Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

I've been itching to expand my Classics line, but being a Kitbashing near-virgin, it's made me a little aprehensive. Now, there're still going to be those Classics customs that I won't do, that I'll commission, due to complexity that I don't have talent for, but there will be those that will be so easy, there'd be no reason for me to not attempt it.

My first idea is an Autobot I've been growing more and more fond of, lately, thanks to his Alternator counterpart. Making him into a Classics figure stumped me for awhile until this morning. I noticed that Bumblebee/Cliffjumper aren't really Volkswagen Beetles, and figured I could use their mold (since so few were made in the Classics line) for other cars, that wouldn't work with Rodimus' (seeing as how there're really only 3 car molds...).

So, to see if my idea would even look decent, I did a digibash.

Swap heads with Grimlock, add a strip-styrene nose, paint & Reprolabels (the G1 ones are perfect scale), and you've got Classics Jazz:





I'm keeping a running WIP photo journal for those that also think this is a cool idea, and want to know how I'm doing it.

And, I've already heard it all about how he's not a Porsche, and that I should call him "Meister" (hate that name), and use different stickers. This is how it's going to be. I've already made my choice, and I'm happy with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since I don't have a dremel, know how to use one, or have steady hands, my friend ground down the ridge on 'Bee's roof:


...and the raised portion of the hood:


I'll be using sculpting compound to fill in the holes, though, it only needs to be straight, since the G1 Reprolabels will cover these areas...

I added a small piece of strip styrene to the face:

...now Jazz has a nose!!

Krylon Fusion Satin Black was the paint. Here are the parts:



I need to go out and get a new Bumblebee to replace the forearms I screwed up. They're supposed to be white, not black. Oh, well. I wanted to do a Runabout anyways... (Note: The head did not receive any KF. I still need to spray the red light-piping in the back with it...)

Went over the headlights with Tamiya Clear Blue:



The same that I went over Testor's Model Masters Chrome Silver for the visor. TMM Acrylic Silver (no "chrome") went on the face, and inside the head ridge. The flash really screws up what the head looks like. When the whole figure is finished, I'll take pictures with proper lighting (and no flash!), but for WIP pics, I don't really care!

looking good. digibashes tend to get me confused. I think it is the final prduct, lol

Lol...

The lines on the finished product will be straighter, since I'm using stickers...

temine if you cut up a bit on the Nose that would be better i think as it seems a little long on second look ignore my comment on tfans the nose need to be cut a little and the rest will work.

For a first bash i am Impressed with the Thoughts gone into this as most people go for the basic repaint of this plane or that plane lol!

great work keep it up

So much better than my first bash,can you send me an e-mail on how you took bumblebee apart?
I'm thinking of doing the classics bugbite myself,although i wouldn't mind trying a Jazz as well if it's okay with you.


marius_555@hotmail.com

reminds me of the Minibot Cybertron Jazz someone made a while back. I think it was Crazy Steve. He used the original cliffjumper mold to make a Jazz, and so this one with the windshield at the bottom of the chest and hood for feet makes me think of it. And how he looks slightly SD. Really nice Digibash.

Thanks, guys.

ERB, I responded on TFans. I'm happy with the head. I'm not taking any steps backwards. I'm moving on. Thank you for your input. Duly noted. *tips hat respectfully*

rhinox555 wrote:So much better than my first bash,can you send me an e-mail on how you took bumblebee apart?
I'm thinking of doing the classics bugbite myself,although i wouldn't mind trying a Jazz as well if it's okay with you.

As long as you cite me as an inspiration, I don't mind at all. I took him apart carefully. Unscrewed all the screws, tapped out all the pins. For most of the pins, I needed an extra hand (so, my girlfriend helped). You hold the figure and the tapping utensil, and your helper holds the hammer. Here's some pics I took: (I figured it'd be easier than writing down what's what)













The inside one is the hardest. After you've tapped it down a bit, you can pry the roof canopy out. Then, tap some more. The way I did it was to tap, then pry. By the time you've pried all out that you can, you've got enough room to just grab the pin with pliers, and yank it the rest of the way out. I haven't removed the door pins yet. I need to find my soldering iron first...

That works a hell of a lot better than it should. I can't help thinking the 'horns' should be a little shorter, but it's really looking good so far.

Ramrider wrote:That works a hell of a lot better than it should. I can't help thinking the 'horns' should be a little shorter, but it's really looking good so far.

Lol...Thanks.

I had a thought of cutting the ends at an angle, then dremeling into the sides at the base of them, for the ears:



But I'm too happy with the head as it is to risk ruining it, and having to start over. If anyone else wants to try it, please, be my guest!!

That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking. It shouldn't be too hard to do, although I'd recommend just using a normal file and taking your time with it. Often I find detail work like that is best done manually.

Looks good. I have been thinking about making a CL Jazz too but out of C. Smokescreen eventually. I think his transformation is a little closer to G1 Jazz and the vehicle's body style isn't too far off either.

I just hate that car & robot. He's fine for Smokescreen (since all I had to do to him was add Reprolabels' stickers), but I don't ever want to buy another one of him. I don't care how far off a KB goes from the G1, I won't ever use that mold.

If you want to, please, by all means, go for it.

I just don't like it.

I like how you keep the screws organzied. I'm very sloppy when I take a figure apart. I just put the screws in a pile and put them back wherever they seem to fit. It doesn't always work that way for me though, heh.

I really like what you are doing here!! I might just be inspired to follow you!

Thanks! Go for it!

Devastator - What Devastator is that in your avatar? I just got a G1 KO in the mail today ($16 off eBay!! ), and it's making me really hate the Classics one. I was hoping to KB it to look better, but comparing it to the actual Dev., there's just too much work to be done...I need a good Dev. in scale with my Classics!! *sobs*

TENIME: It's the Devastator I built back in 2004. I won second place (should have been first darnit!) at OTFCC that year.

http://www.tfmaster.com/gallery_kb0033.php

There's the gallery!

Looks great mate!

Shoot, that's amazing!! Too bad he's not bigger, otherwise I'd ask you to make me one!! That's exactly what I want, only in scale with the Classics...Just a hair larger...

(Thank you, Soundwarp!)

wow. jazz was one of my favorites

Well, it's been almost 2 weeks. Krylon says Fusion is scratch free in 7 days. So, I hammered the pins back into the seats/kneecaps:



I used Creative Paperclay to even out the hood:



And, I fixed the formerly black forearms and am done with the feet/front end, except for adding the red stripe and redoing the silver grill:


(Krylon Fusion Satin White)

The doors and the backend and spoiler are finished! I painted the back and the spoiler separately, but put them together anyways after it dried, since there won't be any moving parts involved with it. I didn't need the soldering iron after all with the doors...they just popped right off!!



First coat just went on the new, flat hood...I pray the Paperclay holds Krylon well...

That is very nice my friend. I am highly impressed!

Very nice so far. My first thoughts were neutral--good idea, but nothing that jumped out at me. Seeing it get put together, especially with the head you're using, is changing my mind. Grinding down the scoop and raised part on the hood was a good move, and I'm real curious to see how it all looks assembled.

Thanks, guys!



Red stripes, roof, hood, back of head, grill, and license plate holder (cut the trailer hitch off) are drying. I'll be assembling him in about two weeks (even though Fusion says "7 days").
(Krylon Fusion Red)

Looking really good so far. The only niggle I have that I can point out is the hood; specifically the scoop. It's looking pretty roughly filled; I'd've thought with the effort going into this, it would've been worth the extra few minutes getting that properly smooth. I usually find it's best to put a little too much in, then file it down to the right size. Although to be honest, you'd have been better off with an epoxy like Milliput; if the clay you used is what I think it is, it's the air-drying stuff, and I'm not sure how well that'd file or sand.