There’s a new unofficial third party on the product by a new group. This new group, Gear4Toys, is kicking off with an upgrade kit for Generation 1 Ironhide and Ratchet. But what these sets also add are new shoulders and arms, for a better proportioned upper body, LED eyes and chrome finished guns.
Unfortunately though full assembled look leaves the lower bodies looking rather small and puny. Maybe Hasbro will make some new versions of these characters, possibly with Takara-Tomy making versions with different paint apps and added chrome.
Transbot90210
You buy these through any online retailer and most accept paypal.
fallensinn
why is it so hard for me to order these things??? did you guys just send money via paypal?
mx-01 archon
'Tis what I was saying.
City Commander certainly wasn't the first 3rd Party accessory to be released. Unicron.com, as you mentioned, entered that market years before FansProject likely even existed. And there were other outfits involved in the repro part business that probably technically count as well. And of course, as pointed out, City Commander wasn't FansProject's first production item, it was the Cliffjumper kit.
But City Commander was the first truly ambitious project in anybody's eyes, and the rapidly growing 3rd Party market is likely a direct result of FP's success. It was the proof that, despite the premium price tag associated with these offerings, if the concept was good and the quality was up to snuff, then the fans would open their wallets for such ingenuity.
saberconvoy
That is one awesome add on
to bad it cost so much for a head and arms
cobra zartan
CJ Set was only expensive on the secondary market, I bought a buncha these sets for $30-$40.
rampageSSS
Trust me these are worth it, ordered them as soon as i saw they and recieved them about 3-4 weeks ago
And here they are in my G1 collection
Since these pics i have added a sheet of styrene behind the window and painted it blue to hide there original heads. Will post up pics of that tomorrow
EDIT:
Here what i was talking about have added the styrene and painted it blue to hide there faces
I think it look better since in the pic above you can see the original G1 heads
CURAMEN
Just ordered these.
@D-Unit… How long did it take from the moment you paid up to the time you received them? Also, please post some pics of them once you can. Thanks.
Transbot90210
I was around for the CJ set. If I recall correctly the set was so limited and expensive that it came and went. Yes it had the hype but I wouldn't say that the CJ set got the ball rolling.
I will agree with the other poster and say 3rd party product sales started to really go crazy once City Commander came out.
Drift
Actually the CJ upgrade kit
-Drift
TwinSpin
These make the very awkward G1 incarnations quite passable IMHO. While I had no desire to own G1 R or IH, this may cinch the deal. If I see them at Botcon '11 maybe I get them. And a reissue R or IH… Hmmm..
Buster_Witwicky
Only $20? That is awesome! Only around 60 to get Ratchet on BBTS and a head+arms!
repair_bay
I wonder if they'll do recolors for Protect Black Ironhide and Ratchet Emergency Green. I'd buy those in a heartbeat.
GeraldKeefer
You know I really want to buy these but with shipping it's over $50. I already bought the previous heads for both figures I guess if I could sell those for around 20 I'd probably buy these. They DO look sweet. Anyone want those heads private message me.
jasonw
Any chance of a pic?
It's all that's stopping me from ordering.
rhinox1701
Pass. Ironhide and Ratchet are the only two gen1 figs I don't have. Never wanted em..never will. CRAP! Ill stick w my classics versions. They hold their spot quite well Thankyoy. These are overpriced and unnecessary.
Transbot90210
Wow has it been 3 years since City Commander? Time sure does fly.
Ok so in the Last two or three years the ball has really started rolling hardcore. But still, go from the first 3rd party item which I think was Unicron.com's BM upgrade set from back in the late 90s(maybe early 2000s; I don't know off the top of my head) and look were we are now. Then look at the curve of how many items came after the Unicron.com set til now. It really peeks in the last couple of years. And this is still the beginning, imagine where we will be in another couple of years as the larger 3rd party groups get very powerful in terms of talent and funding. Exciting times that is for sure…I was almost out of TFs during the AEC and Bayverse era, it was 3rd party items that really brought back the excitement within for collecting again.
mx-01 archon
2008.
Over the last year, we've seen an explosion of new groups come to the forefront, yes. But the ball really got rolling with City Commander, and kept on going from there.
Transbot90210
Maybe they can do that once they get their one "flava" into peoples minds.
One thing about 3rd party groups in regards to TFs is this. They are new. They just really started in 2010. Before this year and all its original bots and upgrade glory we didn't get much. There were the Unicron.com sets and a couple of others but this year we obtained more items and more 3rd party companies than we have in the past 26 years of TF history.
3rd party groups are just in the new born phase of existance. Look how far we have come in the past year or two?? Imagine where we will be in another 2 years from now???
megatroptimus
I never said they should go the original route exclusively. Just that they should try something new every once in a while. Like Glacialbot.
PrimulArchangel
There was a guy selling sets like these on ebay a while back that came with foot and waist upgrades too i think . They were made of wood to i believe. Wonder if they just copied that guys design and we will get the waist and feet too..
It's nice to see these are only 20$ and they are some really nice upgrades. Complain all ya want over the legs, these are like a 100% improvement over the orginal look.. I igears, FP or crazy devy did this you can bet your wallet we wouldnt be getting them for 20$ each lol, crazy devy would sell them for 40$ each im sure lol..