LEGO Ironhide and Ratchet Part 1 - vehicle modes

How It All Started

Nearly two months ago, I took some time off to organise my blog. Going through my old mocpages entry of my past LEGO creations, I bumped across Ironhide prototype in yellow. I kept wondering why I put this prototype in limbo. Suddenly I felt an urge to put this to a closure. So project Ironhide was initiated.

Actually 80% of Ironhide was completed in about than 2 weeks, however I was missing important transparent parts for the windows. So I hit bricklink.com to get them. Then I found out no such parts exists in 2x2 tiles. I guess I have to make do with 2x1 sized tiles. Then the inspiration to build ratchet came and I ordered more transparent tiles of another color for this purpose.

About Ironhide

Actually I'm not too keen on the vehicle mode (plain old boxy van) at first , but since G1 Ironhide doesn't have a "proper"  toy reference , this somewhat spurred me to take on this challenge. As you can see, the original Ironhide toy is different from his cartoon counterpart. The toy van transform into a freakin mobile command/attack center with a seat for human pilot (below). Same goes for Ratchet. After browsing through numerous Ironhide illustrations drawn all these years... I settled down with with  grey shoulders, white torso and grey  thigh.

About Ratchet

As for Ratchet, even the toy incarnation have the same window tint  as Ironhide, I found this to be dull  for a white vehicle . So I opted for light blue tint instead. Ratchet's head was colored differently by different comics/cartoon adaptation. Since Ironhide already is having a red head, I'm applying white on Ratchet.

Since Ratchet is a Medic /Autobot surgeon, he's equipped with diagnostic tools and "feared by all" surgical drill that pops out from his arms.

Ironhide Vehicle mode special feature

Extended  hoses shoot different material. Orange for acidic / high-temperature stuff. Blue for supercooled stuff to freeze target.

As Optimus Prime's personal bodyguard, he's equipped with a rifle.

Rifle secured on the vehicle roof

Ratchet  with his "modern" self

"Get off me you piece of antiquated contraption!"

"let me just calm you down with a jolt of electro-anastheatics"

"Trying to emulate his original G1 alternate mode" mode

Click below to move on and see the photos of the robot modes including transformation sequence:

http://alanyuppie.blogspot.com/2013/07/lego-ironhide-and-ratchet-part-2-bot.html