[MOC] Pieceout Transformer

[Perijove]

Greetings!

I don't post much and thought I might try to break that habit with my latest MOC, an original "hippie van" Transformers character I call Pieceout. He took quite a while to develop from concept to physical model and I couldn't be more satisfied with the results. As a typical AFOL who mostly builds and displays sets and MOCs, I have found myself spending a lot of time actually playing with this particular model as if I were a third my age (something I haven't done since I designed the Curiosity Rover, aka set #21104). Just for fun, I even ended up developing a short backstory that fits into the original G1 continuity that you can read between the images below. Check out the rest of the album on Flickr for more images, sketches, and even short videos demonstrating the transformation from vehicle to robot and back again.

PIECEOUT_ROBOT_01a by Stephen Pakbaz, on Flickr

Pieceout was a civilian Autobot scientist researching alternative energy on Cybertron. During this time, the Autobots were at war with the Decepticons in a conflict that had depleted most of the planet’s natural Energon resources. His best friend and mentor, Bumblebee, was an Autobot scout who joined the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, and his team aboard the Ark on a mission to find new sources of Energon. Unfortunately, both the ship and crew were lost shortly after takeoff in a surprise attack by the Decepticons. With the Decepticons now in control of Cybertron, Pieceout left with the remaining Autobots, spending the next four million years exploring new worlds and fighting for survival.

Following a mysterious signal that he hoped would lead to the lost Ark, Pieceout traveled to a remote solar system. While scanning the third planet, a sudden solar storm and its interaction with the magnetosphere fouled the navigational and guidance systems of his small ship, resulting in a crash landing. His ship was beyond repair, severing all communications and hope of escape or rescue. According to the local lifeforms, Pieceout was on Earth in an area called San Francisco in the year 1968. They called themselves hippies, and welcomed Pieceout into their community. Among these beings, Pieceout rediscovered his long lost beliefs of peaceful and nonviolent solutions to problems. In order to remain with his newfound friends and avoid drawing unnecessary attention, he adopted the disguise of one of their common transportation vehicles, called a hippie van.

Sixteen years later, in 1984, a volcanic eruption revealed the location of the Ark. This disturbance revived the Autobots and Decepticons on board, renewing the war between the two factions. Pieceout was once again reunited with Bumblebee and the other Autobots. However, instead of rejoining their cause, Pieceout chose to remain in a more passive role, continuing his energy research and employing nonviolent methods to assist his friends.

I couldn't help including some artwork appropriate to the time period.

Finally, I made some high-quality, step-by-step .pdf instructions available for purchase in my BrickLink store for just $5 for anyone interesting in building one of their own. You can see a parts list for the model on Rebrickable.

- Perijove

[Isundir]

Very groovy MOC, looks great in vehicle and robot form and even the transformation itself looks great

[anothergol]

wow, it surprisingly looks great in both modes

[HawkLord]

Looks really good and solid in both modes. Plus, he looks very poseable in robot mode. That's tough to pull off.

[bacem]

Pretty cool! Both the car and robot mode are solid, and the back story really suit him.

If I can gives a suggestion, maybe if the red part becomes the lower leg, instead if the white part, it would looks better.

[KlodsBrik]

Lovely MOC, very appropriate for its time.

Your artwork is great as well.

[The Mugbearer]

This is so very well-done! Amazing!