Diaclone Car Robot Product Numbers + Release Order

DIACLONE CAR ROBOT PRODUCT NUMBERS + RELEASE ORDER

Ever worried that someone just shoved a Marlboor Wheeljack toy in a regular Wheeljack Diaclone box and sold it to you as MIB? Well, with toys released midway through the Diaclone car robot line and after, the product numbers (usually located in the top-right corner of the boxfront or boxtop) should see to it that you know exactly which box comes with exactly which colour of which figure.

Before the No.15 New Countaches though it appears that Takara gave the different colours of the same mold the same product number, so as long as the box is for that particular release it shouldn't be a problem switching them around between colour variants if you buy the toy and box seperately. It's only really of use when two different colours were released in the same box later in the line, but I thought I'd add the rest I have available in because you can see a few patterns emerging. Also, it should yield a more accurate release timeline for these toys.

As the contributions have flooded in, it turns out that only TWO of the releases can be matched this way. The No.15 Diaclone Sideswipe and No.18 Diaclone Wheeljack. The rest of the colour variations on a mold have the exact same box, product number and all.

During the course of gathering all these product numbers, a few patterns have emerged. It appeared possible to me that by taking the product number info, combining it with release date info previously printed in places like the Takara SFLand book and the actual numbering/designation of the various Diaclone Car robot releases such as "No.1 Countach LP-500S Super Tuning", a much more accurate timeline and release order for these Diaclone cars could be obtained. Of course, by doing the above, I assumed a certain degree of faith in previous release data's accuracy. So why even bother trying to revise the data? What made me think it could be further refined? When I had gotten very close to collecting all the data I wanted I noticed that the previously confusing changes between toy photos on the box front and actual artistic representations of the toy on the boxfront looked a lot less confusing when incorporated into my own idea of the release order for the toys. There's more but I'll get to it later.

Fig.1: Car Robots + Product #s sorted by Designation
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Some of the Product numbers have an extra three or four digit number on the end. That is the price of the release in Japanese yen. You should be able to see that the large product number picture I provided at the start is from the Red Sunstreaker, hence no 3/4 figure number representing the price.

As mentioned before, you may notice that some of the later releases (sometimes repaints in the same box such as Marlboor) have a completely different product number.

Also, even though the toy numbers are progressive, the product numbers don't follow the same pattern. For example, Police Sideswipe is No.19 with a Product # 461321, but regular Wheeljack is No.18, yet the Product # 461323 and it is 200 yen more expensive.

You should start to see where product number changes (for example: signifying a change in price) were made. First the numbers are 4613**- *, then 4613**-*-1500, then 4613**-*-1700 and finally 1597**-*-1700 (with the exception of the more expensive trucks and giftsets).

Fig.2: Car Robots sorted by increasing Product # (within series)
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461301-6 - No.1 Red Sunstreaker
461302-8 - No.2 Black Ironhide
461303-0 - No.3 Police Sunstreaker
461304-1 - No.4 Ratchet
461305-3 - No.5 Trailbreaker (Black, Blue, Yellow)
461306-5 - No.6 Honda City R/S (Red, Silver)
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blue, Blackhooded Silver)
461309-0 – Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset
461310-7 - No.10 Inferno
461311-9 - No.9 Skids (Black, Blue, Red)
461312-0 - No.8 Red Hoist
461313-2 - No.11 Smokescreen

461314-4-1500 - No.12 Hound
461316-8-1700 - No.13 Prowl
461317-0-1700 - No.14 Jazz
461318-1-1500 - No.16 Mirage
461319-3-3800 - No.17 Optimus Prime
461320-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe
461321-1-1500 - No.19 Police Sideswipe
461323-5-1700 - No.18 Wheeljack

159700-0-980 - (DC)No.1 Camshaft
159701-2-980 - (DC)No.3 Downshift
159702-4-1800 – No.20 Grapple
159703-6-980 - (DC)No.2 Overdrive
159704-8-1700 - No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack
159705-0-1500 - No.15 Yellow Sideswipe
159707-3-1700 - No.21 Red Tracks
159708-5-3800 - Powered Convoy (regular and chrome)
159710-3-6800 - Powered Convoy DX set

The split I've made between the three groups is very crude and is not meant to be indicative of anything apart from the general changes to the product number format. Please excuse the shorthand inaccurate titles like "Red Tracks" instead of " No. 21 Corvette Stingray" but it's easier to visualize it this way plus the proper designations are a bit too long =)

Now, using the collected Diaclone Car Robot information on this page and the product number info, I've split the updated release list into monthly sections given on the above webpage:

October 1982:
461306-5 - No.6 Honda City R/S (Silver)
461309-0 - Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset

January 1983:
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blackhooded Silver)
461312-0 - No.8 Red Hoist

February 1983:
461311-9 - No.9 Skids (Black, Blue, Red)
461310-7 - No.10 Inferno

August 1983:
461320-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Red)
159705-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Yellow)
461318-1-1500 - No.16 Mirage

October 1983:
461319-3-3800 - No.17 Optimus Prime
461323-5-1700 - No.18 Wheeljack

November or December 1983:
159704-8-1700 - No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack
461321-1-1500 - No.19 Police Sideswipe

March 1984:
159700-0-980 - (DC)No.1 Camshaft
159703-6-980 - (DC)No.2 Overdrive
159701-2-980 - (DC)No.3 Downshift

I don't see how the above can be totally accurate. It looks to me as if it's just been done by the number on the box, i.e. what I've been calling the 'designation'. If you look at August 1983, that list suggests that Red and Yellow Sideswipe were released at around the same time but were given radically different product numbers. Then, for the next releases, Takara reverted back to the original Product number progression. Same thing applies for the regular and Marlboor Wheeljacks; released after each other but given different product numbers. I do not think Takara did this just to distinguish between the two different colours (be it for Sideswipe or Wheeljack). I think at some point, they switched their product numbers from the 4613xx to the 1507xx, and I believe that is the key to really nailing the release order by month.

Now, following is what I've come up with by combining the list in order of product number (Fig.2), and the above original layout for the monthly releases from the aforementioned webpage:

Fig.3: Car Robot amalgam Suggested realease order
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November 1982:
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blue)
461309-0 - Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset

January 1983:
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blackhooded Silver)
461310-7 - No.10 Inferno

February 1983:
461311-9 - No.9 Skids (Black, Blue, Red)
461312-0 - No.8 Red Hoist

August 1983:
461318-1-1500 - No.16 Mirage
461319-3-3800 - No.17 Optimus Prime
461320-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Red)

October 1983:
461321-1-1500 - No.19 Police Sideswipe
461323-5-1700 - No.18 Wheeljack

November or December 1983:
159704-8-1700 - No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack
159705-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Yellow)

March 1984:
159700-0-980 - (DC)No.1 Camshaft
159701-2-980 - (DC)No.3 Downshift
159703-6-980 - (DC)No.2 Overdrive

Now I'm sure this amalgamation is by no means deadly accurate, and I certainly wouldn't suggest that what I've come up with here is infallable and exempt from future revision, maybe even radical revision. A few things may still be as in the original list as Himawari did say he was certain about a lot of the release dates. But I really believe that items like Marlboor and Yellow Sideswipe were released together, instead of Red and Yellow Sideswipe being released together at the same time, or Marlboor and regular Wheeljack at the same time.

Disclaimer/Justification aside, there are a few things in the above list that still bother me. Looking at the product numbers for No.15 Yellow Sideswipe and No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack, they should in my opinion have been issued after the pre-Omnibots (DCs No.1-3). The list would be more consistent with the importance of product numbers giving accurate release info if the Yellow Sideswipe and Marlboor Wheeljack (and probably the No.20 Grapple)were released AFTER the pre- Omnibots. It would make more sense.

This is where I feel the representation of the individual toys on the front of the Car Robots' boxes becomes important in establishing an accurate release order.

It's been asked many times: Why do some Diaclone Car Robots have simple photographs of the toys on the box front whereas others have artistic representations (or "boxart") of the toy on the front a la The Transformers? Well the answer to THAT particular question may just be Takara's penchant for cutting costs at various stages of production or changes in direction as far as ideas were concerned. I personally don't feel that was the hardest question to come up with a theory for. What's bothered me and others (probably?) is exactly why some particular releases have photographic representation, and others artistic.

To illustrate why this was confusing, here is a list of Car Robots sorted by Designation and listed alongside the Designation. I have noted if the toy had photographic or artistic representation on the box front.

Fig.4: Car Robots Designation + toy representation
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No.1 Red Sunstreaker - [PHOTO]
No.2 Black Ironhide - [PHOTO]
No.3 Police Sunstreaker - [PHOTO]
No.4 Ratchet - [PHOTO]
No.5 Trailbreaker - [ART]
No.6 Honda City R/S - [ART]
No.7 Bluestreak - [ART]
No.8 Red Hoist - [ART]
No.9 Skids - [ART]
Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset - [ART]
No.10 Inferno - [ART]
No.11 Smokescreen - [ART]
No.12 Hound - [ART]
No.13 Prowl - [ART]
No.14 Jazz - [PHOTO]
No.15 Sideswipe - [PHOTO]
No.16 Mirage - [PHOTO]
No.17 Optimus Prime - [PHOTO]
No.18 Wheeljack - [ART]
No.19 Police Sideswipe - [PHOTO]
(DC)No.1 Camshaft - [ART]
(DC)No.2 Overdrive - [ART]
(DC)No.3 Downshift - [ART]
No.20 Grapple - [PHOTO]
No.21 Red Tracks - [ART]
Powered Convoy (regular and chrome) - [ART]
Powered Convoy DX set - [ART]

As you can see, it starts off simple enough. The transition between photographic and artistic representation seems clear. But after No.12 Hound, things start to get messy and there seems to be no discernable pattern...and when you figure in repainted later releases it just becomes more confusing.

Here now is a simplified (as above) list of the car robots by my calculated amalagam release order alongside the toy representation on the box front:

Fig.5: Car Robot amalgam release order + toy representation
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No.1 Red Sunstreaker - [PHOTO]
No.2 Black Ironhide - [PHOTO]
No.3 Police Sunstreaker - [PHOTO]
No.4 Ratchet - [PHOTO]
No.5 Trailbreaker(all) - [ART]
No.6 Honda City R/S (Red) - [ART]
No.6 Honda City R/S (Silver) - [ART]
No.7 Bluestreak (Blue) - [ART]
Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset - [ART]
No.7 Bluestreak (Black/Silver) - [ART]
No.10 Inferno - [ART]
No.9 Skids(all) - [ART]
No.8 Red Hoist - [ART]
No.11 Smokescreen - [ART]
No.12 Hound - [ART]
No.13 Prowl - [ART]
No.14 Jazz - [PHOTO]
No.16 Mirage - [PHOTO]
No.17 Optimus Prime - [PHOTO]
No.15 Sideswipe (Red) - [PHOTO]
No.19 Police Sideswipe - [PHOTO]
No.18 Wheeljack - [ART]
No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack - [ART]
No.15 Sideswipe (Yellow) - [PHOTO]
No.20 Grapple - [PHOTO]
(DC)No.1 Camshaft - [ART]
(DC)No.3 Downshift - [ART]
(DC)No.2 Overdrive - [ART]
No.21 Red Tracks - [ART]
Powered Convoy (regular) - [ART]
Powered Convoy (chrome) - [ART]
Powered Convoy DX set - [ART]

With the exception of No.18 Wheeljack, I believe that cleans things up a great deal more. The changes between PHOTO and ART are cleaner and again, with the sole exception of Wheeljack, the list no longer goes ART, PHOTO, ART, PHOTO etc. You can clearly see where Takara decided to switch between one and the other for a certain batch of releases. Assuming I've got it right, or even close that is. I believe that sort of explains why the Grapple and Police Sideswipe can be seen to have been released before the Diaclone Omnibots even though the Pre-Omnibot product numbers should place them before the Grapple/Police Swipe. If you consider that the Omnibots were one of the turning points where Takara decided to use art again, it fits the original release order and my amalgam too.

There are of course other things to consider. The Marlboor Wheeljack should really have had its own Designation and boxart (or photo) since not only is it a repaint of a previous release, but also a retool and it had a unique stickersheet. In all other cases, when a mold went through those changes it was given a Designation of its own. Takara's laziness can be blamed for that most likely and it contributes to No.18 Wheeljack sticking out a bit in Fig.5.

And here is the full amalgam release order (Fig.3)coupled with the boxfront toy representation (Fig.4):

Fig.6: Release Order Suggestion + Toy Representation
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March 1982:
461301-6 - No.1 Red Sunstreaker [PHOTO]
461302-8 - No.2 Black Ironhide [PHOTO]

June 1982:
461303-0 - No.3 Police Sunstreaker [PHOTO]
461304-1 - No.4 Ratchet [PHOTO]

November 1982:
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blue) [ART]
461309-0 - Blue Hoist/Silver Honda City S Doubleset [ART]

January 1983:
461308-9 - No.7 Bluestreak (Blackhooded Silver) [ART]
461310-7 - No.10 Inferno [ART]

February 1983:
461311-9 - No.9 Skids (Black, Blue, Red) [ART]
461312-0 - No.8 Red Hoist [ART]

August 1983:
461318-1-1500 - No.16 Mirage [PHOTO]
461319-3-3800 - No.17 Optimus Prime [PHOTO]
461320-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Red) [PHOTO]

October 1983:
461321-1-1500 - No.19 Police Sideswipe [PHOTO]
461323-5-1700 - No.18 Wheeljack [ART]

November or December 1983:
159704-8-1700 - No.18 Marlboor Wheeljack [ART]
159705-0-1500 - No.15 Sideswipe (Yellow) [PHOTO]

March 1984:
159700-0-980 - (DC)No.1 Camshaft [ART]
159701-2-980 - (DC)No.3 Downshift [ART]
159703-6-980 - (DC)No.2 Overdrive [ART]

That pretty much draws this to a close. I believe the amalgam release order is more accurate and is justified to a degree by the toys' representation on the box front and also the changes made to the format of the product numbers (addition of price etc). I have since been told by Dave Barry that the product number format change apparently coincided with the use of Diaclone toys as Transformers by Hasbro, and the change in product number signified the birth of the Transformers line alongside the Diaclones at the time.

Again, I should emphasise that just about all the info here could be subject to major correction in the future, who knows what someone else could come up with or discover, or whether they'd even want to. This is the best I could make of the info currently available to me and it kept me off the streets for a few weeks ;)

Massive massive thanks must go to the contributors that helped me in my mission to gather and process this information. Himawari, Stephen Lewis, Daniel "Devvi" Vink, EvilGrin, Ben Munn, So I Co, Brian Deever, Dave Barry and a few good auction pics. Thank you guys so much for taking the time and effort to help me out, it wouldn't have been possible without you.