Hey guys, if you're reading this thread, then you caught me in a random fit of kitbashing randomness. Allow me to elaborate:

I'm not a total Beast Wars hater, but I'd think it's pretty apparent that I'm not a fan either. Essentially, I have my handful of favorite toys, I enjoy the cartoon for a "good story" and entertainment, but that's about it for me. Transmetals Optimus Primal is one of those toys that aside from a few things, I really couldn't care less for the toy. When I was sorting through my collection recently, I pulled it out to part with it. It is one of those few TFs that does have some sentimental value to it (my best friend at the time bought it for me as a joke because he knew I wasn't a Beast Wars fan), so it's doubtful (though certainly not impossible) that I'd part with it.

However, as simply an "action figure", there are enough things that I enjoy about it. I really like the bulky, football player-esque physique it has. It's certainly . . . different than most of my other TFs, even my few BW toys. It's got some cool vacuum metallic blue chrome. The sculpted detail (as with most TFs) is very nice.

I can't stand the ape alt mode, as I prefer vehicles and the more blocky G1ish beasts. The robot head is awful and pretty much embodies most of what I dislike from a robot head. The robot mode chest is organic (???).

Ok, so fast forward to this morning and my years worth of minimal desire to do something about all of this. So far, the only things I've done is remove the ape head, remove the robot head, and added a ball joint for a junker RiD Omega Prime head. I've mistransformed the figure to come up with some sort of space battleship alt mode.

I don't have any sort of character assignment for this, nor would I be anywhere close to finished. Like I said, essentially this is me playing around for 30 minutes or so. I want to keep the blue chrome no matter what (just because I think it looks cool). I'm not opposed to the gray or the brownish colors, but I'm not committed to them either. Obviously, I'd be changing the color scheme of the RiD head, though. The ape hands would be cut off, replaced by boosters or something. Also, I'd be ridding myself of ape chest, whether that's scratchbuilding or kitbashing some additional spaceship parts or something.

Anyways, I thought I'd share my 30 minutes of fun and also just gauge you guys to see what ideas, etc. you'd have. Enjoy  

 

Not sure what to think of this. I hope this works for you. I've also got a scrap TM Primal that I aquired at a car boot sale that I nether display nor play with and yet for some odd reason I've kept hold of it.

 

surprisingly the mistransform looks like Fortress Maximus' space ship mode  

Looking forward to see what you do with it, personally I prefer the shoulder pads for the robot mode but if avoiding the organic chest this would require very heavy work to reattach the backpack backwards. but would mean you could still utilise the weapon pack as a hand held affair as in the show.

He's a nice toy regardless, shame mine's all rusted screws and worn, but thats a sign he's been well loved and played with  

 

Looks pretty cool, wonder if a masterpiece version could be made from a Zoids iron kong??? mmmm its got me thinking.

 

i thought the same thing about the fm shipmode.

i bought this a few years back and never took it out of it's box. :z

i think some blue and purple will look nice on it.

 

great idea.... I've got a blue'ish sem-transparent ape lying around somewhere  

anyways.... You could make him blue chrome / silver / metallic red!

 

first of all, its Transmetal, TM!!!!! I know you don't like BW, but at least get the terms right.  

Second, you can take a bunch of seekers, who'd rather die than get put into a car alt mode, but think BW toys aren't very good? 

(dig the new alt mode, but I'll never admit to it publicly, let's see what you got when you don't have seekers to shame eh?   )

 

I can definately see were your going with this and it got alot of potentail. the gundam 00 model kit kryios has some nice bits that would work nicely with your project.

 

It kinda reminds me of... http://www.cavves.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/macrosssdf11.jpg

 

you just spit in optimus primals face! lol. i love that figure.. actually i would of prefered it to be alittle smaller but ohwell.. the past is done. im quite happy with my Robot Masters Convoy (optimus primal)

 

Unlike yourself I love this mold, I'm glad you're having a look at it.

The alt mode reminds me of what I was trying to do with my version to Apeface(which is froze in ), I found that if you turn his legs at the knee outwards 90 degrees and click it back in they look alright. I did a model that's up on Shapeways to join both legs together. I also have a model on there that should serve to replace the robot chest. Still need to get them test printed though.

You could remove one set of hands and put some kid of thrusters on it.

If you can mod the backpack to mount wings then you're on a winner.

Look forward to whatever else you come up with.

 

Looking good

 

I definitely get a starship vibe from him. I'd almost turn it into a version of the Ark. Still, nice to see you trying to take up monkeys, instead of just flinging poo.  

 

Guys, thanks so much for interacting with my work here  

Oddly enough, while the alt mode is intentionally a spaceship, I didn't see Fortress Maximus or Cerebros right off. I'm definitely taking that into consideration  

I don't think it would take a whole lot to adjust those pads. They're in there with pins, but nothing my soldering iron can't take care of  

Have at it, I guess! I wouldn't mind having an Apeface or a Beastbox (even like brr-icy's custom), but I don't really care for this mold for either of those. Also, I don't care for Optimus Primal/Optimal Optimus as a character at all either.

I think that purple would compliment the blue as well. I can move on to some quick digibashing at this point now  

Hmm . . . I think I may add that on my digibash sketch list  

Yeah, Gundam type of additions to the back was my thinking as well. Also, I can check my "Model Kits Scraps" drawer for some stuff too. My initial thought was to have some wings fold out for alt mode and fold in for robot mode. Even if I just tech out the back, it'll be better than beastie back!

  While I'm not a fan of the character, there are just a lot of things I like about this particular toy enough for me to keep it (see op). From my handful of BW toys, I do have a lot of fun with em  

Well, I really enjoy a lot of things about this mold as well . . . but there are a lot of things that just put me off.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who'd think some of these ideas are cool  

Thanks!  

 

 

I never liked his dinky little gun. I bet if you gave him a big massive cannon it would bring out a more war-ready industrial look.

 

I get a Sixshot vibe from that head.

- Alty

 

i didnt have time to read the comments so i dont know if it was already suggested, but i really like the ship mode and i know the forarms allow to flip the hands, perhaps cut off the other fist and put some sort of thruster? I think itd make this look amazing

 

Noted  

I do like his little blaster and especially the holster for it on his right leg  

Yeah, I can see the head used for something Sixshoty, but this mold isn't that cool.  

I'm not locked in on the head though. It was just lying around. I'm certainly open to suggestions  

Yeah, I'll probably do that.

Again, thanks so much for your feedback and suggestions! I'm just determined to see what I can do with this figure to keep him from being sukky!

 

you guys got the shinning on me, I started using this head a few days ago for my sixshot.(going to post right after this) this thread also is eerily similar to my thought process of making my sixshot, I love Op Op and wanted him to be more and sixshot came up. and whats funny is I used this guy for my warthog as well.

but I think he would make a good hover clunker type ship like from the Matrix

 

Yeah, I'm digging the spaceship more and more. I'm getting more sold on the wing idea too.

I like stprime's idea about the purple in place of the brown. As cool as it could have been to swing this around as a Cerebros/Fortress Maximus custom, I don't think the character suits the look of this bot.

That being said, do any of you have any suggestions? I'm not set on a faction either, btw