Racetron

On March 24, 2014, I shared my first post in the Racetron series of transforming robots, Chrysbot. Ever since I picked up a loose and a carded specimen of this toy I've had the Racetron toys on a saved eBay search, hoping more (affordable) individual robots would show up. Needless to say that hasn't happened, thus the lone Racetron entry in the blog's database of reviews.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by ConteDDracula. He had ran across my review of Chrysbot and had asked if I still owned the carded copy he had seen in the review. He told me about himself and his quest to complete the figure and needed a new Chrysbot to complete his quest. I still had the figure, sitting in the top of my closet. He offered to buy it and I didn't hesitate as I knew my chances of finding the other 5 were slim to none. Plus it felt good knowing I was helping a fellow collector. So off when Chrysbot on his long trip to Italy.

ConteDDracula told me he was going to share some words and pics with me after the package arrived. I was just as excited to see what he was going to send over as I am today with sharing it with my readers. While these toys may leave a lot to be desired, one can't help appreciate what this combining team of robots still is able to bring to the table. Thank you for sharing this with me ConteDDracula, I really do appreciate it.

After some years of research, I finally completed the Racetron thanks to my friend and fellow collector Colbey (Flywheels) too. The Racetron is a combiner made in Taiwan of 6 small car-robots (Bmbot, Fiabot, Chrysbot, Cadilbot, Porschbot and Pontibot) very similar to Gobots and with a good amount of die-cast metal. 

To do this I preferred to buy individual packages as were sold in Italy through the importer/distributor GLOBO and other minor brands. Curiously, in individual packages, the weapons were placed randomly while in giftset have fulfilled the picture of the final product.

The producers, though it is not written on the cards, are the same of funny not-Devastator Mr. Hard Hat and many other robots of cheap vintage American line, "Transistor Robots" by Four Star. To complete it I bought 2 members already previously opened and had to open 4 others blister MO(S)C! 

But having it in the collection is priceless, despite having spent about EUR 200/250 in a handful of years. I spent good money and enough time after all. The giant robot is pretty sturdy, heavy, about 26 cm tall and has a head like a robot of an old Japanese anime series: Galaxy Cyclone Braiger. The rifle instead is the same of Mr. Hard Hat.

At last Its final shape and the hooks do look like a Puzzler of Gobots "shaked" with Multiforce of Zybot Z. But Four Star will give us more surprises, to be continued!"

ConteDDracula (staff of www.giocattolivecchi.com)

Transistor Robots: Carry Can

Last time we looked at a toy that was branded Transistor Robots, it was a blatant, but cool, knock-off of the Generation 1 Transformer Bombshell.  This time however we have what appears to be an original toy.  Manufactured by Four Star, this transforming dump truck scales well with Go-Bots and other similar scaled toys.  I found this carded sample online some time ago and was intrigued.  I quickly snapped a few packaged pictures before tearing into it so I could share my thoughts.  Was it worth my purchase?  Let's see.

I remember seeing these toys sold in drug stores back in the day.  I believe the Revco store my parents frequented used to carry these.  Heck, I probably had one or two as a kid.  As you can see, this robot's name is Carry Can and transforms into a green garbage truck.  The font used for the logo strikes a resemblance to Hasbro's Transformers of the time, as does the grid pattern in the background.  What really gets me here is the block of text to the left of the robot.

Hauls for the strike force and marches with the robots.

Now it's a truck...now it's a robot...hours of fun!

Well, I'm not too sure about the hours of fun part!  Interesting toy to say the least.  Let's continue shall we?

All of the Transistor Robot toys I've seen have this Index Card of sorts in the bottom corner of the packaging.  This release comes from the Convertible series.  I'm unclear of what the other series' are in this line.

The back of the packaging shows an additional 4 figures from I presume to be the same series.  The trucks appear to share a similar transformation, while the other two are cars.  Hey, Rat-Race looks awfully familiar.  Haven't we seen him somewhere before?  Oh yes, as Chrysbot from the series Racetron.  Hmm...there appears to be more of a story here.  Let me research that a bit and I'll get back to you.

As you can see, this release hails from 1986 and was made in Taiwan by Four Star.  Or did Four Star rip off this mold from someone else?  I believe we are in some shady territory here.

The included sticker sheet is small.  I wasn't sure how much the stickers would help break up all the green or if they'd even stick to the toy, so I left them unapplied as-is.

Right out of the package and I can tell this toy's plastic is that of the lesser quality.  I won't call it cheap as it does feel solid and sturdy, but it's not on par w/ Go-Bots or Transformers.  The gold chest is die-cast metal, but the rest is strictly plastic.  

  

Nothing really that spectacular about this toy, but yet I like it.  Very little articulation, no paint apps, stupid looking chromed head/face and simplistic transformation.  Someone please explain to me why I'm digging this toy so?

 

In dump truck form the toy is remains solid.  The wheels are fairly large and chunky, but roll with ease...as long as it is on a smooth, flat surface.  It measures about 4 inches long.  I can help but wonder if that design on the truck's drill is supposed to be the Mercedes symbol?  While the truck looks rather plain without any applied stickers or paint apps, it still is pretty cool.  Perhaps you could use him as the 7th member of the Constructicons that just didn't quite make the cut?

Being a garbage truck, the back of the vehicle does lift up to reveal a shallow, but hollow area.  This is also where the "Made in Taiwan" stamp can be found.

My Go-Bots are packed up at the moment so the only thing I had near by at the time I shot the pictures was (surprise!) another Transistor Robot!  I picked up this guy at the same time.  Look for his own review soon.

As a whole Carry Can is pretty cool.  I guess he appeals to me a little more since I like non-Transformers and such.  Since they scale well with Go-Bots, Convertors and other similar toys I'm sure more collectors would enjoy them...if only they knew about them or could find them.  It's toys like these that make me want to blog about them and share them with others.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by today.  More cool stuff soon!

KO Korner: Transistor Robots: Insect Robot

There was a company back in the day called Four Star.  They had a series of transformable toys called Transistor Robots.  Trying to find more solid information on the Four Star company can be tough.  Originally I had labeled many of their toys as KOs as they had some clever takes on Transformer molds, especially G1 molds.  They would take a G1 mold and alter it heavily to create a new character, yet still retained some of the G1 characteristics.  As I've searched out more info on the toys and even acquired a few, I've really grown fond of what they did with the molds.

One of the first Four Star molds I acquired was of the Transformers G1 Insecticon, Bombshell.  Originally Bombshell's insect mode was that of a boll weevil.  Four Star took the mold and added a few extra parts and turned him into a elephant beetle...or so I'm told that is what this new insect mode is supposed to be modeled after.  Looks more like a scorpion to me.

Take a look at the purple and blue areas.  Look familiar?  Those are the shoulder/arm joints on the G1 toy.  You can see the horn section has been replaced with what appears to be a scorpion like tail and the arms are newly casted pieces.  The legs are now large gold chrome die-cast metal pieces with antennae and pincher claws.

Somewhere in the shuffling around of some items I was taking to Charticon last year, one of his antennae fell off and I lost it.  Bummer.  For a off brand toy I really didn't expect to see so much die-cast metal used.  In fact, this version features more die-cast than the original Takara version!

Even with all the new casted pieces and parts, this version of "Bombshell" transformers very much like the original.  Here in robot mode you get a better look at the original mold and how it was altered.  Four Star even elected to to paint the torso purple keeping in line with the Insecticon colors...kind of.

A new robot head was given to the character as well.  Gone is the lower face plate, replaced with a mouth and what appears to be a blue goatee.  Notice the gold panel on the chest?  This opens up just like the original translucent yellow "cockpit" door that harkens back to the Microchange days of Takara.

After getting my hands on this toy I found a new appreciation for Four Star's "Transformers" and sought to find more.  Since selling this guy a few months back, I seem to find him popping up on eBay quite frequently. Maybe he always did and I just didn't notice?  If I can find another one, complete, for a decent price I may just have to snap him up as he's a pretty cool take on the original Bombshell mold.