The Energon Pub

by **clay** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:51 pm

For those of you who didn't know, the character originally planned for the Mustang remold was Windcharger. Has/Tak opted for Wheeljack instead, and Windcharger's head ultimately ended up on the toy called "Decepticharge". However, because of the fussy nature of Honda USA's marketing department, the Overdrive toy was named Windcharger instead (internationally - Takara's version is called "Overdrive" as was intended).

For too long, Overdrive has been masqueraded as Windcharger by both Hasbro and fans too daft to know the difference! So I give you... Binaltech (Wind)Charger.

Mustang
Robot w/original
Robot, different shot
The nature of the beast...

It still needs numerous little touch-ups around the windows, the license plate, and the front grill, but my detailing marker ran out of ink

.

Definitely the fastest repaint I've done so far. It went from BT Grimlock to Windcharger in about three hours.

by **wldchld0783_338** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:24 pm

nice, I really like it, it fits him so much better than the S2000

by **Nemesis Sturmvogel** » Mon May 14, 2007 7:47 pm

Nice repaint.

by **Ramrider** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:06 pm

That's a really nice job. Any chance of a faceplate? :wink:

Actually, looking at the robot mode, it actually echoes the G1 robot mode quite well. It's a pity there's no way to magically turn the front of the car grey when it transforms to robot mode, 'cause with some red on the arms it'd be a near-perfect reimagining.

Sorry, just thinking out loud there. Brilliant.

by **clay** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:02 pm

by **TM Rawhide** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:37 pm

I really like the Mustang in red, but I will honestly admit to be at a loss why people would want this as Windcharger. I know HasTak had planned it that way, but I'm very happy Hasbro used the Honda mold instead (they just used the wrong head).

Nevertheless, the repaint looks very good. Already thought so the first time you showed it

. I also like the floor mod. Didn't know about that one. Interesting idea of getting it out of the way. It really is the biggest downer of this mold.

by **gawd6sic6** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 5:44 am

the angles are similar to the old windcharger... at least to me... so i can see why ppl did it....

by **jimsloth** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:11 am

agreed. The car mode looks much closer to G1 windcharger... at the cost of the bot mode. Don't get me wrong, this guy looks great. Especially now with the clear coat. I'm just going to stick to the honda mold myself because I like how the chest looks in bot mode, and my alternators don't get transformed too often anymore.

by **TM Rawhide** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:46 pm

I can see some similarities in the look of the Mustang and G1 Windcharger and it is indeed mosly in the angles. But G1 Windcharger was a sports-like car, while the Mustang is a muscle car. But more importantly, at least for me, the robot mode is completely different. (Had the same problem with Takara calling the Honda Overdrive. Completely different robot mode from the original.) Also, G1 Windcharger was only a small bot and not very powerful looking, while the Mustang is very bulky and strong looking.

It's a bit of a shame, because as proven by this bash, the mustang really looks gorgeous in red. Really a shame that we'll miss the posibility of a third repaint of this mold. A red one would've been great.

by **clay** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:27 pm

Rawhide wrote:Also, G1 Windcharger was only a small bot and not very powerful looking, while the Mustang is very bulky and strong looking.

That's what I like most about it, really. There's an irony to having a minibot like Windcharger tower over Jazz or Tracks.

As far as the Mustang goes, I think it's a closer fit than the Honda S2000. G1 Windcharger was a hatch back Camaro, and I think it's more like the Mustang than the S2000 (there are hatch back Mustangs, after all). Plus, the S2000 is a very feminine little car, assuming cars can even have that trait.

Oh, and Windcharger is supposed to have a magnet gun. The Mustang's two-pronged engine weapon works perfectly for that

by **Ramrider** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:50 pm

clay wrote:G1 Windcharger was a hatch back Camaro

Actually, I thought he was a Firebird Trans-Am...

by **clay** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:22 pm

You know... after double-checking it, you're right. G1 Windcharger is a Trans Am.

Well, I like the Mustang because I like the Mustang. How's that? :wink: