| OPTIMUS PRIME
(DIE-CAST)
PROJECT 43.1
CLASSIFICATION: KITBASH
BASE VEHICLE: MATCHBOX PREMIERE "RIGS OF THE AMERICAN HIGHWAY"
KENWORTH COE TRACTOR TRAILER
FIRST APPEARANCE: "MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE" PART 1
"Autobots, transform and roll out!"
Comments: My die-cast representation
of Optimus Prime was made out of this really nice commemorative edition Matchbox
vehicle with rubber tires, shiny smokestacks and some extremely delicate
CB antennas. Back in 1999 when I first worked on this project, I was
originally content to simply paint the toy and be done with it, but I recently
revisited the project
and made some changes to it. The truck had a sleeper cab (with extra
windows on the top, like Motormaster), so I cut that off with my rotary tool
and stuck it back on upside-down so that the roof would be flat. I
also chopped off the CB antennas and did some cosmetic work on the front
bumper, the front grill, and the components on the rear end of the trailer,
adding some minor but authentic details.
The cab separates from the trailer, of course,
and the back door of the trailer opens to reveal Roller, a toy that was
originally some kind of Galoob moon rover vehicle. |
 |
