The Energon Pub

I've been repainting/modding TFs since June, but I haven't been able to take any pictures until recently, but, rather than spamming the boards with my amateur attempts, I thought I'd just make one thread for them. Note: most are just simple repaints since it was recommended back when I started to start that way, and, in most cases, I went with toys that already bore a close resemblance to the intended characters.

Anyway, first here is my first mod, Cybertron Blurr into the G1 Autobot bounty hunter, Devcon (I still prefer his original name, "Defcon," but the previous spelling is the canon one); since I didn't make any alterations to his alt-mode, I didn't bother taking any pics. I chose this mould because the TF Wiki pointed out that the animation models for Devcon and Blurr were very similar, and I thought the vehicle mode and its "flight mode" were a good mach, giving the character some versatility in pursuit options. I took a couple of minot liberties, though, particularly with painting his "helmet" red instead of the canon silver, for the sake of linking the robot mode's color scheme a little better. Simple, but still one of my favorite repaints.



In a similar vein (no pun intended) is BW Bat Primal into what my son calls "Ninjabat." Again, I didn't bother with an alt-mode pic because if you've seen Onyx Primal's, you've seen this guy's.

Next up is my take on the eHobby-created Autobot ambassador, Crosscut; the original figure was based on G1 Skids, but mine came from a ROTF Gears. BTW, the reason for the cane/crutch is because, for some reason, my figure has a gimpy left ankle, so I made him the crutch out of Technic parts. Personally, I think it adds to the character, gives him an aged/venerable air that befits the guy who negotiated with the U.S. government for the land and permission to build Autobot City (plus it tucks away snugly into his vehicle mode). Once more, I didn't bother with a vehicle mode pic, this time because I've been unable to smooth out the paint over the gear details on the hood and sides, and after accidentally melting poor Cybertron Smokescreen's roof/shield clear off of his arm, I've been reluctant to use paint remover.



Anywhere Crosscut goes, according to his bio, he is accompanied by his assistant/bodyguard, Road Rage, made from ROTF Swerve with Sideswipe's head. I'm kinda mixed on this repaint, though, mainly because the mould doesn't really look all that feminine and the figure looks, to me anyways, like ROTF 'swipe in his G1 forbear's colors, but I'm still overall pleased to have her in the ranks (although, honestly, would YOU trust an ambassador whose assistant is named "Road Rage?").

Made at the same time as Road Rage is another ROTF Swerve mod, this time into the poor, perpetually overlooked G1 Autobot, Windcharger. The ROTF Swerve mould worked startlingly well for him, with the "swords" making nifty magnetic poles, mainly because, contrary to the TF Wiki's assurances, I always thought his G1 alt-mode looked more like a Vette than a Trans-Am. Amusingly, the only other 'charger toy ever made was in the Alternators line...where he was, basically, a red repaint of Tracks, complete with the same decals, which made him Road Rage's identical twin.




Lastly of "The Triplets" (as I call them) is my take on the ever-popular ROTF Sideswipe-into-Tracks mod. He's actually almost equal parts 'swipe and Swerve, to conserve on paint (hard for me to get where I live), but my only real complaint is that I'm not skilled enough to give him his vehicle flight mode or mod the "swords" into something more closely resembling his black-light gun (I just say he fires "blacklight bombs" from his backpack mortars), but the repainted Swerve head (which I painted white to distance him a little more from Windcharger, despite using silver for all the other white parts) gives him a nice pompous air, looking a little like a bald eagle; he also is missing the "firebird sigil" on the hood because I used it for Road Rage (and, even though you can't see it well because of my lousy camera skills, the metallic blue I used for him is REALLY too pretty to cover up).

Onto the Decepticons, now, starting with one inspired by Jin Saotome's ROTF Sideways-to-Kickback mod, although I decided to use Deluxe Dead End instead. Personally, I think the source figure is a much closer match to the Insecticon, both in coloring and head design,but mine doesn't have any antennae because I'm not sure what I could use for them.




Next is Energon Divebomb-into-my Neo-Predacon Divebomb. The idea was that Razorclaw is trying to find replacements for his team, but since the original Divebomb replacement in this mould is the nigh-impossible to get BotCon Lazerbeak, I just made my own...although, now that I think about it, I might use that TM Airazor I've been trying to find a place for...hmmm...

Next up is my twist on Soundwave's little thugs, Rumble and Frenzy, made out of a pair of TFA Activators Soundwaves, both with Robot Heroes Rumble heads. I'm actually pretty proud of these two because, out of all the Cassettecons, they were originally the hardest to find subs for; with these forms, I went back to the Tech Specs/Universe descriptions of their powers being based on ultrasonics instead of pile drivers. Side note: the planned gag with this pair is that they constantly are trading off which one is Frenzy and which one is Rumble, since the fandom can't decide, either...




And lastly, my pride and joy, the one I was threatening to do for months: TFA Oil Slick into Go-Bots Renegade Commander, Cy-Kill...or rather "Dr. Cy-Kill." See, while planning him out, I worked out a backstory concerning the much-abused Cy-Kill's body being discovered on Cybertron by Starscream's human patsy-turned-cyborg gimp, Dr. Arkeville. As you may know, Go-Bots aren't robots, they're cyborgs, ones that are, in several ways, more advanced than Cybertronians (self-sustaining life support systems, on-board flight systems, built-in hand blasters, etc.), plus the Cy-Kill body's data banks were filled with its late inhabitant's various plans, including those of the infamous Astrobeam system...needless to say, Dr. Arkeville, abandoned on Cybertron and long forgotten by his traitorous Decepticon "ally," was more than happy to trade his paralyzed shell for this spiffy new trans-dimensional model. I was a little uncertain about leaving the skull on, and I might still remove it if I can figure out how to (mainly because I have plans that require a ram skull of that size), but my son thinks I should leave it on.




Anyway, those are the bulk of the mods I've done so far.

For some early attempts, Heckfire, those look pretty dang good!

Nice repaints

Here's a pic of my three latest redecos, RallyCat (an OC of sorts from TFA Arcee), Searchlight (from TFA Patrol Bumblebee), and Trailbreaker (from '07 Stockade with AMPLE help from Reprolabels). Unfortunately, while shooting the pics of her, I realized how spotty my paintjob on Rally is, so I need to repaint and re-shoot her before I can fully show her off.

For the record, Rally was supposed to be my TFA version of my fave obscure she-Autobot Road Rage, but since I'd altered her personality and origins from the original bio so much (and because the "firebird Autobrand" decal that is her and Tracks' trademark is too big for her alt-mode hood), I followed the advice of several at dA and simply made an OC out of her.