The Energon Pub

A couple of questions about the use of die-cast in post-movie G1.

1) Why, when they changed Hot Rod's metal feet to black plastic for the Targetmaster version, didn't they change Kup's torso for his Targetmaster version as well?

2) How many post-movie toys actually used die-cast? I'm aware of Hot Rod and Kup. Were there any others? Why not Blurr?

Didn't Kup also have a variant with steel or plastic rear wheels?

As for other figures - the combining teams around 1986 had either plastic or diecast variants.
Springer has a diecast chest
Sandstorm has diecast feet
Predaking has diecast in his component figures
Reflector too

After that I think that all figures were virtually all-plastic.

I had forgotten about Magnus and Predaking. I didn't know about Springer or Sandstorm. Reflector wasn't a post-movie toy, though, was he?

Leonardo wrote:Reflector wasn't a post-movie toy, though, was he?

I thought that he was a mail away figure during 86-87. Could be wrong though.

JetfireUK wrote:

Leonardo wrote:Reflector wasn't a post-movie toy, though, was he?

I thought that he was a mail away figure during 86-87. Could be wrong though.

Yes, he was. I was thinking of something else, sorry.

Leonardo wrote:A couple of questions about the use of die-cast in post-movie G1.

1) Why, when they changed Hot Rod's metal feet to black plastic for the Targetmaster version, didn't they change Kup's torso for his Targetmaster version as well?

2) How many post-movie toys actually used die-cast? I'm aware of Hot Rod and Kup. Were there any others? Why not Blurr?

The mid/late 80s. Good times to ge a Transformers fan. lol

I also add Metroplex to your list. I have the plastic version, but their is supposed to be another variant with plastic tires (mine has rubber) that has diecast wheels/rims.

I also know that Fort Max has some diecast. My Brave Maximus reissue does, anyway.

Kup's rear wheels were diecast, Hot Rod's feet. Metroplex's wheels were not metal in the Japanese version, only hard plastic with rubber desert dog tires. Eventually, they all went plastic post movie. Same with the casseticons (Rumble and Frenzy's feet)

In Fortress Maximus' case, his chest plate (for the central tower) and the left leg that mounted his gun batteries were diecast (and prone to chipping)

I had a KayBee magnus, which was only metal cab the rest was plastic and unpainted

Exulted Unicron wrote:I had a KayBee magnus, which was only metal cab the rest was plastic and unpainted

That was the only metal bit on any Magnus, wasn't it? Apart from the wheels, but if you had a metal cab surely you'd have had metal wheels.

Not true.

My original Ultra Magnus had the diecast cab and feet, but the rest of the figure was plastic. The wheels were all plastic and the cab robot's face was all white - unlike the TRU re-issue.

JetfireUK wrote:Not true.

My original Ultra Magnus had the diecast cab and feet, but the rest of the figure was plastic. The wheels were all plastic and the cab robot's face was all white - unlike the TRU re-issue.

Intriguing. Mine's got a metal cab with metal wheels and the rest is plastic. And unpainted. It's not a reissue.

That's another figure to add to the variation list.

Personally I didn't like my unpainted and plastic wheeled original so I sold it and got the TRU re-issue.

I know that I sold out

I would do that if I could find a TRU reissue to replace the one I have. And if, you know, I could be bothered.

The thing with the TRU reissue is, even though it's got a painted face which looks lots better, it has those long red missiles. Maybe I could buy it and use the original ones.

The following had die-cast [or at least variants of them did]:
Ultra Magnus,
Hot Rod,
Blurr,
Kup,
Wreck-Gar,
Springer,
Broadside,
Sandstorm,
Slingshot,
Skydive,
Airraid,
Fireflight,
Hotspot,
First Aid,
Groove,
Blades,
Streetwise,
Ramhorn,
Steeljaw,
Galvatron,
Scourge,
Octane,
Cyclonus,
Predacons,
Dead end,
Dragstrip,
Breakdown,
Wildrider,
Onslaught,
Brawl,
Swindle,
Blastoff,
Vortex.
There may be others but all these did have die-cast AFAIK.

That's a long list. What die cast parts did Galvatron, Scourge, Cyclonus have?

Leonardo wrote:That's a long list. What die cast parts did Galvatron, Scourge, Cyclonus have?

Galvatron and Scourge had die-cast thighs and Cyclonus IIRC had a d-c torso [or it could be shoulders ].

So much stuff I didn't know...