The Energon Pub

I apologize for the odd title, I couldn't think of anything better...

We've all heard of house flipping, you know, buy a dive of a house, fix it up, resell it, etc.

Well, would the same work for TransFormers? You know, buy junkers, repair them, get ReproLabels, accessories, etc. Like buying up a bunch of Fortress Maximus parts, fixing him up, and selling him, etc.

Is there a market for such a thing? Is it a bad idea?

NOTE: I'd have posted this in TF Toys Discussion, but considering this is more of a generalized question about the entire line, ideas, etc...I figured it would make more sense in here.

Wouldn't they have to be pretty rare to get any kind of real money? Once you've tracked down and bought and had shipped the parts and TFs, I don't know what kind of money you'd really make.

Some guys seem to make some good money with their customs. I'd stick with that if I were wanting to make money.

Moonbase2 wrote:Wouldn't they have to be pretty rare to get any kind of real money? Once you've tracked down and bought and had shipped the parts and TFs, I don't know what kind of money you'd really make.

Some guys seem to make some good money with their customs. I'd stick with that if I were wanting to make money.

It's not so much money-making (although I'd definitely have to recoup my losses) as it is making something better and providing access for people to a 'bot they couldn't find before.

I bought the Valdigus (RID repaint Bruticus) bootleg, kit bashed some of the real Hasbro figures (for their accessories), and applied the G1 set's ReproLabels to it.

It was nicer than it originally had looked, it was sturdier than it originally was, and the buyer got something that did everything the original could, for half the price of the real deal. I even got a thank you note for the work I put into it. I did the same thing with the Devastator bootleg and got a really high positive mark on that as well.

Granted, that's technically kitbashing, more than flipping, but the push behind it was the same and it worked quite well. I recouped all I spent (with a little extra. I think I made $7.20 out of the Valdigus deal.)

Perhaps it's more of the restoration bit for me, more than the money. I dunno. I've been thinking about it a lot and thought there might be a market for it.

I'm still going to consider it, but the custom idea ain't my cup of tea. Even with Jin's instructions...I doubt I could paint 'em like he does. Washes, sculpy, etc...I'm all thumbs.

i was expecting a youtube video when i clicked this but it really isn't a bad idea

Bumblebee-otch wrote:i was expecting a youtube video when i clicked this but it really isn't a bad idea

Moonbase makes a good point though...those accessories are quite expensive to find for some figures. Plus with reissues, etc...the chances of a resell are slim. (or at least difficult.)

I tell ya though, strippin' 'em down, cleaning 'em, touching up paints, ReproLabels, etc...there's a thrill about it.

I think that's part of the reason I like bootlegs...you can make them better.

If Hasbro's China-made toys keeps on dropping in the QC scale, you may have a booming upstart business!