The Energon Pub

[waaaaghlord]

hIS SHIPPING'S USSUALLY NOT TOO BAD, BUT i'VE TENDED TO GRAB QUITE A FEW KITS AT A TIME FROM HIM. tHE BIG LOT ISN'T QUITE SO MUCH USE TO ME AS i'VE ALREADY HAD MOST OF THEM FROM bLACK gAINE.

Doh! Had caps lock on. Must remember that that's the default at work.

[Wes Crayon]

Yeah but Me, Robo-Chugster & Waagghlord are in the UK so $30.00 worldwide shipping will probably equate to shipping 2-3 individual ones from the US, that makes it a whole lot more appealing for us.

I've fired a query to the individual Kabaya G1 US guy asking about shipping to the UK and I'll post his response up here as well.

Ah, right -- that makes sense. Now I'm interested in seeing how much the international shipping would be as well.

Speaking of which, for y'all in the UK -- or interested persons elsewhere -- here's a neat auction ending in about six hours:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=007

I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I think it's a knockoff of one of the Dinomech figures. (Compare it to the figure seen in this review. Apparently they're available at a place called Wilkinsons.

I wish I had a Wilkinsons nearby.

[Supercollider]

hIS SHIPPING'S USSUALLY NOT TOO BAD, BUT i'VE TENDED TO GRAB QUITE A FEW KITS AT A TIME FROM HIM. tHE BIG LOT ISN'T QUITE SO MUCH USE TO ME AS i'VE ALREADY HAD MOST OF THEM FROM bLACK gAINE.

Doh! Had caps lock on. Must remember that that's the default at work.

Drunk again? Why is Rum gone?

....Apparently they're available at a place called Wilkinsons.

I wish I had a Wilkinsons nearby.

Yeah Wes, it seems Wilkinsons is getting better and better, sadly no TF or KO's in any near me.

EDIT:
The mother of all KO Combiner Ebay Auctions!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Transformers-G1-R ... dZViewItem
(with piss poor sticker application I might add.)

[Scaleface]

OKay, this is a confused knockoff. It's Micro class Cybertron Galaxy Force Optimus Prime without Autobot symbols, in a box that says it's Deluxe Excellion.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-G1-Opt ... dZViewItem



Here is his brother, the Classic Legends Bumblebee which also thinks it's Deluxe Excellion.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-G1-BUM ... dZViewItem





Excellion Red Starscream:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/G1-Transformers- ... dZViewItem





Nearly Energon Inferno (missing Autobot symbols and some paint applications):

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/new-rare-Toys-Tr ... ZViewItem1






Nearly Energon Hot Shot:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Toys-G1-Transfor ... dZViewItem

[Wes Crayon]

Wait, are those oversized Legends knockoffs? The seller calls them "mini" but lists the heights as 130mm... which would make them about 5" tall. I could go for that!

[Scaleface]

Knockoff Cybertron Voyager Starscream. Sadly they cost about $25 each with shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/G1-Transformers-Gen ... dZViewItem









Knockoff Cybertron Scourge

http://cgi.ebay.com/new-Toys-Transforme ... dZViewItem

[Wes Crayon]

Knockoff Cybertron Voyager Starscream. Sadly they cost about $25 each with shipping.

Yeah -- d4mm. If that were cheaper, I'd be all over it.

[waaaaghlord]

Hot damn. I get the oversized Tit Seekers so that I can repaint a whole cadre of Cybertronian style Seekers (well three at the moment) and then these hit. I think I know what the next project's going to be.

[Auto Bot]

Oversized Seekers will be nice. Where did you get that?

[waaaaghlord]

Oversized Seekers will be nice. Where did you get that?

From this guy:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZchimungmung

He had them coming through fairly regularly but hasn't had any in the last few weeks.

Unmodified:



repainted as Skywarp:







WiP of Starscream:



I've been a bit lazy with these just recently, but I should be getting Starscream finished and Thundercracker started this weekend.

[Auto Bot]

Thanks. I know the quality may be a bit short. That's expected.

But are these Grown-up Seekers full in articulation?

[mechajol]

Last night, I saw this on the pegs.



"HUGE EXTREMELY" I was about to pass it by, then I noticed the familiar boxy form.
Man,they did it! The bootleggers finally shrunk down Fortress Maximus!

Is he still a headmaster? Does he transform? I know, you are also asking these questions. The good news is that I bought it. I bought it and immediately opened it.


Here's FM, fresh from the blister pack. He still carries his original colors, more or less, and the stickers are close to the original, except this...



Yes, a red Decepticon symbol.

Some quick trivia:
1) No weapons included. And by weapons I mean the big guns and the big sword.
2) No instructions included, so I'm pretty much alone experimenting transforming the big, errr, the little big guy.

And as for the headmaster attributes? Check this out-

FM's head is removable. If you take it off, there's a smaller head underneath it, which serves as its peg. This is a problem which I'll discuss later.


Articulation is pretty limited, but at least, he can still go "battle mode."


Despite his small size, FM still get to keep his battlepod guns.


The plastic is of cheap quality, but still feels solid enough.

CITY MODE

This is the only mode that I can transform FM into, since the instructions weren't included. I actually had to research this mode, look at various pics to figure out which part moved and truned into what.

Anyways, here's my first attempt before consulting the web.


Not bad, right? WRONG!
Remember the small head earlier? Here's the problem...


The original FM was designed as a headmaster. Supposedly, the part that transforms into the front ramp should just fold up front without any problems. Add that small head, and it obstructs the transformation. The solution of course, is to drill a hole in the ramp's panel.

Anyways, I tried detaching the ramp, and consulted the web. Here's FM now.



Yes, those red things on the white "streets" do slide! Lotsa hatches to open, too!

And here are the detached parts-


Not bad, right? Without any point of reference, the scale just fools anyone.

Ship mode will be explored next time.


ROBOT OR ALT MODES?

I'm going for Robot Mode. In Robot mode, the missing parts and the defects aren't that noticeable. Also, he's still prdominantly gray. The stickers are also the original design, although printed on cheap paper that easily slides...


PROS
- Everyone who only dreamed of their own FM can now have one!
- Fits in your bag, you can bring it anywhere, too!
- You can customize it into this guy:
http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Christmas_Maximus

- About the same size of bootleg WST Gestalts, so this displays best with them small big guys!
- It's a lovable novelty! I brought it today in the office, and everyone loved mini FM!
- About the same scale of WST toys!
- Details from original toy is kept.

CONS
- Missing weapons
- Missing parts from the original
- small head obstructs transformation
-stickers slide easily


Never in my life have I dreamed that anyone's ever gonna bootleg Fortress Maximus. the big guy is just one unique bot! And now, he's here in WST form! How cool is that!?


Oh yeah, before I forget - if you're wondering what's up with the "HUGE EXTREMELY" on the card? Wonder no more...

[Auto Bot]

That's huge. The only problem now is to find him a suitable partner.

[waaaaghlord]

Thanks. I know the quality may be a bit short. That's expected.

But are these Grown-up Seekers full in articulation?

There's no swivel in the wrists and the lower arm is all one piece so it loses the elbow swivel as well. Out of the box they're quite loose at the knee joints which makes posing them a bit of a nightmare but with a layer or three of paint they seem to go back together somewhat tighter. There's a little less moulded detail than on the originals with some areas being flat that previosly were not. The most noticable example of this is on the panels that fold across the shoulders, on mine that's where I'm adding the faction symbols because it just has an 'unfinished' look to it otherwise. They're not 100% quality wise, but there are far worse KOs out there and roughly voyager sized is a good size for a Seeker.

[Auto Bot]

I agree. I always wanted the Seekers to be bigger.

[Wes Crayon]

Last night, I saw this on the pegs.

I think I speak for us all when I say ON THE PEGS WHERE?!?!?!

Someone posted this link on another forum I visit. They're not strictly knockoffs, but maaaaaan I want them.

http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/w ... N&wb_dis=2

G1 Sludge notwithstanding, that's the best-looking transforming brontosaurus I've seen yet.

[Scaleface]

Knockoff Jetfire in a box with tech specs on it. Warning, this is not for children under 60 months old!

[Auto Bot]

Knockoff Jetfire in a box with tech specs on it. Warning, this is not for children under 60 months old!

Mommy! I want that one!

Is that patterned after the big Jetfire or the small Jetfire?

[Supercollider]

I've fired a query to the individual Kabaya G1 US guy asking about shipping to the UK and I'll post his response up here as well.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Black-Gaines-Toy-Store
Rough response to my enquiry. Rough estimate shipping to the UK: $9.00 for one kit, $14.00 ish for around 5 kits, there's a bit of leeway given that the size of the kit is the issue for shipping.
I'm buying stuff as we speak!

[Wes Crayon]

I just jumped on this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0161032400

I mainly went in for the KO Grimlock -- it's a gamble, I know; I'll let you guys know how it turns out -- but I can't really make out what the rest of those figures are. Any help, guys?

[Silent Darth]

Just so you know, Mini Max's mini head does come out. I almost lost mine finding that out. So you don't have to remove the ramp, just pull his tiny head out.

[Scaleface]

Rainbot cassettes.

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-PCS-TRANSFORMERS- ... dZViewItem



Think these Bumblebees are knockoffs? He has 58 of them for sale from an China address.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TRANSFORMERS-ULTIMA ... dZViewItem

[Rodr-Evil]

WOW too many BBs!

[waaaaghlord]

Think these Bumblebees are knockoffs? He has 58 of them for sale from an China address.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TRANSFORMERS-ULTIMA ... dZViewItem

I think so. It's the keyring version of the mould and while I believe that the Jap released keyrings were in little bags inside the blind box they already had their stickers applied.

[D-340]

Ok, stupid question. What would I use to look up KOs on ebay? I follow the links provided in this thread, but I'm actually interested in a full listing.