The E-Hobby set made an interesting choice to recolor 6 of the re-issued Minibots into Go-Bots, representing both factions of the rights-deadlocked 80's property. Some of the color/character choices were great, such as Bad Boy and Pathfinder. Others tend to either miss the mark, such as Bug Bite, Smallfoot, or Treds. It's not that they weren't decent toys, it's that either a prefered name or color scheme couldn't -- or wasn't -- used. (In the case of Treds, he better resembles Destroyer, the Super Renegade tank.) Here's my idea on who/what should be considered either for a future "Go-Bot" offering, or for Radicons-type do-it-ourselvers. Go-Bot: Bug Bite Faction: Renegade Built From: Bumblebee (facemasked) Prim. Color: Yellow Sec. Color: Black Notes: The easiest to work on, Simply get a rub-sign or bald original/keychain (yellow) Bumblebee and give him a Decepticon rub-sign on his roof. To decal the back of his head, use either a Decepticon symbol or Cliffjumper head decal. For extra detailing, you may also add 2-3 red stripes on the side of his thighs. (You'll know the right place when you pull them out for painting.) I cannot decide whether using facemasked Bumblebee's head or (yellow) Cliffjumper's is best. Go-Bot: Herr Fiend Faction: Renegade Built From: Hubcap Prim. Color: Black Sec. Color: Black or Silver Notes: I decided on Hubcap instead of the easy choice (black Cliffjumper keychain) because his original Porsche 928S form had a small spoiler, much like the 924/944. However, he would look most like the mad scientist he his with either a Bumblebee (facemasked) or Cliffjumper head -- I can't decide. If you have access to reprolabels' "Upgrade" decals, use a set of these to give Herr Fiend silver forearms. Use Bumblebee's head decal on him, and either a Decepticon symbol or rubsign on his roof. Go-Bot: Small Foot Faction: Guardian Built From: Swerve Prim. Color: Red (Cliffjumper's shade?) Sec. Color: Teal Notes: Although the least feminine in appearance of the Gears/Swerve mold family, Swerve's chest -- and decal -- look the most like our tomboyish optimist. To make her look more like a 4x4, unscrew and replace the Swerve feet with Gears's. Her head can easily be repainted to resemble her original, with a silver face and green visor. Go-Bot: Zeemon Faction: Guardian Built From: Tailgate Prim. Color: Hemi Orange (either PMS 165 or 172) Sec. Color: Black Notes: Zeemon was originally a 280-ZX/Fairlady Z with a Firebird emblem borrowed from a Pontiac. Tailgate (and Windcharger) is a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am who due his small scale or poorly detailed cartoon models looks like an earlier-gen 280Z. It works out. (I only wish I could give him Wingspan's clone rubsign.) Go-Bot: Staxx Faction: Guardian Built From: Pipes (or Huffer) Prim. Color: Red (Optimus Prime's shade or PMS 200: Razorback Red) Sec. Color: Black Tert. Color (optional): Yellow (painted details) Notes: I originally wanted to use Huffer robot mode, but with Pipes's stacks, feet, and cab. Unfortunately, the bigger Pipes cab has slots that are too small for Huffer's back. Unless someone filed them to the depth of the Huffer slots, I'd simply have to choose between Huffer w/ Pipes stacks and feet, or Pipes. The original Staxx came in 2 flavors: Red with black feet, and Orange with blue feet (and a blue car carrier trailer), and a few possibilities in between. The trick was to come up with colors that least copied Huffer, or Optimus Prime. The visor should be yellow with the facemask painted in gunmetal. Other detailing could also be done in these colors (black, yellow, and gunmetal). Go-Bot: Buggyman Faction: Renegade Built From: Beachcomber Prim. Color: Dk. Blue (G1 Frenzy's shade) Sec. Color: Steel Blue (metallic?) Tert. Color (optional): Orange (either Huffer or G2 Beachcomber's shade) Notes: Buggyman was chosen since in the show, he was one of Cy-Kill's top and most called-on agents (Similar to TF movie infiltrator Barricade). Problem was, his color scheme is a dead ringer for Beachcomber's. (His other color scheme resembles H-B superstar Speed Buggy.) So I decided to go with a darker, neutral color scheme, leaning towards the original, but with orange thighs and wheels, harkening back to the repaint. His chest detailing could optionally be painted black, as could his seats and steering wheel. I also have 2 optional choices (Psycho made from Wheelie and Baron von Joy made from Cliffjumper -- with a Hubcap head) but think I have left you with enough for tonight. Enjoy, let me know what you think, and if you make them before I do, share some pics with us. -- Cybertronian.
Just adding my two optionals. Seriously, lay some opinions on me. -- Cybertronian. Go-Bot: Psycho Faction: Renegade Built From: Wheelie or Dion Prim. Color: Black Sec. Color: Silver Tert. Color (Optional): Red Notes: I thought Wheelie would be perfect for the "enemy robot" concept car. Because of the translucent blue windshield and wheels, Dion may be a better starting point (unless you get a repro windshield). Plus, I'm sure many of you would want to make Wheelie a little "psycho". Go-Bot: Baron von Joy Faction: Guardian Built From: Cliffjumper Prim. Color: Silver Sec. Color: Black Tert. Color (Optional): Red Notes: Since Herr Fiend and Bug Bite will be swapping parts from Bumblebee and Hubcap (with some Cliffjumper thrown in), BvJ is the perfect excuse to do something with the leftover Cliffjumper body. He will use the Hubcap head, and could have the helmet crest painted red, Bluestreak style. He could also have green eyes, or lower helmet vents.
As soon as spare Mini-Vehicles make themselves available, I'll entertain the idea. I'd like to use a 1986 yellow Bumblebee (has an extra ridge under the foot & modified date stamp; guaranteed rubsign vers.) for Bug Bite, but a keychain version will be just as effective. In order to get the needed Cliffjumper head, I'd need to use a yellow Cliffjumper with minimal chrome wear. (It's ok if the rest of CJ's body is in sub-standard shape.) I may have the needed Hubcap parts for Herr Fiend, but always welcome a few more. If I can score a Tailgate, Swerve, or Pipes (with nice, chromey ... pipes) for cheap, the other 3 are also a welcome possibility. (Seriously, if you have one of the 3 or Hubcap for sale, send me a PM.) Buggyman may likely require both a G1 & G2 Beachcomber for parts, but could also settle with starting from a paint worn (but solid) G2 Beachcomber. Remember: Both Bug Bite and Baron von Joy's Super Go-Bot roof guns can be imitated (in robot mode) by equipping either with Aerialbot Fireflight's gun.
A few updates: I have succeeded in acquiring the parts to a couple of the Go-Bot Mini-cars I mentioned. Bug Bite is mechanically done. After finding (and failing) to integrate a Keychain Bumblebee with Yellow CJ or '86/G2 Bumblebee parts (no one told me the Keychains were a tiny fraction larger than the originals!), I recouped my money and bought a play worn '86 BB. Although the arms droop (when lifted off a table surface, or posed in robot mode), The body accepted the Yellow CJ head with no problems. All I need for him is a D'Con rubsign (Still not sure on the D'Con decal for the back of his head -- as opposed to the decent CJ decal already there.) and a decent set of crack-free tires. Buggyman's parts are in, but I'm feeling nostaglic over my original Beachcomber (recently infused with Reprolabel replacements for his original chest and stomach decals). I can't decide which one to use with the G2 legs I already have. Also -- get this -- the new one came in with 4 flat tires on a pristine body. You can't make this stuff up! Herr Fiend is mechanically done. Using my 2nd Hubcap body (as the exising rubsign placement on the 3rd was better) with new BB head. Getting used to them being together, but still need to add his black paint job. Staxx's body will make use of my 2nd Pipes (as the 1st has a broken wheel on his passenger-side arm). Again, all I need to do is paint him, preferably a different red than the one I want to use on "Smallfoot".
Bug Bite's essentially done and has his rubsign, but I find myself wanting to do more detailing. So far, he looks like a rubsign Bumblebee (in car mode) from a distance. The difference becomes all to clear once he transforms. I've also got to find a way to retighten or replace his arms. Zeemon is in need of some Windcharger or Tailgate arms. I need a 3rd G1 Beachcomber for Buggyman, one I won't feel so attached to, but one with 4 solid tires.
