1. Smooth Door/Error Door Optimus Prime Cab
This Optimus Prime cab is missing the molded detail on the door of the cab, directly beneath the side window, and appears as a smooth block of red painted die-cast.
The first time I saw this was on Artfire2000's listing for a test-shot Convoy cab. I thought I'd never seen anything like it, but later found two like it in my box of trash bots. I had just never noticed. The one below (pictured) was accompanied by a super launcher trailer, and is ostensibly the Japanese market modification of the Diaclone square-stacks variant. (Note that the metal-plates trailer associated with Diaclone was actually modified to a paper sticker trailer during the Japanese run, and that was the end of metal plates.)
The cab has also turned up again Yahoo Auctions, again as the square stacks variant, and on eBay as a round-stacks variant, matched with a 4 trailer, so I believe this die-cast piece was mixed in at the assembly line, and not strictly paired with any other cab parts or mold. There are tell-tale markings on the inside of the cab that indicate the detail was later corrected, as this die-cast piece often shows up on Ultra Magnus with the correct detail.
 |
| Seen on Artfire2000.com |
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions |
 |
| Seen on eBay |
This is an error, similar to the smooth-bumper Prime, that was fixed, and doesn't show up too often. I don't see any Prime collectors talking about this today. I guess if we started to, we can call it smooth door, or error door, and then go crazy about how rare it is.
2. Starscream with Diaclone Cockpit Sticker
This Takara date-stamped Starscream was noticed in an eBay listing, so I had to acquire it. It stood out because it had the Diaclone factory-applied cockpit sticker affixed and visible under the canopy. Starscream itself is a date-stamped, but pre-rub version, with solid wings (shortened tips). I had to find a separate pair of replacement horizontal fins (solid) and single-tabbed fists (to make it look complete).
As far as Jetrobo goes, only the Japanese Diaclone came with cockpit stickers - the GiG Aquila and the Joustra Diaclone didn't. This may have turned up on the body of a US release G1 because Takara were still releasing Diaclone in Japan through 1984. See next...
3. Diaclone Jetrobo (Thundercracker) with Date Stamp
Although the rule of thumb is that Diaclones all bore non-dated maker's marks until Hasbro requested the copyright stamp with date to be added for G1, Takara continued to produce Diaclone for the Japanese market during 1984, in parallel with production for Hasbro's Transformers line. Thus, some mold changes introduced for Transformers actually backwashed into Diaclone. One example is this Diaclone Jetrobo Acrobat Jet. It has the shortened molded wing-tips, a Takara dated-stamp and a rubber nosecone. The missiles have the extra horizontal sprue. It is basically an early pre-rub G1 Thundercracker, with Diaclone stickers and launchers.
 |
| Photo c/o J.R. (1/2) |
 |
| Photo c/o J.R. (2/2) |
I saw one turn up this year on Yahoo Auctions as well, strangely, it has the ridged canopy that we didn't see on G1 until the rub era, that's one thing that's a bit suss to me, considering J.R.'s has one just like this with the expected smooth canopy. But the interesting point that proves these aren't just an after-market figure swap, is that the box was also updated, to show the exact copyright stamp on the figure, on the bottom of the box - 創作 • 著作物 © TAKARA CO., LTD. 1980, 1983, JAPAN - this was not present on the original boxes.
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions (1/3) |
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions (2/3) |
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions (3/3) |
4. Diaclone Fairladies (Blue Streak) with Date Stamp
These blue and black-hooded Fairlady Z cars have from time to time turned up with dated-Takara stamps, instead of the circle stamp. These have probably been viewed with a lot of skepticism, driving the market value down, as most collectors expect or want circle stamp versions. But, they do exist and have a perfectly valid reason to. Note that they are all mold #3 as described on my Fairlady Z guide.
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions (1/2) |
 |
| Seen on Yahoo Auctions (2/2) |
 |
| Seen on Facebook (1/2) |
 |
| Seen on Facebook (2/2) |
 |
| Seen on Artfire2000.com |
5. G1 Jets with Empty Afterburners
Lift it above your head and have a good look. Rarely, you'll find a G1 pre-rub jet with a pair of empty afterburners. Usually, there is a dome, that represents the exhaust cone. I've seen this on a Starscream as well, so I presume Thundercracker may also have this variant. This looks to have been corrected quickly, and is both obscure and difficult to notice.
 |
| Inferior exhaust geometry |
 |
| Superior exhaust geometry |
6. Mailaway Tundercracker with Angled Launcher Tabs
This is an oldy, but a goodie. These must have been super late 1986, given the 1986 catalog in the picture below, but also the scarcity of this variant. These are seen also on Thrust, and presumably on Starscream which are the only three 1986 catalog jets to have launchers. (Dirge and Ramjet do not.) Honestly, what is the point? They don't even shoot!
 |
| https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-g1-transformers-1833701274 |
This is a living article, more to come...
