Best Original Transformers Design

[shaxper]

you and me both ;D

Incidentally, the only black sideswipes were produced for Transformers G2 and as ehobby exclusives. There was never a black Diaclone Sideswipe.

Not that you said there was, but I thought I'd clarify anyway.

[Chen]

Actualy there was a black Sideswipe in the Diaclone line, it came with the Powered Convoy giftset along with a red/white Mirage. The giftset is pretty rare though.

www.diaclone.net/orid/dia057/index.html

www.diaclone.net/orid/dia050/index.html

www.diaclone.net/orid/dia051/index.html

[shaxper]

Wow. I never looked at those pics closely enough before, but you're absolutely right. Whenever I look at photos of that set, I'm mostly paying attention to the chrome on Ultra Magnus's chest/ trailer bottom, which isn't in the other version. I never bothered to look too closely at the other Diaclone toys that were included.

[zoidstar]

Yeah youve got to love that giftset. I've had most of the rare pre-transformers: Black and silver Bluestreak, Hoist & Skids giftset, Microman Cassette Gifset etc but that has always proved the hardest to find / most pricey. Incidently I saw a yellow Diaclone Sideswipe recently which I had never heard of...I dont know how rare he is.

[ayakoholic]

chen said:

Yeah, your right I don't know why I keep thinking there was a blue Countach. Maybe there was a blue version of Sideswipe in the Transformers line and I got confused.

There sort of was a blue Lamborghini in the Car Robots/RiD line-- Prowl/MachAlert's power-up version was mostly blue. Maybe that was what you were thinking of?

[REX-203]

My favorite original TF designs (besides Optimus, of course ) were the Fairlady Z brothers, and Sideswipe. The front ends/hoods of the cars just make the best looking chest armor. And the way the doors become wings. Classic Autobots.

[Fighbird]

Okay, this is what I've picked up about all this throughout the years:

PM Prime was primarily a US design (kids wanted their beloved Prime back after he died in the movie so Hasbro had to do something), and was only modified after that fact by the Japanese engineers to become the Ginrai toy. So I don't think he was an unused Diaclone design.

Metroplex -- as well as the first 4 Scramble City combiners -- were left-over Diaclone designs. Don't know about Trypticon, though, but AFAIR the Decepticon team leaders can also clip onto Metroplex...

Sky Lynx was an unused design from ToyBox, so a pre-TF release doesn't exist.

I doubt that the Diaclone designers had plans for Target-, Head- and Powermasters ready before the line was discontinued -- doesn't make sense to me, seing as the Nebulons were a totally different size scale than the original Diaclone drivers. Besides, the 1987+ toys are much more "clunky" and big than the Diaclone stuff -- I would have figured that Diaclone would have stayed in the small/delicate scale, whereas Hasbro would want more durable and cheap toys for the TF line.

But I could be wrong about all this... ;D

I do however know that Diaclone Sideswipe only came in red, yellow, black/white police car and black (as has been stated); Diaclone Sunstreaker came in red and black/white police car -- yellow Sunstreaker is a TF release only.

My favourite original design would actually be the Technobot Afterburner -- he's the coolest little sci-fi bike and even looks good in robot mode (unlike most of the Scramble City-type combiner limbs).

[shaxper]

PM Prime was primarily a US design (kids wanted their beloved Prime back after he died in the movie so Hasbro had to do something), and was only modified after that fact by the Japanese engineers to become the Ginrai toy. So I don't think he was an unused Diaclone design.

It wouldn't be surprising for Diaclone to have chosen to do another version of Battle Convoy either, though. Keep in mind that Powered Convoy (Ultra Magnus) was itself a revision of Battle Convoy. I still think the trailer is better suited to the Diaclone scale than that of the Powermaster engines too. The grey shoulder gun thing is what has me the most convinced of anything. I've also come to believe that there was some sort of elevator platform intended to take Diaclone drivers up to the top of the main "command room" (where they could look out the window and man the guns) in the initial design too. There appear to be grooved tracks for such a platform on the front wall of the room. Then again, who knows for sure?

Metroplex -- as well as the first 4 Scramble City combiners -- were left-over Diaclone designs. Don't know about Trypticon, though, but AFAIR the Decepticon team leaders can also clip onto Metroplex...

Yes, I've heard this too.

Sky Lynx was an unused design from ToyBox, so a pre-TF release doesn't exist.

I think that's what they meant. Are you sure that it was unused though? I know no one's been able to track down an original version of the toy, but I've never heard it officially declared as unproduced.

I doubt that the Diaclone designers had plans for Target-, Head- and Powermasters ready before the line was discontinued -- doesn't make sense to me, seing as the Nebulons were a totally different size scale than the original Diaclone drivers. Besides, the 1987+ toys are much more "clunky" and big than the Diaclone stuff -- I would have figured that Diaclone would have stayed in the small/delicate scale, whereas Hasbro would want more durable and cheap toys for the TF line.

Just look at Metroplex, or even the Jumpstarters. Diaclone was changing dramatically when Hasbro intervened. They had almost completely streamlined the use of Diecast and were radically changing size scales by the end. I wouldn't find it surprising if they'd designed everything up to Micromasters, though the evidence I've seen in regard to Powermasters and such is sketchy and mostly made up of third party heresay. I don't actually believe any of the Powermasters other than Prime('s trailer?) were designed for Diaclone, but I've yet to hear strong, convincing arguments either way.

But I could be wrong about all this... ;D

As could we all...