Custom G1 Cartoon Style Optimus Prime Charity Listing

Editor’s Note: After the massive earthquake in Japan, one of Crave’s most well known sellers, Jason Carnley, contacted the team about doing a charity listing to help disaster relief efforts. He wanted to list his fantastic, cartoon style G1 Optimus Prime and donate half of the proceeds to charity. We thought this was a great idea to not only do some good, but to also kick off listing customs on Crave and show off an amazing, one of a kind piece. Here’s Jason’s write up on the project, and you can look at the listing itself by going here.

Jason Carnley

This is a G1 Cartoon Style Optimus Prime that I customized and am selling on Crave with the intention of donating half of the proceeds to IDES (International Disaster and Emergency Service) to help fund relief work in the wake of the Japanese earthquake. IDES is a faith based charity that has a top rating on Charity Navigator. My wife and I have already contributed to the relief effort through IDES. I like this organization because they have such little overhead, so I know that all the money designated to Japan will go directly to that effort. If you want to learn more you can at www.IDES.org.

More about this project: Originally I was influenced by Spencer at spencer1984.com. He did a cartoon accurate Prime and I was inspired to create something similar. This was my first such Custom Transformer project. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot of new techniques with wiring and painting. The cab and trailer are original G1 toys, roller was from a G2 Prime.

Some of the changes I made to the figure were adding lights to the cab, trailer and roller, adding ball joints to the legs for more dynamics poses, touching up the paint, adding a new bumper, and fashioning fuel tanks. For a complete list of the customizations done to the cab, trailer and roller see below.

For a long time I was not sure what to do with this custom piece. I was unsure if I should keep him or possibly sell him for charity. When the earthquake hit Japan it seemed like the right time. I know that one of the great Crave fans will give him a nice home while helping out the country that birthed him. This custom is by no means perfect, I wouldn’t even call it “professional”, but as a piece of nostalgia and a fun talking point it turned out pretty nice. If I had it to do over again I would probably make my own plastic molds for the white parts. I would also do the legs differently as they are floppy. Prime stands up fine because he leans forward just a bit. There are also drawbacks to painting Transformers—for example the back of the legs will lose paint where it rubs from being transformed into the truck and there really isn’t a solution to that. Even with these draw backs the piece turned out really nice, the LEDs work flawlessly, and you won’t find another Prime quite like him.

Here is what I did to the cab

• Every part was totally disassembled.
• I made the silver parts white—unfortunately I couldn’t obtain solid white plastic parts from a mold unless I made them myself so mine are just repainted.
• Red parts of the metal were touched up with fresh paint.
• Rectangular gas tanks were fashioned from aluminum bars.
• A rounder bumper was used which is separate from the engine grill.
• The top of the legs were given an added ball joint for more dynamic poses.
• Two types of fist are provided smaller ones and larger fists that look more like the cartoon hands.
• The original gun was modified so it is held at the back not the middle.
• Blue parts were painted a brighter blue.
• An alternate head which turns, and has transparent blue eyes. I originally wanted a LED light in the head but the wires were too much in the way of the transformation.
• The windshield was covered with transparent blue cellophane.
• All the stickers were removed. I replaced two insignias on the shoulders and one over the hole on the top—under the head—with new vinyl stickers. The silver striping was replaced with a more muted grey striping.
• I constructed a back piece which can be used to cover up the hole on his back making him look a little nicer in robot mode.
• The hard part was the addition of two LED lights as headlights. The switch is located on one arm the lights shine through the fist holes. They are powered by a 3v watch battery which should last for years. When it needs replaced it is fairly easy to get to by removing the two screws on the seat. As a result of the wires coming through the arms you must use caution in the transformation process. He is primarily for display—not play.

Here is what I did to Roller.

• I painted him silver/gray.
• I made a panel for the underside that stays in by friction.
• Added a flashing red led light similar to how he is depicted in a couple of episodes from the original cartoon series.
• This is powered by two 1.5 volt batteries stuffed in the back with a spring.
• A toggle switch that doubles as a steering lever is in under the front hood/seat area.

What I did to the trailer

• On the outside two large vinyl stickers resembling the cartoon drawing replace the originals.
• All the inside stickers were removed except the go sticker. I placed two stickers that look like metal diamond plating over the larger stickers.
• The roller launcher is normally inhibited by a tab underneath. I removed this to make the launch of roller more powerful.
• All purple parts were repainted a lighter blue.
• Two transparent red Legos were used as break lights. The batteries are two AAA located inside and the switch is underneath the trailer behind one of the stands.
Accessories
• Two sets of fists
• Energon axe from the reissue Prime
• Back plate
• Remanufactured gas pump
• Two original missiles
• Original blaster