Insights, Tips & More For Your Chevrolet Vehicle
Decode GM vehicle any year from 1972 through 2017 on this helpful website.
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Corvette Collector: Of the hundreds of thousands of automotive enthusiasts around the world who worship at the altar of the sports car, very few can claim ownership of 2,014 Chevrolet Corvettes.
That’s 2,013 in Charles Mallon’s basement—contained in a display case and dozens of tote bags—and one in his garage: a 2005 LeMans blue C6.
One real Corvette is just enough for Charles Mallon.
Turning a hobby into a quest for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records isn’t something one plans overnight. Indeed, Mallon has accomplished just that. In June, he was certified by the Guinness folks for having the “Largest Collection of Chevrolet Memorabilia.”
He can trace back his affection for the marque to the age of 2, when, his mother tells him, he “could pick out a Corvette in a crowd, and run right over to it.”
Mallon’s Corvette-mania extends beyond just the miniature car models: He’s been assembling all bits of Chevy memorabilia since he was 14, from signs and books and posters to soda cans and Chevy belts. But his heart lies with the car.
“I started serious collection when I was 14,” he says. “I would bring home three models, then five models, and you get carried away. I’m into cars of all shapes and sizes, but growing up it was probably the look and the sound of the Corvette. It’s America’s sports car.”
Now 54 and a consultant working with auto dealerships on facility improvements, Mallon—who’s lived in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, all his life—still enlists friends to seek out Corvette miniatures on their visits to toy stores and flea markets. About 600, ranging in size from a few centimeters to more than a foot, reside in that display case in Mallon’s basement, and the rest are packed away in tote bags, “rotated on display periodically,” he says. Mallon’s wife, Gina, is particularly good-natured about the whole thing. “That’s his man-cave downstairs,” she says. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
Mallon formerly belonged to a Corvette owners’ club and is just now getting back in. “I traveled a lot and my kids were quite young so I didn’t keep up with too many events,” he says, but he’s planning to attend a meeting later this summer. He’s also planning to become more involved in the Corvette social media scene a community that embraces nearly 1 million fans.
One Corvette experience he’s highly anticipating is checking out the Corvette 427 Collector Edition with available 60th Anniversary Design Package for 2013. “Should be a blast to drive… all that power in a convertible. I can’t wait to collect all the miniatures produced for that special car.”
Earlier this year Mallon assembled his entire collection on the floor of a high school gym near his home, part of the process of establishing a benchmark for a new Guinness category. He submitted a formal application—“to validate my insanity”—and was awarded the certificate in June.
Mallon says he’s interacted with collectors who own many more miniatures than he does, but no one with as many Corvettes: “I catalog all of them on an Excel spread sheet; break ’em down by exterior color, interior color, wheel color.”
Isolating a favorite for Mallon is part science, part impulse. He enjoys a couple of high-priced Franklin Mint Corvettes given to him as gifts, as well as a collection of cars with National Football League logos (“Every team but the Detroit Lions…they’re owned by Ford”).
Pick one?
“A Betty Boop Corvette limited edition.”
Want the REAL THING? Visit Ron Westphal Chevy’s Website to select your perfect ride.
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Stephen Williams has written about cars and the automobile industry for The New York Times and Automotive News, and is a former staff writer and columnist for Newsday. He’s never owned a Corvette, but that goal remains high on his Bucket List.
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*SERVICE LOANERS
Please tell our service advisor if you would like a complimentary brand new Chevrolet loaner vehicle. Drivers must be 25 years or older with a valid driver’s license, full coverage insurance and a major credit card. Visit our Service Department or contact us at 630-898-9630 for details.
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Chevrolet revealed on 5/11/16 the Silverado High Desert package, which will arrive in dealers this fall. Based on the concept vehicle revealed at the 2014 SEMA show, the High Desert package brings unique content and capability to Silverado’s lineup of special editions – which offers more choices for truck buyers than any other brand.
Available on LT, LTZ, and High Country trim levels, the High Desert package combines refined exterior styling, an all-new cargo system that is lockable and water resistant and available Magnetic Ride Control suspension on High Country.
“The High Desert package blends the capability and utility of Silverado with the refinement and luxury of Suburban,” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet truck marketing. “It’s ideal for those customers who want both the security of a lockable cargo area, as well as the flexibility of a pickup truck bed.”
An all-new flexible, lockable storage system in the cargo bed locks cargo away safely and protects it from the elements. The system installs over the roll-formed, high-strength steel bed to add dual side storage bins and a three-piece hard tonneau cover. Inside, a cargo divider can be raised to secure smaller items, or lowered to access the full length of the bed floor. As with all Silverado LT, LTZ, and High Country models, the tailgate locks with the keyfob, enabling users to secure their cargo with the push of a button. The High Desert package on the LT trim level features 20-inch wheels with all-season tires, while 22-inch wheels and all-terrain tires are available on LTZ and High Country trim levels.
The High Desert is also the first Silverado offered with Magnetic Ride Control suspension, which delivers more precise body motion control. Its sensors “read” the road every millisecond, triggering damping changes in as little as five milliseconds in electronically controlled shock absorbers that replace conventional mechanical-valve shocks. They’re filled with a magneto-rheological fluid containing minute iron particles and under the presence of a magnetic charge, the iron particles align to provide damping resistance. Changes in the magnetic charge alter the damping rate of the
shocks, with changes occurring almost instantly.
Silverado’s EcoTec3 6.2L V-8, is available on LTZ and High Country models and is backed by the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine is SAE-certified at 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful engine offered in a light-duty truck.
Interested in getting your own Chevrolet Silverado High Desert Package? Call our customer care team at 630-898-9630 or visit our website for additional information on how to get your very own Silverado High Desert Chevrolet truck.
Find a lower price elsewhere? No problem. Buy select tires and if you find a better price within 30 days of purchase, we’ll refund the difference.‡ ELIGIBLE TIRE BRANDS: BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Michelin, Pirelli, and Uniroyal.
Hate waiting? Need a vehicle to drive while we are mounting and balancing your new tires? No problem. Just ask your Ron Westphal Chevrolet service writer for a for a brand new Chevrolet service loaner* and you can stop back and pick up your vehicle at your convenience.
Schedule service online or call us now at 630-898-9630.
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within 100 miles of the dealer required during guarantee period for price match.
Offer valid at participating U.S. dealers.
*Must be over 25 years old with a valid license and major credit card.
Gm Restoration Parts.
Visit HERE for a list of vendors licensed by GM to sell reproduction parts.
The mission of the GM Restoration Parts Licensing Program is to assist in the availability of quality reproduction parts for older General Motors vehicles. As an automotive restoration enthusiast, you have probably experienced, at one time or another, difficulty in locating and obtaining certain discontinued automotive parts. GM has worked closely with Equity Management Inc. (EMI) to develop licensees which will benefit the vehicle-restoration aftermarket.
GM assists licensees in obtaining original specifications, blueprints, and tooling (when available) for applicable parts, as well as the use of the Chevrolet Restoration Parts Emblem. These features allow for the manufacture and/or sale of quality parts with the same value and fitment as the original parts. EMI is GM’s exclusive agent trademark licensing representative for the management and administration of the Chevrolet Restoration Parts Licensing Program.
It was a chance find, based on a story recounted by a friend of a
friend. But there it was – the classic muscle car you’d been searching
for, hidden beneath a dusty tarp in an old barn. You worked hard, but
finally convinced the stubborn farmer to sell it.
With the car safely in your garage, the exuberance of the thrill of
the hunt morphs into the realization that a careful and accurate
restoration is needed to bring that vintage car back to its original
glory. That means more hunting for the right parts; everything from
the carburetor to the clamps that hold the fuel lines in place.
GM knows it’s the little things that count with a restoration. With
countless resources for restoration components, assurance that
you’re getting the most authentic and best-fitting parts comes when
you buy officially licensed GM Restoration Parts. They’re made by
manufacturers who build to GM’s specifications and label them
accordingly. Many even use original tooling for unparalleled accuracy
in look, feel and performance.
You can find licensed GM Restoration Parts for everything from
Grille badge from a 1969 Camaro. That’s right – an entire classic Camaro body!
Before purchasing any reproduction parts for your valuable project,
make sure the manufacturer is licensed by GM Restoration Parts.
With mint condition on your mind, licensed GM Restoration Parts are
the only parts that should go into your barn-find beauty.
ChevySmallCars.com is a new website that Chevrolet Launched!
DETROIT – Chevrolet is launching ChevySmallCars.com, an all-new lifestyle-oriented website focused on its small car offerings, the Spark minicar, Sonic and Trax small SUV.
“The Spark, Sonic and Trax all target a younger, more socially savvy buyer,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet director of cars and crossovers. “When we looked at reasons for purchase, cross consideration and demographics, we found a number of similarities. By aligning these products we can be more strategic and create more engaging, sharable content that speaks directly to this audience.”
ChevySmallCars.com will host content designed with a younger customer in mind and do it in a way that allows visitors to engage and discover Chevy on their own terms. At the heart of it is “Small Talk,” three short episodes featuring the Sonic, Spark or Trax, produced by Funny Or Die and hosted by comedian Al Madrigal. The videos will also be hosted on Funny Or Die.
In ”Sonic Sessions,” up-and-coming artists Kickstand Band perform one of their songs in a Sonic. It’s filmed in a raw style, with the band’s music merging with environmental sounds to create a unique listening experience. The band gets creative with the small space in the Sonic, playing their song on smaller instruments.
”Find Your Smallmate” gives visitors the opportunity to take a small quiz and, based on their answers, matches a small car to their personality. A way for consumers to find the best small Chevy for their lifestyle.
“Sonic, Spark and Trax customers are likely to be first-time new car buyers and traditionally are more likely to stay with the brand as their needs and lifestyle changes and they need to move up to a bigger sedan or SUV,” said Majoros. “We’ve introduced a lot of new vehicles in the last few years and the new website is a great way to expose a portion of our portfolio that not everyone knows about.”
As part of the new small car initiatives Chevy will also partner with media outlets such as .Mic, Complex and Thrillist in concentrated key markets.
Additional content coming for ChevySmallCars.com includes:
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
The 2017 Trax restyled
In 2015, small SUVs comprised the fastest-growing segment in the industry, and with enhancements coming
to the 2017 Chevrolet Trax, we are in a position to win segment leadership.
The new, restyled 2017 Trax will play a pivotal role for Chevrolet in the highly competitive Small SUV arena.
Since Trax made its debut in December 2014, it has surged to No. 2 in the Small SUV segment with a 20
percent share of that market.
Trax has helped attract many new customers to Chevrolet and has earned the largest following among
women, by percentage (58 percent), of any vehicle in the Chevrolet lineup.
Now, we’re planning to build on that success and give Trax an even stronger presence with design
enhancements inside and out, technology upgrades and the latest available safety features.
We’re adding phone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility,1 plus available driver
safety alerts that could help prevent a crash or reduce its impact.
Of course, Trax will maintain all its proven benefits. Trax not only offers excellent fuel economy,2 but also
demonstrates that a small vehicle can offer unexpected benefits such as advanced connectivity, SUV
versatility and available all-wheel drive.
These style and technology enhancements are designed to ensure the new 2017 Trax stands out in a
segment with many competitors. As our small car portfolio brings younger customers into your showrooms, we’ll have more opportunities to win their loyalty.
The new Trax is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in fall 2016.
Brian Sweeney
U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet
Visit our website to find your perfect 2017 Trax restyled or a remaining new 2016 model. If we can assist you further, call our customer care team at 630-898-9630.
