Los de Convertibles: Camioneta

I'm always on the lookout for odd and weird transforming robot toys, especially from the late 70's, 80's and early 90's. While I have found a lot of interesting toys from all over the world, today's subject is kind of a first for me.

I say kind of a first for me because while I'm familiar with this mold, this one hails from Venezuela. Released by a company called Matrisa. I've not been able to find any information on this company, but from the packaging it appears these were licensed from Village Toys. They are the ones responsible for Convert-A-Bots in the US...which in turn "borrowed" many of the molds from Mark/Select, also known as Converters in the US.

When I saw this boxed sample online I couldn't resist purchasing it. I figured the toy would be crap, but it's so odd and it had the original box how could I not pick it up? I'm told by another reputable collector that the instruction booklet was originally affixed to the area to the right of the toy...which makes sense. I love how colorful the box is and the grid like pattern used reminds me of the original run of Transformers. Coincidence? 

On the back of the box we get to see each toy released in the line...which was just 3 toys. However I do believe based on eBay listings I've seen that these molds were released in various colors. How many different colors I have no idea, but I have seen a red "Mustang" toy online.

Out of the package we have the toy itself, "Camioneta", a blue monochrome instruction booklet and a unused sticker sheet. The booklet again shows the 3 different models and a brief transformation sequence. The stickers feel they are printed on cheap paper and I highly doubt they would actually stick to the toy if I were to try and apply them. I do like the animation style stickers for the alt mode's windows and I'm sure those orange/yellow stripes would help break up the black color used for the alt mode. The chest and waist sticker were already applied to the toy when I purchased it. When I took the photos I felt like those stickers would fall of if they were messed with too much.

If this toy looks familiar yet it's because it was released as the character "Van" by Select in their Convertors line. By the way, here is a great and informative website for Convertors and lots of other similar toys.

Camioneta seems to be the same mold as Van, however the quality of the plastic and metal used is far inferior. For starters the legs are off with one side just a tad longer than the other. This causes the figure to "lean" to this right. The head sculpt appears to be 1:1, however Camioneta's is cast in a sold red plastic with zero paint apps. The stickers used seem to be original to this release.

There is very little articulation in this figure. The arms rotate a full 360 degrees, but do offer a level of resistance. This may be to the transformation or to the quality (or lack there of) of the materials used. The legs bend as well, but that's more because of the transformation. Thankfully the toy does stand on his own fairly well with no addition support.

It may be hard to read in the above image, but the markings on the inner part of the legs are the same as the Convert-A-Bots version of this mold.

Camioneta's alt mode is that of a minivan. I can't quite place what real model it may be based on...perhaps a Toyota? As you can see it doesn't hold together all that well. I believe it's because of the lack of quality plastic and metal used. The tires aren't plastic, but more of a rubber...however they are hard and not soft. Perhaps this is due to it's age? At least I don't see these tires cracking and falling apart as I've seen with other toys from this time period.

From the rear you can see the issue with the legs. I still can't tell if it's the pin that connects the legs or if there is a problem with the mold itself. Since this is the only time I've seen this toy I can't say of the issue exists in other specimens. 

While the overall quality of this toy leaves a lot to be desired, I find this quite fascinating and I'd love to find additional (boxed) specimens. I'm always on the lookout for these types of toys as I love learning about their history and then sharing what I find with others. If anyone reading this has any information I'd love it if you'd share it with me in the comments.

BeastBOX: Dio BB-01BPD

I don't remember where I first heard of 52Toys' series of transforming robots, BeastBOX, but after picking up my first one on Amazon I'm hooked. I still don't much about 52Toys, who they are, where are they based, etc., however their product seems to be being picked up by more and more retailers online. This is a good thing because these are great little "deskbots" for the office if nothing else.

Dio is the first release in the series and this version is just one of many variations of the cute little velociraptor available. Dio comes in a small cube window box with a small box flap. The packaging has a matte feel and is rather simple. The back of the box contains the transformation instructions...which is just 4 steps, as well as small thumbnails of three other molds available (at that time).

The sides of the box has a series of images of the figure going from the it's "box" mode to animal mode. The bottom right corner of the box has a hexagon shaped grid that shows Dio's traits. This is basically the same as a Transformers' Tech Specs.

The other side of the box has a lot of text which I can't read as well as the product's barcode.

I didn't really notice this insert inside the box behind the product until I opened the box. This removable cardboard "internal structure" insert is a very nice touch by 52Toys.

I know what you may be thinking. "What's so special about a robot that transforms into a box?". I said the same thing as a kid when I first saw Rock Lords on the shelves. However once I was given my first Rock Lord (Magmar...which I was immediately reminded of after opening Dio) I fell in love with the quirky toy. The same applies to BeastBox. There is just a charm about this toy that's hard to describe.

Dio forms a small box, or cube if you will that measures about two inches across either side. It's pretty amazing how the designers were able to engineer a velociraptor transforming into such a small package. In the box form you can see bits and pieces of the dino if you look carefully. I love the deco on this particular version of Dio, the black and white looks so great. Throw in the touches of red and blue, along with the various logos and this is one of the best looking versions of Dio released to date. Well at least in my opinion.

I only have a few BeastBOX figures thus far, but I'm 99.9% sure that the Dio mold is the smallest in the series. Here he is beside Elephinx, one I bought second hand to sate my curiosity.

Transformation is just four steps and is really easy. Dio is more articulated than I would have imagined. While there isn't much to him, his hips are on ball joints, while the feet swivel (thanks to the transformation) giving the figure rocker like joints. The neck allows the head to be lifted or dropped, depending on how you want to pose him. The head can turn 360 degrees and the lower jaw can open and close. The tail simple moves up and down. Like a velioraptor, Dio has small arms with claws that fold out from his body. They are very tiny, but they do have a small range of movement.

The overall design and look of Dio is fantastic. I love the head sculpt, especially the eyes. It was until later that I noticed the other version of Dio I purchased had a different sculpted eyes. The whole figure is fun to mess around with. I told someone else that if I didn't work from home, Dio, or any other BeastBOX would be my new favorite "deskbot". To date there are a lot of different versions of this mold and while I'd love to own them all, some of them aren't the easiest to find online. There is also a new version 1.5 that is being released soon. This one appears to have a gun mounted on the dino's back. I'll definitely have to check that one out!

Dio runs anywhere from $12 to $18 USD at most online retailers. If you're interested and want to check one out head over to Amazon, BigBadToyStore or HLJ or Hobby Search.

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!

Racetron: Chrysbot

By now you the reader should know that my interest in transforming robots goes far beyond Transformers.  While TFs will always be my first love, I also find other transforming robot toys fascinating.  I have discovered some great toys (see Machine Robo and DiaRobo) and I've come across some not so great, cheaply made toys.

That said I stumbled across a section of Counter-X that peaked my curiosity.  Some of the toy lines they spotlighted I was already familiar with, while others were completely new to me.  During my own research of these toys and hunting for specimens for the blog, I came across a line that I haven't been able to find much documentation on....Racetron.

Without searching the package, I'm sure the design and art work cues you in that this was original released in the 80's.

Now it's a robot!  Now it's a racer!  It's a incredible Racetron!!  Collect all 6 in the series and create your own Racetron Warrior.

Wait a minute...collect all 6 and create your own Racetron Warrior?  Yup, this sucker is part of a combiner!

You probably noticed the robot is missing it's head.  The head is part of the car's front grill and simply slides in and out.  Over the years the piece just worked it's way back down into the body.  Anyhow, if you look closely at the legs and the waist you'll notice those pieces are cast of die-cast metal.  A lot of the Go-Bots sized transforming toys I've seen usually don't contain much, if any die-cast metal.  Behind the toy you'll see a red piece of plastic and a small gray gun located in between the legs.

Gotta love the old school art.  It's a tad on the cheesy side, but kudos to who ever manufactured this thing for taking the time for creating something original.  The robot's face gives me a Darth Vader vibe.

On the back of the packaging is where things get interesting...and confusing.  We knew from the blurb on the front that there was 6 robots in the set that formed the combiner.  Here we see the combiner, Racetron?  Wait a minute.  Is the line called Racetron and the combiner's name is Racetron?

The names of the individual robots are pretty bad too.  The manufacturer named each robot after the make of the alt mode.  Chrysbot obviously is derived from Chrysler, but I'm not familiar of the model.

The bottom of the packaging shows off the simplistic step by step transformation process.  Notice there aren't any directions for changing Chrysbot into a leg/foot for the combiner.

Chrysbot includes a combiner part, a hand gun and a decal sheet.  Did you notice anything off about this picture?  Scroll up back to the first image.  I'll wait a second.  The combiner piece packaged behind my Chrysbot is red, not blue.  This makes me wonder if all the parts come in different colors.  The mystery continues!

It's easy to see that Racetron here (if that is his name) surely isn't comparable to a G1 Transformers combiner or even the Go-Bot's Puzzler.  The chest and waist pieces completely cover up two of the robots.  Talking about cheating!  And the head...that looks more alien than it does robotic.  While I'd love to complete the combiner, it's not one that I'd showcase in my Ikea display cabinet!

One of the biggest mysterious behind this release is the manufacturer.  I have a loose version of the toy and it is completely devoid of markings.  All I can find is the 1985 copyright info.  Now what U.M. stands for is beyond me.  All my Google searches lead to no where, even for John Stanley Industries.  I'd love to hear if anyone out there knows more about the background of the Racetron toys.

  

I acquired my loose Chrysbot before I found the carded version, so unless I can find the other 5 with their combiner parts I'm leaving the carded one sealed.

  

The vehicle itself looks nice, but without any paint apps or stickers its very plain and boring.  Part of the grill is chromed along with the outer border of the wheels.  The wheels themselves are a hard plastic with little notches.  Wouldn't a sports car like this have smooth tires?  The plastic used for the toy is light and feels very cheap.  The die-cast metal is solid, but the legs are loose on mine so the front part of the car wants to flop around unless it's sitting on all 4 wheels.

  

Excuse the dust!

When it comes to robot mode...let's just say I've seen better.  The head pulls up and out from the front car's grill, the arms pop out - fairly normal.  The legs split in half and then rotate up and around.  I mentioned the waist on mine is extremely loose, making the legs floppy.  With the die-cast being on the top half of the figure, it makes the toy top heavy.  Combine with a loose waist and he wants to lean forward quite a bit.

The little square you see on his crotch can be folded back behind the robot, but the instructions show it as-is.

The robot's head is thin, flat and plain ugly.  Some black paint was slapped onto the toy for the eyes.  There is no mouth to speak of, just a slight indentation where a mouth should be.

  

The combiner's foot is made by rotating the legs around and flipping the front of the car outwards.  That square metal crotch piece folds out and forms a heel.  Simple design, but it works.  The legs are essentially hollow, yet there are some marks in the cavity where you can tell an outside combiner piece attaches.  This monstrosity of a combiner really has me intrigued and I'll be searching for the other members to hopefully one day assemble this guy.

All in all I find this toy fascinating.  Is it for everyone?  Hard to say.  I scales well with Go-Bots, Convertors, Convert-A-Bots and other similar transforming toys, so if you are a fan of those other lines like myself the you may just yet enjoy the Racetron toys.  Good luck finding them though, they aren't easy to find on the secondary market.