As many people have pointed out, Punch/Counterpunch could easily be homaged in Universe with the Sideswipe/Sunstreaker mold. So, I got to thinking regarding HOW one would paint the mold to get them. The original idea was to have an orange car with a dark blue roof (as if it could collapse) and blue highlights - however, once I looked at actual pics of the G1 toy I wasn't quite satisfied as it didn't bear much resemblance. So, I compromised on this instead. The car front is used in Punch's robot mode, while the Sunstreaker configuration is used for Counterpunch. I haven't digibashed a robot mode yet, as this is just a "proof of concept" pic for the time being. The engine is kind of necessary for car mode as well in the current configuration - it masks the Decepticon tampon label that's placed on the roof for Counterpunch. Though of course that's still flawed as he has a visible Autobot symbol all the time in car mode - if anyone has better ideas let me know.
It's a nice idea, and I like where you're going with it, but I do see a couple of glaring flaws; they may or may not be fixable, but would need to be considered, I think. The Autobot symbol would need to be moved completely. As it is, not only is it central on the bonnet in vehicle mode, that also puts it on Counterpunch's back. Occasionally, his fellow Decepticons might be standing behind him... For another thing, his original vehicle mode kinda worked because it wasn't overly conspicuous. Certainly, anyone who knew about the connection would think it an obvious one, but his alt mode allowed him to blend in, whichever persona he was currently using, and was generic enough that you could feasibly see two or three of such cars in a short period and not even think twice about it. But this car's pretty distinctive. The design, with the rear-mounted intake, stands out as a relative rarity in itself, but the paintjob makes it even more eye-catching.
I would suggest doing the hood in blue, but giving it yellow dual racing stripes instead (leave them off the roof, though).
I really like your idea as Punch/Counterpunch and the colors are nearly dead-on. What I think Hasbro is trying to do is get the new Alt modes as close to the G1 alt modes as possible but with current vehicles. When the Transformers first came out they were based on real world automobiles. Not very proportionally correct but easily identifiable. G1 Prowl was a '79-'83 Nissan/Datsun 280 ZX done up in Japanese police deco. Sunstreaker (like his brother Sideswipe) was a late 70's early 80's Lamborghini Countach with a weird-ass air intake. With the Wave 2 Classics coming out Prowl appears to be a mildly customized Nissan 350 Z with the police light pod on the roof. Suntreaker is a custom also of a Lamborghini Gallardo with again the attached air intake. When Punch/Counterpunch came out (in roughly 1986) his vehicle/alt mode was of a '85 Pontiac Fiero GT without the optional spoiler wing. If Hasbro were to keep the vehicle/make/model lineage they would be in some trouble. You are correct to put Punch/Counterpunch on the Lamborghini becauce in the 80's the Pontiac Fiero was a 2 seater mid-engine sports car just like the Countach. However, Pontiac nowadays doesn't make any mid engine platform I'm aware of. The closest 2 seater sports car in the Pontiac line is the Solstice but that is currently identified as Jazz to the general public. I'n my personal opinion, if there was a re-release of Punch/Counterpunch, I would like to see it stay with Pontiac. Playing up the PUNCH part would work well on the GTO 6 liter. The most powerful car in the Pontiac line-up! Cheers!
To be honest, I think the specific model of car, even when dealing with characters that have had specific vehicle modes before, is far less important than the general feel of it. I think the mould could work very well for Punch. But I think stuff like the air intake would have to go, as it's too distinctive for a deep-cover agent. He shouldn't look heavily customised, otherwise he'll stand out like a sore thumb. The spoiler could probably also be lost. A little idea regarding the insignias. I like to put my insignias somewhere sensible on the front of the 'bot mode, but I don't like them to be too overtly visible in vehicle mode. But sometimes, pretty much the entirety of the 'bot mode is still exposed when it transforms, and those surfaces that do get hidden aren't really suited to taking the labels (Bumblebee's a good example, as is Hot Rod). This is where rubsigns come in. I'll put a rubsign in a suitable location where it still doesn't look too conspicuous (with a little gold paint round the edge, Hot Rod's chest insignia looks almost like part of the design), but where it's clearly visible if activated in robot mode. And of course, if they want to reveal themselves in vehicle mode, that's an option too. This could be used to great effect on Punch. With an Autobot insignia on the bonnet, and a Decepticon one on the roof, he can easily expose whichever one he wants to.
Ramrider, I agree with you in some respects but the intake is easily removed, as for the Auto/Dec, Symbols on the chests, you can make pieces like Alt Hound has.
Ah, the flip panels. Good idea, but probably not easy to actually make. Especially when it's to fit on a curved surface, as it'd only curve one way, and when you flipped it, it'd be out of whack. And I'm aware that the engine's removable. I assume you're suggesting that he could have the engine as one 'bot and not as the other? If so, that's perfectly sensible, depending on whether you like having spare bits lying around in one form or another. Personally, I don't, but a lot of people don't mind, or even like it.
Well, I was just doing a digibash and had to do something with the engine. But yeah - the idea was that he could have it mounted on the roof of the car in one mode. Would add to the differences between his two personas. And I have to agree with the insignias - rubsigns were my main thought, but Universe doesn't have them it seems.
Doesn't matter. Universe is pretty much a continuation of Classics, and they had rubsigns. Reprolabels do them - that's where I get 'em for my 'bashes, unless I happen to have spares from allegiance-switching ones.
It would be ok if the curves weren't perfect, I mean remember G1 Punch/Counter-Punch the center of his windshield flipped around.
