A small toy car has become a meaningful tribute to the brave men and women of the Corrales Fire Department. Freelance designer Michael Heralda created the custom Matchbox car gifted to the department and Fire Chief Anthony Martinez.
Heralda, owner of Adlar58 Design and a freelance artist for Mattel’s Matchbox brand, designed the toy as a vintage 1957 Ford Custom 300 model. The car was crafted to honor the fire department’s dedication to the community and was unveiled in July exclusively at the 22nd annual Matchbox International Collector Gathering of Friends Convention in Albuquerque.
“I live here now, so I’m trying to contribute in some way to Corrales,†Heralda said. “Now that I live here, I want to be able to contribute in some way though, being able to get to know the fire chief, meet his crew and then honor them, that was a good thing to do. It made me feel good and I know it made them feel good.â€
Heralda and his wife moved to Corrales five years ago, drawn by the area’s tranquility and charm. A Los Angeles transplant, Heralda said he began working for Mattel in 1997 as a designer for Hot Wheels, eventually creating more than 5,000 graphics for both the Hot Wheels and Matchbox brands — a record for the most designs by a single artist at the time of his retirement in 2015.
Just a year after retiring, Heralda returned to his passion, joining Mattel’s Matchbox brand as a freelance designer. He has been creating designs for the iconic toy line ever since.
Since 2005, Heralda has been involved with the Matchbox collectors convention, collaborating with its founder, Jim Gallegos, to design graphics for the event’s special edition models. The annual convention, the largest Matchbox gathering in the U.S., attracts collectors worldwide.
Heralda said Gallegos wanted to use the custom Matchbox cars to honor local police and fire departments. Over the years, Heralda designed models for several agencies, including the Corrales Fire Department, Albuquerque Police and Fire Departments and Bernalillo County Fire Rescue.
According to Heralda, he proposed creating a Matchbox car for the Corrales Fire Department to Gallegos, saying, “They’re really a good group of people.â€
Once Chief Martinez gave his approval, Heralda photographed the department’s logo, lettering and colors to ensure every detail was accurate. The design then underwent several rounds of approval, including final reviews by Martinez, the Matchbox team and Mattel’s licensing division.
“This is amazing,†Martinez said. “We’re so proud and honored that we had this opportunity.â€
Martinez said the department is currently creating a display to feature the car along with a large canvas print of the promotional model illustration designed by Heralda.
Heralda said the limited supply of cars is mainly given to convention dinner attendees, with additional models designated for Mattel as part of the agreement, as well as the support team and event volunteers. He added that about 200 cars are produced, with a few extras reserved for charity auctions.
“Everyone wanted a car,†Martinez said. “I wish I could provide [the whole department] with a car but I couldn’t. So, I’ve been telling everyone, ‘Check eBay, where the dealers sell them but they’re pretty pricey.’â€
According to Martinez, in addition to creating the car for the fire department, Heralda donated several Matchbox cars to the department’s annual Christmas drive, supporting families in need in Corrales.