Custom Optimus Prime – How to Customize Transformers

This is currently the star prize of my custom work. a Custom Battle Damaged Power Up Optimus Prime Leader Class.

I have yet to see a custom Power Up Prime that is highly movie accurate AND can “disassemble” so that Optimus Prime can reverted back to his original form and can still transform into truck mode.

What makes my “Power Up Prime” unique is that it is probably the most movie/ concept art accurate “Power Up Prime” that has detachable Jet Fire armour so that Optimus Prime can transform into truck mode.

Plus, the way the attachments are designed are so that different parts of the armour moves with body parts to maintain high articulation in “Power Up” mode. I solved one of the more difficult parts in designing the interchangeable feet.

All my attachments are through magnets hidden/ embedded in Prime as well the individual armoured parts.

The original toys from Hasbro allow a Leader Class Prime to combine with a Leader Class Jetfire but it is not really movie accurate.

My Power Up Prime stands at 18″ tall at its highest point. It is the most complex and elaborate custom till date as it involved “kit bashing” (building from scratch) many parts and custom making them from multiple toys.

Here are pics of Optimus Prime pre-Power Up.

This is the Power Up Prime with all of the Jetfire Armour parts fused to him.

With two weapons added. A concept art-accurate Jetfire combined gun with ammo belt in the right hand and a gatlin gun attached to the forearm on the left hand.

The Jetfire combined gun has a blue LED light mounted inside that can be switched on.

Watch the video here:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFiGx_iOfLk]

Here is the detailed breakdown of the custom scratch work:

All of Jet Fire Armour parts were built from scratch with Jet Fire and Gundam parts including a whole lot of “kit-bashing”. From head down:

Jetpack

• The thrusters are completely custom made from a bunch of different parts.
• The main extensions are secured to a base that has large magnets attached to the underside. The magnets attach through to the batteries inside Prime.
• There are four arms that extend to the outer half shell of each thruster unit.

Shoulder Pads

• Custom-made shoulder pads attach to magnets embedded under Prime’s shoulder pads. The magnet positions allow the shoulder pads to move as the figure articulates

Shoulder Guards

• Custom-made shoulder guards attach to the steel pin on Prime’s shoulder with cylinder magnets. This allows the shoulder guards to swivel out of the way when arms are articulated

Back Wings

• The entire wing assembly detaches as one unit and both wings can swivel to different angles.

Chest Plate

• Chest plate with rib armour was made from different parts and fabricated as one assembled unit. They attach to cylinder magnets embedded into the sides of Prime’s body
• The chest plate also pushes up Prime’s chest window armour to give him a more buffed look in “Power Up” mode

Front Thigh Guards

Inner Thigh Guards

• Sculpted to fit around thighs from Gundum parts

Knee Guards

• Custom made from different sculpted parts attached via magnets

Shin Guards

Leg Wheel Guards

• Cut from Gundum and Jet Fire parts and each attach via two magnets to keep it in place without rotating with the wheel

Feet

• This is my only ‘cheat’ in the custom. In designing the extended feet/ leg and creating a movie/ concept art accurate look as well as maintaining stability of the “Power Up” figure, I figured the best way to to just switch feet for the “Power Up” mode. The “Power Up “feet are custom made from many different parts including the feet from a ROTF Leader Class Prime

Forearm Guards

• Cut from Jet Fire parts

Weapons

• Custom BFG with blue LED with ammo belt
• Custom Double Gatlin Gun mounted on forearm with ammo belt

With this custom in the books, I just realized how many Primes I have. This is about 10% of the collection with the rest still mint in sealed boxes!