Well, I'm really puzzled... I won a Gobots lot on ebay, and it had two really strange - and yet cool-looking transforming toys. Both are about G1 gestalt-boss sized, and both have 'Tomy-Japan' labels in them. I have no idea what they are... Both have a 'third' mode where their neck can be extended.
The heads remind me of Zoids, but they aren't animals... So what are these?

Tank:







Hoverboat:

 

they came w/ little silver dudes in a sitting position, didn't they? I'm pretty sure I remember having one or two of them but, sadly, I canna remember what they are.

 

Look like Zoids to me.

 

they look like starriors only these transform and as far as i know none of the starriors did. that's all i've got though. try asking here: http://www.robot-japan.com/

 

Dude, I have one of those tank looking guys too, except he's white and red. Check it:





I don't know what the hell it is, though. I googled Starriors, and TOMY robots, and a couple others but couldn't find anything on it.

 

They could be some kind of twisted Starrior ko's. Their heads are similar, and most Starriors had chest weapons like the first & last pic. But they did'nt transform or have any shiny silver hands. Plus the ones you posted have bland colorschemes going on and the heads are too similar. That's one thing that's usually different in some way to differ characteristics.
Probably released during Starriors , Z-Knights and the TechnoZoid days.

Will keep looking though because curiosity is biting

 

If they're KO's, then they're good ones. The plastic quality is pretty high. And, I think mine used to have the same twin-barrel weapon in its chest as the black bot shown at the top of the thread, or, at least there's a spot for it.

I've been searching the web high and low and haven't come up with anything else yet.

 

Thanks for the photo! I've been searching to no avail too...

They are definitly not Knockoffs, as they have the TOMY stamping in them... and are pretty good quality toys. Maybe some never-released Starriors? But then they'd be worth a bit more then what I got them for...  

 

You've got me on this one. I do know that the later line Zoid kits went the "Super 1000" route, where they could do a slight configuration change (I had a bear that could go on all fours, or rear up). These might be a progression from that?

 

This is killing me man. Think I busted my Google over these guys.
Tempted to email the pics to TOMY.

Want to track down that first one. Would make a cool little Cobra HISS tank kitbash.

 

I happened upon a post on Tfans that recommended The Toyarchive for identifying obscure toys. I visited the site, however, I wasn't able to find anything on these strange TOMY gizmos for which we've been looking. I email the site's owner, Alex Bickmore, and he had this to say, "Sounds like a Tri-bot, which actually turns into three mode (Vehicle and animal and robot)." So, armed with this bit of insight, I googled Tri-bot, TOMY Tri-bot, tribot, TOMY tribot, etc., etc., etc., and didn't find shit.

I'm not done with this yet....

 

i chanced upon an ebay auction for comics of these guys a few weeks ago and forgot to post. i believe they're called robotix. i'm off to google. i'll edit momentarily.

::edit:: well, i thought i had them pegged but apparently i was wrong. the search continues.

 

I posted this on Robot-japan.com and they said they were Tribots, too. But no info on the net, except this:

http://www.virtualtoychest.com/priceguide/priceguidet.html

Scroll down to 'T' to find Tribots!

 

Definitely not Zoids, but the cockpits look similar to the original small Zoids releases.

 

Well this ebay auction states their Tri-Bots as well.

 

Yep, I do believe that's what they are. We have a winner here!!!

They're Tribots!!! OMG glad that's over

Thanks BB Shockwave & David for you're cool detective skills.
This was really bugging the hell out of me

 

please delete

 

do look a lot like Starriors, wonder if it was an evolution of it over there...

 

I was fortunate enough to come across one of these only 2 days after finding out about them (pure chance). I have to admit ....the tank unit is NICE ( i have the black one).
Quality plastic
Nice looking vehicle mode
Fairly decent poseability considering when it was made.

Not bad at all. Nice to have seen it up close...

 

Thank God somebody finally found out what these things are...that was driving me nuts.