Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod

       

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Made By:
Chevron
Scale:
N/A
MSRP:
US$7.99
Overview:
Packaging (Design):8/10
Packaging (Durability):9/10
Casting (Body):9/10
Casting (Interior):9/10
Casting (Chassis):8/10
Casting (Engine):8/10
Paint (Exterior):9/10
Paint (Interior):N/A
Paint (Trim/Graphics):9/10
Overall Panel Fit:10/10
Total Score:8.8/10

 
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Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod
Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod packaging Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod alternate expression Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod front interior Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod engine Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod rear interior Chevron Cars Hank Hot Rod rear

 
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Background

Chevron's Techron ads were all about extolling the virtues of their fuel additives in vehicles that would see a lot of miles: daily drivers, work trucks, professional vehicles, etc. Hank was the first "limited use" car, as a classic custom ragtop without even the function of a station wagon.

 

Packaging

Hank Hot Rod's base is approximately 7½" (190mm) x 4½" (115mm), with a gravel lot printed on the "road" and a teal edge. The Chevron logo/name and "Keep your Neighborhood Clean ♻" is printed on both ends, and his name and the Chevron Cars logo are on the front edge. The gravel surface continues up the back panel, which has the concession stand from the "Movies & Popcorn" ad. "Safety tested and recommended for children age 3 and over" is printed in the bottom right corner of the panel, one of the few times the text has not been incorporated into the scene. The back panel suggests a different part of the evening, with Hank and a few other cars parked near Milt's Malt Shop (a name and building design inspired by Mel's Drive-In). The toy's features are listed on a sign near the entrance to the restaurant. The bottom of the package has a photo of Hank with callouts for his moving eyes, opening hood, convertible top, nonfunctioning doors, flame paint job, and whitewall tires, plus the usual marketing paragraph: "Hank Hot Rod is the coolest hot rod on the road. Check out the flames painted on him. Snazzy! Get a load of those whitewall tires. Keen! See you at the malt shop after the triple feature at the drive-in movie." The Owner's Manual and order form are packed inside the blister.

 

Casting/Paint

Hank is a rich purple ABS with one of the more elaborate (and impressive) paint jobs in the Chevron Cars series. The bright yellow nose fades smoothly into the orange flame tails, without the expected halftone screen and perfectly aligned across the hood and fenders. The front bumper is cast in yellow, and is a near-perfect match to the painted fenders. The windshield is clear plastic with black wipers and a purple frame that is an excellent match to the purple cowl. White paint is used for the convertible top boot, red is used for the taillights, and silver is used for the grille and rear bumper. The usual "Techron" sticker license plate is centered near the bottom edge of the trunk lid. Hank has the usual Aardman face: black painted mouth with bright white teeth, and bright blue eyes with peach lids.

The interior is deep red with a black steering wheel. The detailing is good, with a big classic American dashboard featuring the classic arched gauge cluster, and tuck & roll bench seats with seat belts. Under the hood is a silver engine top, with a radiator, belt assembly, valve covers, air cleaner, and intake manifold. It's all one piece, but done well enough to recognize that it's a V8. The chassis has a little bit of suspension and drivetrain detail, plus a fuel tank and the usual name and series logo plate. The tires are black vinyl cheater slicks with hard plastic wheels forming the silver hubcaps and white sidewalls.

 

Features/Accessories

Hank has an opening hood and moving eyes. The eyes are activated by pushing down on his front and rolling him forward to make his eyes move left and right.

 

Accuracy

Hank is a pretty good match to his animation counterpart, save for a few small details. His front bumper is yellow instead of silver and he lacks mirrors, both of which are actually improvements that clean up the look of the car. The toy has a windshield divider that wasn't part of the animation model, but they left it unpainted so the overall look remains correct. One strange alteration, though, is the doors. The packaging makes a big deal out of the doors being "welded shut - just like a real hot rod," while in the commercial he was the only car specifically shown letting his people out...via the opening doors. He measures approximately 6" (150mm) long, 3¼" (80mm) wide, and 2¼" (60mm) tall.

 

Overall

Hank is one of my favorite Cars. It's a cool design that's brilliantly executed, and is even an improvement over the animation design.

 

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