The Energon Pub

I'm using skids as a base for this project, although the robot mode will be largely unchanged I felt the alternate mode should look like an ambulance and less like a scion van. These pics are the first paper mock up of the rear "box" that I'm adding. The scale is almost right it may need to be just a bit longer though. I went with the cab/box style ambulance because to me it is more easily identified as an ambulance. Also because it will allow me to create a separate med unit like the original toy and seen in the first episode of "More Than Meets The Eye"








I've already started cutting some of the styrene so I'll have a more solid mock up pretty soon. Also it's not visible but I changed the transformation to car mode so it would be long enough to support the rear box

I've always liked Ratchet as a character - and it would be cool to see an alternator version of him as an ambulance - I look forward to seeing your next pics!



And as long as he has a head, I reckon it'll be juuuust fine!

Ok heres the first mock up with the styrene, although I haven't cut the roof yet. I've taped it together so I could get an idea on how it will fit.






heres the box by itself

Any one have any ideas on where I can get some lights to put on this? Cause ambulances have lots of other lights besides the main bar light. I've now got the box glued together will post pics later tonight when I get home.

Well, a model kit of an ambulance would be ideal, but probably hard to find and expensive!

Maybe a toy store around you might have some emergency service toys, like fire engines, police cars and ambulances etc that you could buy cheaply and hack bits off of....?

Someone posted this when I put up pictures of my own Alternators Ratchet.

http://www.silvershielddiecast.com/

There are several places with lightbars available if you google search, though they aren't as inexpensive as I'd like. You could also cannibalize Prowl's, but that just didn't look right to me.

In the Uk we've got a shop called Poundland with everything for a ?1 they often have emergency vehicles from which parts can be cannabilised so if theres something similar near you or maybe garage sales or car boots.

Sounds a lot like the Dollarstores we have here in America, like Dollar Tree

Also, Menbailee, I've been to that site you mentioned before and I plan on emailing them to see if they will sell me a light bar that has only red lights on it instead of one of each

You could also try a company called Chimmneyville Hobbies

http://www.chimneyvilledecals.com/


They do a range of decals for police cars plus light bars and some fire engine and ambulance decals

They also do a Bumper sticker set and for anyone wanting to do a Hoist Conversion

a set of Wrecker Decals

What to do with the back kibble? Since its not really important to the transformation other than giving him some added bulk I was considering removing it or painting it all white including the windows. What do you guys think?

Well... it would be underneath the box anyway... so I say why not just remove it?

Unless you want to go for the g1 toy look and transform it so it folds over his head? Otherwise, I agree with Azure.

My thought, too. An Alt Ratchet without the box can look pretty good with the kibble, since the red cross for the ambulance ends up on display, but it'd just look goofy if it serves no purpose in alt mode. Also, Alts should be as realistic as possible, and where can you fit a patient if you've got the back part of a Scion in your ambulance? Oooh, if you make that box open up in back, that'd be impressive.

AceBaur Prime wrote:What to do with the back kibble? Since its not really important to the transformation other than giving him some added bulk I was considering removing it or painting it all white including the windows. What do you guys think?

Well, the sections that cover the rear-end wouldn?t be necessary to keep, but the section that covers the cab, including the windshield is still necessary, even if it remains as back kibble. If you want to get rid of the back kibble entirely, you might want to cut the roof away from the windshield and attach it to the box, then permanently mount the windshiled to the hood so that he has the classic G1 toy look with the windshield in front of his head in robot mode. Whatever you do, do not paint the windows. That would look ridiculous.

Ok so it seems that the vote is to remove the unnecessary portion of the rear end of the scion. I definately plan on making the rear doors open, however to what extent I haven't quite decided on. I'd like to make them big enough to fit a small TF in there but we'll see if thats possible or not. You may also notice from the pic that I've removed rear door windows to allow for more space. I will also be modding the legs for a slightly different look and to look more like the inside of an ambulance

Tramp: The windows i was talking about painting are the ones that make up the rear of the car, (not seen in Alt mode). You are of course right in that painting the front windows would look ridiculous.

As far as hinging the rear doors I was thinking of going to home depot and getting some small hinges but as of yet have not figured out a way to attach them to the plastic. Any suggestions or alternitives?