When G2 came out, I was about 12 and remember that they were reissuing the original minibots in metallic colors, some with a different paint job(Beachcomber). For some reason I remember Cliffjumper being released as Hubcap; Anyone know why they did that and has that name been used since?

 

I recall the g2 red metallic hubcap figure.. but I can't remember if it was an actual cliffjumper mold.. or a hubcap mold painted red. They were very similiar anyways. I had the g2 bumblebee, seaspray and beachcomber though.

 

It's a Cliffjumper you speak of is actually Hubcap. Mold and name. I just looked at the one I have.

 

http://www.tfu.info/1993/Autobot/HubCap/hubcap.htm

Looks like Hubcap to me. No clue why he was made red in G2.

As for later uses of the name, it was last used in Machine Wars for a different character.

 

He had a Hubcap head and was named Hubcap. Hasbro just decided to make him red.

I *assume* they had permanently altered the Cliffjumper mold to make Hubcap in 1986, so when G2 came up, they wanted to do Minibots, and because Bumblebee was already yellow, they made Hubcap red.