in the great outdoors. The great big smile on the front of the car is also a nice feature showing that this car is probably having a great time riding along the mountain roads and having fun at the campsite -- maybe even roasting marshmallows over the fire!

This car would probably get along well with Woody Wagon, Freddy 4 Wheeler, and of course Maria Minivan who all enjoy traveling and exciting adventures along winding mountain roads and rolling hills.

Thanks so much Richard for sending in this fun and imaginative new car idea! Let us know what you think of this new idea and submit your own car creation or photo of your car collection.

New Learn Article: Depth Perception

01.11.09

Have you ever wondered about what you see and what surrounds you? How is it that we can just tell that something is further away from us than something else?

Take a look at the photo to the right - how can you be certain that the brick wall is behind the car? Could it be possible that the car is behind the wall, and that you are viewing it through a car-shaped hole in the wall? The amazing thing about our visual systems is that we don't even waste time considering that as an option.

Depth perception is our ability to see (or perceive) how far objects are (or their depth). A depth perception cue is a hint to our visual systems that help us see depth.

Back to the car photo- we can thank our visual systems for the depth perception cue of occlusion. The fact that part of the wall is occluded, or out of sight, by the car lets you know that the car is closer to you than the wall.

Let's look at another example of a depth perception cue and examine this photo of a traffic jam in Los Angeles. With the texture gradient depth perception cue, our visual systems recognize that textures change as the recede, such that they become smaller and are change color. Because there are so many cars in this photo, we can think of this as a 'texture' - just as a sandy texture is composed of thousands of sand granules. Can you see how the cars get smaller the further away they are? And that it is more difficult to tell the color of each car the further back you look?

To learn more about depth perception cues, check out our recent Learn article, Depth Perception: Monocular Cues.