I'm new here. And I am just wondering if anyone has ever taken a Trendmasters Jupiter 2 toy and tried to make the interior as accurate as possible??? After seeing what all is inaccurate about the toy. I thought it would be a real challenge to try to make one more accurate. And I am thinking about doing it myself.
Trendmasters Jupiter 2
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That would be a task IMO. But, much glory if successful.
I think this is a really bad idea for two reasons:
1)Absolutely NOTHING in the Trendmasters Jupiter is useable. Nothing. You's have to build everything from scratch. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING including a new floor and new walls (The floors have big protrusions molded in to provide clearance for the retractable landing gear and the walls are molded in a continuous curve rather than flat sections).
2)The Trendmasters Jupiter 2 is relatively rare and quite collectible. MIB examples can sell for a couple of hundred dollars or more. Complete open ones can sell for near a hundred dollars. Obviously, trying to make it "accurate" destroys any value.
There's no good reason start with a valuable, collectible toy and gut it to make a "model" when there are already better models available. Converting toys is a reasonable option when there are no better alternatives. In this case, there are better alternatives.
1)Absolutely NOTHING in the Trendmasters Jupiter is useable. Nothing. You's have to build everything from scratch. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING including a new floor and new walls (The floors have big protrusions molded in to provide clearance for the retractable landing gear and the walls are molded in a continuous curve rather than flat sections).
2)The Trendmasters Jupiter 2 is relatively rare and quite collectible. MIB examples can sell for a couple of hundred dollars or more. Complete open ones can sell for near a hundred dollars. Obviously, trying to make it "accurate" destroys any value.
There's no good reason start with a valuable, collectible toy and gut it to make a "model" when there are already better models available. Converting toys is a reasonable option when there are no better alternatives. In this case, there are better alternatives.
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I have one of these - it was given to me as a birthday gift a few years ago. I like the look of the exterior, but was disappointed with the interior and landing gear. It still makes a fairly decent display model, though. I agree that trying to make it accurate would basically mean that you have to practically start from scratch.
I didn't know that the Trendmasters J2 was so valuable or collectable. I'll hang on to mine...
Well, I never thought that it could be made 100% accurate. But I do think the toy makes a good display item. And it would be fun to at least try to bring it closer to being accurate. As for the value of the toy. I have never been one that cared about the value of a toy or a model. Because I'm taking them all to the grave with me anyhow:lol:. I don't buy them for resale value. I buy them for my pleasure. And I've never been one that was afraid to alter my toys or models to suit me. A good example would be my Masudaya YM-3 robot. While it may be more valuable left as is. The shoulder hooks, claws, and the fact that the arms don't go properly into the stowed position, don't suit me. So they will have to be changed. I was just curious if anyone had tried to make a Trendmasters toy more accurate. But I think I'm gonna give it a try just for the challenge of it.
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If you change the way the arms connect into the body, you have to make entirely new gauntlets, and all new claws. But if you go there, you might as well ditch the legs and make all new from scratch ones. Then you can ditch the torso also since it's too small by a few percent...then build a new collar & bubble.......:freak:
There's a point where you have to say it looks good enough, or else just do it entirely from scratch to reach your idea of perfection.
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Hi DCH10664.
In my oppinion, the Masudaya Robot is much closer to an hypothetically accurate model of the B9 than the Trendmaster J2 will ever be to the PL J2, just to stick to a not so perfect kit (by an "interior accuracy" point of view, of course).
So, IMHO, you might try the PL J2, especially due to the great references right here at HT. :wave:
In my oppinion, the Masudaya Robot is much closer to an hypothetically accurate model of the B9 than the Trendmaster J2 will ever be to the PL J2, just to stick to a not so perfect kit (by an "interior accuracy" point of view, of course).
So, IMHO, you might try the PL J2, especially due to the great references right here at HT. :wave:
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Just imagine the detailing involved... I'd be impressed if he made it work, wouldn't you?:thumbsup:
Nothing's impossible....
Yeah...some things ARE impossible.
There's nothing here that can be made accurate because nothing is usable. The floor is unusable. The walls are unusable. The 4 (?) half-round freezing "tubes" are unusable. There's simply nothing that can be made accurate.
Of course, it's possible to entirely scratchbuild a project. But why ruin this toy if you have to basically scratchbuild a new Jupiter 2 to replace every part?
It's like the story of the guy who owns the axe that George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree. It's original...other than the fact that the heads has been replaced three time and the handle has been replaced five times.
Honestly. WHAT part of that interior is the basis for a more accurate interior?
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Well, I don't know; I'm NOT the model maker with the plan...
Not long ago, I was advised not to try & "accurize" the Revell Armageddon shuttle model because it was "impossible".
But it turned out pretty well... yeah, LOTS of work, but I was up for it.
Well as I said before, I've never been one that was afraid to alter my toys or models to suit me. "SUIT ME" being the key words. I've always figured where there is a will, there is a way. I've been keeping an eye on alot of Chrisisall's builds. Especially his very impressive Masudaya Robot from Lost in Space. And he's done wonders with that model, as well as many others. And like him, I enjoy a challenge. So if I can get the trendmasters j2 interior to be more recognizable. That will be good enough to suit me. I'm sure I will have to completely gut the interior. And the floor will have to come out and build from scratch. And the landing gear will have to be left in landing mode. But that's part of the fun for me.
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YEAH! More power to you, bro!:thumbsup:
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It seems that there are two points here:
1) When "make a more accurate model" ends, and when a "build from scratch" begins;
2)If you're aiming at a big challenge to make a kit more accurate, what is the cost-effectiveness of building an entire new interior to the Trendmaster J2 if you have the PL J2 on hand eagerly awaiting to be accurazed.
Of course, if your objective is to scratchbuild, well... go ahead and be happy!! :wave:
1) When "make a more accurate model" ends, and when a "build from scratch" begins;
2)If you're aiming at a big challenge to make a kit more accurate, what is the cost-effectiveness of building an entire new interior to the Trendmaster J2 if you have the PL J2 on hand eagerly awaiting to be accurazed.
Of course, if your objective is to scratchbuild, well... go ahead and be happy!! :wave:
One possibility is that the trendmasters is about an 11 inch saucer. While the PL J2 is a 12 inch saucer. So there wouldn't be an overwhelming difference in the scale. And I just happen to have an old PL J2 kit I got from a friend. He bought it. Put a few pieces together. And decided he was in over his head. So I bought it for 15.00. So that interior is at least a possible starting place. But even at that, the PL J2 still requires alot of scratch building.
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You can bet.
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They sold for $24.95 brand new and I agree with the guys here. Just leave it be cause in 20 or more years people will want to buy this with all the original stuff in it and it'll lose all the value if you attempt to alter it.
Armymedic80, I really don't care about the resale value of any of my models and toys. I've never been one to buy anything for resale. My toys are just things from my past that bring me pleasure. I'm leaving the wife and kids with plenty,....my toys go in the casket with me !!! LOL.
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Shoot. I say "go for it". I play with my toys any way I want. If my wife catches me in the middle of a pile of sprue and photoetch, she just looks the other way. (most folks would)
She bought me a vintage GI Joe one year for Christmas, vintage clothes included, and I bought him some modern, scaled gear to change him into.
# 1: I was officially playing with dolls
#2: I screwed up a perfectly good vintage GI Joe, with wrong clothes!
#3: God help me, I was playing with dolls
She bought me a vintage GI Joe one year for Christmas, vintage clothes included, and I bought him some modern, scaled gear to change him into.
# 1: I was officially playing with dolls
#2: I screwed up a perfectly good vintage GI Joe, with wrong clothes!
#3: God help me, I was playing with dolls
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