The Energon Pub

After seeing how much DIA Commander reminded me of PM Optimus Prime, I decided to create this. It's a simple mod but in my personal opinion, better than a certain third party exclusive/convention offering that I'm sure you all are aware of already .

I used some G1 PM Prime stacks/cannons with a bit of paint to add the red highlights (Testors Acrylics) and 2 MP Prime guns (one of which was the blue version from the earlier US release which I painted black except for the silver parts). I also blacked out the highlights inside the stock of the gun to give it a more uniform look.

The only thing he's really lacking is the head. I've considered painting it blue, but I'd really like a custom one so I might buy an original PM Optimus head and modify it some to make it fit the ball joint (and given its size, it would certainly have to be stored in the trailer, thankfully there is room for it). I'm just not sure about it as it might be too big (it's too big for the original toy proportionally in my opinion, and this guy is smaller than the original).

As you can tell, I'm sure, I'm not the best photographer in the world (I purchased this camera specifically to start sharing my customs with you guys and gals ).

You've got a good point about the head. And - are the tops of the shoulders integral to the trailer mode, or could they be removed?

It's also a pity that the chest area is so exposed in the trailer mode. A couple of windows there would really enforce the Powermaster look, but they'd look kinda silly in trailer mode. Maybe four dark blue squares instead of actual windows?

Geminii wrote:And - are the tops of the shoulders integral to the trailer mode, or could they be removed?

What do you mean by "tops of the shoulders"? You mean the guns/smokestacks? If so, they don't have to be attached, but I like them to be since that's how they were on the original Powermaster Optimus Prime toy.

Geminii wrote:It's also a pity that the chest area is so exposed in the trailer mode. A couple of windows there would really enforce the Powermaster look, but they'd look kinda silly in trailer mode. Maybe four dark blue squares instead of actual windows?

I actually like the way it looks in trailer mode, with the Autobot logo showing etc., but I see your point, it is sort of counter to the whole "robots in disguise" thing, but that's City Commander/DIA Commander for you (keep in mind all I did was add an Autobot logo to the center of the chest plate and attach the guns and smokestacks to the toy, I didn't do any modifications to the actual DIA Commander trailer or to my Henkei Optimus Prime).

Anyway, thanks a lot for the feedback and comments, I really appreciate it. I'm not a great customizer by any means, and just do little stuff like this here and there for my own collection so any input I can get is appreciated very much .

no offense or anything but this isnt much of a custom. All you done is give Powered Convoy x2 mp prime guns and then give him x2 PM prime guns and put an autobot sticker on his chest

You could shave the black bits off on his shoulders and change the chest to an oversized RM Prime cab section which would make him look more Powermaster like

Swindle01 wrote:no offense or anything but this isnt much of a custom. All you done is give Powered Convoy x2 mp prime guns and then give him x2 PM prime guns and put an autobot sticker on his chest

You could shave the black bits off on his shoulders and change the chest to an oversized RM Prime cab section which would make him look more Powermaster like

No offense taken . You're absolutely correct, that's all I've done. I've considered making additional modifications, but so far I've decided not to as there's no turning back once you start cutting parts off/reshaping things. With this custom I basically just wanted to see how close to a PM Optimus Prime the DIA Commander set could be by simply changing the weapons (something FP could do themselves without having to remold the original trailer).

Just a quick update, I just bought a KO DIA Commander set on ebay for around $50 so once I get it, I'll start doing some actual mods to it (removing the black parts from the tops of the shoulders etc.).

Thanks again for the feedback everyone, I really appreciate it .

Quick update, I got the KO (wow it shipped fast and have now modified it and done a bit of painting on it. I decided simply not to use the chest/head piece from DIA Commander rather than trying to alter the head to make it resemble PM Optimus Prime or trying to use an actual Ginrai/PM Optimus Prime head (size was way too out of scale):

Some new pics after a few more minor mods. I removed some of the bits that stick out of the sides of the G1 PM Optimus Prime cannons to help articulation and modified the handles of the MP Optimus Prime guns to make them fit into the hand-holes on top of the trailer in vehicle mode. I also attached his smokestacks to the back of Prime (as I often do when I display my Henkei Prime in bot mode) to see how it would look, and I like it .

Nice concept. You should try to figure out a way to incorporate Hi-Q\Ginrai Powermaster for the full effect.

DISCHARGE wrote:Nice concept. You should try to figure out a way to incorporate Hi-Q\Ginrai Powermaster for the full effect.

Thanks . Yep, I'll have to get a second Ginrai first though . I can probably figure out a way to make him clip in/sit on top of the top of the codpiece for DIA Commander which would put him in the correct position.