Mods - KO Super Armada Optimus Prime & KO Silverion

KO Super Armada Optimus PrimeYeap, the one with a trailer... I decided to use my old Armada Prime (with flames-painting) as the main unit, instead of the all-red one included in the set. The included Armada Prime has quite simplified chest (without the matrix part), but the smokestacks and windows are transparent... Anyway, still swap the super mode fists, as I had markered my old ones to blue...

Then came the trailer... Decided not to do much about it, mainly got no time, and also the original one is also something like this (hollow)... in fact, I felt the gestalt looks much better with the other pieces, since now it has no HUGE "back-pack"... So modded the given separate trailer connector piece to be swivellable...

... finally, Armada Prime has found his long-lost trailer!!!!... With it, he can finally become...

... Super Armada Optimus Prime!!!!!! ... oh, yeap, painted the head to blue to match the original one... and shaved off some plastics at the trailer's big surface area where the gestalt body attaches to it, so that the body will sit down/in a little more...

... and he's even taller than the KO G1 Star Saber (which I have since named my KO G1 Star Saber as Saber Convoy to avoid photo labelling confusion in my hard-disk)...

KO Silverion (Brave / Yuusha Series)

Before I begin, an update first on the Axe which Drill Silver is supposed to carry. Since now that the fists are hole-ed, I have to cut out the original side-handle and join it at the bottom...

After various touching up (trust me, its hard work, especially with only primitive tools... phew...), the Silver Knights are ready... bot mode below...

... "Transform! Phase 1!!!"...

... "Now, phase 2!!!!"... wait... oops, sorry, wrong combiners...

Silverion! (but it looks more like 'Red'-ion)...

... Yuusha gestalts are actually better-designed than Transformers' gestalts... they have no additional add-ons to form the legs, fist, head, etc, all self-contained... and the weapons usually can also be combined, in gestalt mode, that is... Very solid piece of KO, very very very glad to have found it...

Ok, should be stopping my KO moddings liao... end of year already, so fast... at most maybe 1 more..

Happy 2010 to all!!!!!!!!

Mods - Drill Silver (Silverion) & Update - Great Fighbird

Mods - Drill Silver (Silverion)
Got the plastic (not SILVER) version of Silverion in Feb this year, now then got some time and mood to mod this gem... Start off with the most difficult one, Drill Silver...


Initially wanted to make the hands slide like the real deal, but realise can't got a screw pipe right at the wrist area... so changes to the Classics-style fists...

Also cut off the chest to remake his robot chest and skirt-piece into swivellable... yeap, not painted / stickered yet...

Have also added the small rear tail-fins for Jet Silver and going to touch up Star Silver soon... but dunno when... hopefully can be this year...

Update: Great Fighbird

Took time to finish up my Great Fighbird last night... Really, looks better now...

Happy...

Mods - KO Kabaya Nemesis Road Caesar

Finally finished repainting & assembling the 2nd set of KO Kabaya Brainmasters Gestalt Team - Road Caesar into... Nemesis Caesar!!!

Nemesis Brainmasters
I don't know why I even talked myself into repainting a KO Kabaya.. damn freaking difficult for the paint to stay, it just peel off like nothing... even with spray paint.. got to use superglue to "seal" rubbing surfaces... even then, it doesn't work well... anyway, like the past Rodimus Primes repainted, I got to be even more careful when transforming them...


... in comparison with non-painted version... the glossy paint surface is actually quite nice...


... bot modes... yeap, did not paint the eyes... and leave some parts unpainted too...


... comparison again... in bot mode...


Nemesis Caesar
..."Merge!!!!.... Nemesis Caesar!!!!"


... 2 Road Caesars!!! Yes, I like to pose the legs in this way, even for some other G1 gestalts like Bruticus, Superion, even Landcross...


... Kabaya Road Caesar's face always reminds me of rabbit, hahaha... must be a close relative of Cyclonus... hahahaha.....

Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of KOs (37) - Oversized '07 Movie Leader Optimus Prime

Oversized '07 Movie Leader Optimus Prime
yeah, I know I say I will only buy this if I strike Toto today... but nevermind lah.. since decided not to get the TRU Legends Devastator set liao, so ... anyway, this is quite the similar version to the one kotoys.com is offering... in fact, I think it is just the packaging that is different (kotoys.com have the blistered card type http://kotoys.com/kotoys.php?id=676&cat=Movie+07&name=Oversized+07+Movie+Leader+Optimus+Prime+38+cm+Tall%21 ) Searched high and low for the "sound & light" button but couldn't find.. only when half-way transforming then accidentally pressed, got a shock.. hahaha...


... detombed.. ok, a few simplifications, but not as much as the leader-sized/mini-sized version that I have... to what I know, as I did not own a authentic one:
(i) Opposite shoulder pads (have since changed)
(ii) Suspected opposite piece for main arm joint (need to check)
(iii) Non-rotatable fists (need to do something)
*Edit: Actually the fists are mis-assembled, just need to change the orientation.
(iv) Simplified knee pads
(v) no toes on feet, only heels


Size comparison with KO G1 Star Saber... Star Saber is already big, this guy is like a giant!


really an impulse buy but... nevermind lah, its festive seasons...

Mods - KO G1 Star Saber, Classics Sunstorm & Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of KOs (36)

Let's talk about the mods first... First up:

(1) KO Classics Sunstorm
Bought the KO Classics Starscream the other day (in August actually), and decided to repaint it into Sunstorm... This is the no-elbow-joint version, so was tempted to bash some joints, but after looking carefully, realise it will be tough as there are screws around the area, so will be more difficult... anyway, end-effect also looks not bad...

The KO is on the right of pic below...


... after repainting with spray paint and silver paint pen... decides not to have any other colours on the body front to keep Sunstorm's "Sunny" look....

... with the arm-cannons...

... jet mode... did not use flash, yeap, to show the details...

(2) KO G1 Star Saber

Finally took some time to touch up this expensive KO from kotoys.com... I did:

(i) "Chrome" sword to gold, and the "V" on the chest

(ii) Remove most stickers

(iii) Painted head and the back of the smaller jet

(iv) Tighten up loose joints (took me most time, especially Saber's (red plane) legs...

(v) Swapped wings for Saber, so that the red wings will appear front on Star Saber's chest

Quite satisfied with it... it is huge, by the way... awaiting for his nemesis Super Armada Prime to make his appearance... Below pic shows how the KO looks like... Blue-face demon, hahaha...

... After touch-up...

...close up short of the "chrome" sword...

... after removing most stickers, Saber's jet looks better...

... Star Saber, jet mode... BTW, plastic quality is near the "indestructible" plastics type (i.e. oily), but it still will crack like the normal plastics... Its of quite good quality, I must say, and not the brittle type... no need to use Selleys Plastic Glue...

Today's Haul : ROTF Breakaway

Yeap, its the simplified version, without lots of joints and such... but not difficult to bash for this piece, after closer inspection... A bit not worth the price, initially I thought this boxed version should be better... but nevermind...

Anyway, at where I bought this piece, there lies an oversized '07 movie Leader Optimus Prime... yes, the oversized version, and in a box.... cost $43.90... hmmm... expensive... but will buy it if strike Toto $60 or more tomorrow... hahaha...

Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of KOs (35)

Package from kotoys.com finally came today... in the morning some more... Happy... Quickly open up the big box... all items accounted, except for the black BB which they promised to throw in... after breakfast, opened up the KOs to check...


(1) Legends Beachcomber
Did not open this KO, looks quite ok to me.. may have loose joints at most, if any... Nice little figure...


(2) Legends Wheelie
"Him Wheelie.. Him friend...".. hahaha... this annoying little figure has finally been given a new body... looks so much better... Did not get the orange version because it costs USD 2 more.. not worth... Anyway, did not open him too... notice now yellow Wheelie is a Decepticon!!


(3) Super Armada Prime
Sigh.. Was so happy when saw him.. but when de-tombed him, realised the trailer is only half-complete.. lots of pieces missing.. can form a trailer but is ugly lor... The chest hood of Armada Prime itself is also simplified to be plugged-onto-chest type... nevermind, still can bash!!!!!! I still got the old KO Armada Prime (movie paint-job)!!! And already have some ideas liao, hahaha...

(4) Sixshot (mini)

Yeap, gotten Sixshot's mini version.. and man, this is one little trouble-maker... first the wings are reversed.. got to remove the black holder pieces, unscrew them to exchange the wings, and then fit back with the black pieces' positions exchanged too... The little cannons inside the feet is missing too... need to bash... but overall, the joints are quite tight, except the knees a little loose...

... a comparison of my 3 Sixshots... 3 different sizes.... sweet... (p.s. the littlest one is at bottom-middle, just beside the legs of Sixshot (mini)... see the green-red little piece?)

(5) G1 Headmaster Skullcruncher

Very happy to get this piece.. almost perfect, except... the head is non-transformable.. but yes I'll love to bash a figure for it, already have done so for my Fort Max (mini & micro)... And maybe add a little seat for the figure inside the head???

Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of (non-)KOs (34)

So I went down to CSC on Sunday morning and hunt for cheap goods.. mainly wanted to buy a Legends Blackout/Grindor from the action movie line.. couldn't find till very late, in a 2-pack., after I bought these items... So went down to the Level 1 shop at corner, somehow it always manages to have quite good discounts... Bought my Alternators Wheeljack there too.. So bought the first three items:

(1) ROTF Grindor
Bought this for $35 ... Considered cheap, but not the cheapest though... Cheapest seen today is $60 for a pair of Hasbro ROTF Voyagers... but did not like the way they are running the booth (at level 2), so did not ask... Very nice figure... I always tell myself that I will buy a Blackout/Grindor if the price falls below $40... and so it did...

(2) ROTF Voyager Bludgeon

Yeap, this is the version of Bludgeon where he was defeated and nearly killed by Whirl and rebuilt himself to a bigger, current form... The robot mode is a very nice homage to the G1 pretender of the same name... Face looks funny though, doesn't look like a Transformer... A relatively new figure, so I choose it over Stratosphere... although Stratosphere has a mini Prime... Yes, it is also $35.... Quite cheap... Obviously cannot compare to GSS in July then, where Voyager cost only $19.90 per piece... insane but happy price...

Just now open up the 2 to try transforming... and had fun!!!!! Blackout (right in picture) is a bit troublesome with his head and backpack, and parts keep popping out initially... and need to check out how to keep the torso more stable... but the blades can spin by pressing a trigger, FUN!!!!!!... He is a bit small for a Voyager though.. hmm... sounds like Animated Lugnut case...

Bludgeon (left) has a slightly easier transformation... and he has the 子母刀-Twin swords, one big, one small... no this is not 4D, what one big one small... Really is a samurai-looking robot... the swords are rubbery, so no worries... He even has a sheath on his left to store his 2 swords, cool....

(3) Commemorative Series G1 Skids

With the release of Encore Skids, this chap is getting the attention again... And the Encore is selling around $35... And I bought this Commemorative version, at a booth, for $10 only... Yeap, no joke, its $10 only... Sweet....

Realised that the arms need to be placed as shown in the artwork, not instruction sheets, and also need to push the arms up until hear a click sound, to make sure the arms don't droop down...

In the evening, went down to Suntec and bought this set at Simply Toys... 4 boxes of genuine Kabaya kits for $20... A bit happy but a bit sad too.. happy is that the pieces only cost $20, which is quite cheap. But sad is when open up the box (which looks like untouched), realised the kit has already been assembled (probably by the shop staff) and put into a new small Ziploc bag... Nevermind, will soak them in the antibacterial soap water and wash tomorrow...

(4)Kabaya Zero Amour Kits

Has all 4 sets: Eagle, Hammerhead shark, Tiger and Dragon...

...Good thing is all colours are uniform in shades of green... but, aiyah, I have a bad impression of loose TFs... somehow feel they might be very unhygenically handled by past owners... same for this assembled ones... And this is one reason why I miss out a lot of "treasures" at the booths... very tempted to buy a loose Insecticon Kickback today... but did not buy, in the end...

That's all for now... sigh, now kotoys refuse to reply to my email to ask on shipping tracking infor... and that is after some nice email converstion by Mike, owner of the site... sigh.. hope he has sent the package liao... hope to get it next week... hope... sigh... this type of uncertainty is making me think twice again about buying from his site... I also encounter similar case when I was buying some fans for my school... from a well known chain-store, with the lawyers and judges all familiar with its name... I want my KO TFs package!!!!!!