Popy Red Baron Jumbo Machinder Makeover!!
So what do you do?? You need that Jumbo fix and NOTHING is coming up. Week after week, month after month, the same freakin’ two pages on Yahoo Japan auctions everyday sporting overpriced pedestrian Jumbo Machinders.. They just don’t move do they? Well, these days, between the lunatic sellers and the abominable $>Y exchange rate, I for one certainly don’t have a $1K+ to throw around anymore. Sound familiar?
So… What DO you do? Make the best of what else is available. Take the beat down, weather damaged, chew toys and do some Dr. Frankenstein. Resurrect them I say!
Thankfully, Dr. Frankenstein lives a mere ten city blocks from my front door. So, with a fistless, lifeless Jumbo Red Baron in tow, I went to see the man himself, Robin Kwok, the visionary proprietor of one of San Francisco’s last great Japanese toy/hobby shops Heroes Club.
I walk in with a bubble wrapped sarcophagus and set it ever so gently on the counter. Robin looks at me suspiciously.. We sit silent for a few long minutes while Robin curiously inspects the vintage relic with the type of intensity only a mad scientist could muster. Suddenly, breaking the deafening silence, he declares “No problem!” and it’s on! Within seconds the belt is off, the buckle removed, and a laundry list of supplies and tasks to be accomplished begin to manifest. I totally feel alive. This, I figure, is FUN!!
Robin has done several incredible projects for me in the past, but my faith was completely renewed when upon stopping by the shop a few weeks before he showed me the incredible work he did restoring a polyethylene jumbo sized Kikaida with side machine. One of the rarest vintage Japanese toys out there by the way. His work was absolutely amazing! He really, brought it back from the dead. And now, my very own Red Baron was in his very capable hands to experiment with. Now it was time to hurry up and wait..
Within a matter of a few short days the call was made and I was en route, gushing with excitement that the work was so quickly completed. Dr. Kwok had taken this landfill cast away and turned it into a beautiful looking piece of art. And I thought his work on the Kikaider was something.. A true resurrection. The pictures really speak for themselves:
In the spirit of Mike’s recent “Rokuron Q Mike” post, I would like to say that this was also a very exciting experience and it’s made me really long for the next one.. I know that there are those out there that don’t think vintage toy restoration will lead to anything but the evil that evil people do, and they are entitled to their opinions about it. I’m as concerned as anyone about people getting suckered on rare pieces that have been restored. Hey, it could be me right? But, I am also looking for a way to acquire and enjoy the pieces that are either out of my price range or just plain out of stock..
For my buck though, I look forward to partnering with Robin on many other projects like this one. As a matter of fact, in the coming months keep your eyes peeled for a new section devoted specifically to projects like this one. You guys ain’t seen nothing yet, as they say in the BTO song.
As the amount of pictures for this project were just overwhelming, Robin took the liberty of uploading a Youtube video documenting the entire process from start to finish. Enjoy!!
If you’re in or around San Francisco, please come by and support Heroes and our other local toy shops. They are few and far between these days. Thanks! E
HeroesClub / The Art Of Toys
840 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
USA
Store Hours:
10:00am to 6:00pm Pacific Standard Time (Mon to Sat)
10:00am to 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time (Sun)
Closed on Tuesday!!
Telephone 1(415)387-4552
