Home - Automobile Reviews - For True Fans Only: Own Transformers' Ironhide
For True Fans Only: Own Transformers' Ironhide
Liked the hit movie Transformers and want a piece of the action for yourself?Sure props and even the classic original 1976 Chevrolet Camaro “Bumblebee” have already made it onto eBay, but it's more than possible to put a Transformer in your own garage without having someone snipe your bid at the last second. Officially sanctioned by Hasbro toys and General Motors, avid fans can now purchase an Ironhide of their very own. Of course, it can't transform into a 16-foot tall robot that's a weapons specialist, but hey, it's a pretty cool ride that's destined to drop jaws in traffic and evoke deep jealousy amongst Transformers enthusiasts.
The Ironhide that consumers | | Ironhide can now be yours. Well, sort of. Minus the big robot part. (Photo: GM) |
can buy started out life as a TopKick 6500 commercial vehicle, which would have otherwise been typically sent out to live a long and laborious life with something like a flatbed or a tow truck rig on the back, but a select few will hit the road in style. Built byMonroe Equipment, the same people that made the truck for the movies, the production Ironhides involve a conversion that includes a pickup bed from a Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra HD 3500 Dually to cover the truck's frame, | | The biggest changes are the pickup bed, the single rear wheels and the side-view mirrors. (Photo: GM) |
and feature a single rear wheel in place of the standard dual rear wheels. Monroe also fits the truck with custom 20-inch aluminum wheels that are painted black to match its appearance. Added to this are aftermarket bumpers (front and rear) made by Road Armor, which also made the TopKick's tubular side step bars and the big rig-style smoke stacks. Seeing as the TopKick is a heavy duty 4X4, complete with 40-inch mud-ready tires, it only makes sense that it's been equipped with a 16,000 lb winch mounted to the front bumper. Besides these visual changes, the TopKick remains mechanically stock, complete with a 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel and Allison automatic transmission.
 | | The real Ironhide from the movie Transformers. (Photo: GM) | | /> There are a couple of minor differences between the actual Ironhide used in the movies and the one you can buy. First off, the lights on the roof of the TopKick are orange as they are in the production car, rather than blue. Blue doesn't fly over too well with law enforcement officials in most places, considering it's a typical color used for cop cars, ambulances and in some areas, snowplows. The second big change is the mirrors. In the movie, you'll notice that Ironhide has rather regular looking side-view mirrors, which make the big truck look a little more photogenic. They've been ousted in favor of the standard-issue side-view mirrors, which provide the driver with the visual assists needed for piloting such a massive truck.
Monroe didn't announce the price for this truck, but it's unlikely to be cheap given its muscle and strength. Alas, such is the price of fame ...
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