Hubcap (MW)

The name or term "Hubcap" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Hubcap (disambiguation).

Hubcap is an Autobot from the Machine Wars portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

"Hi, everee-bodee!" "Hi, Dr. Nick!"

Hubcap is kind of creepy. He removes the bodies of deactivated Decepticons from the field after battles. After he takes the remains to the Autobot base, he salvages what he can for spare parts. He will often recycle the rest, but is known to use Decepticon scrap for target practice. It's pretty gruesome, really.

Fiction

TransTech

Hubcap was one of the countless "offworlder" residents of Axiom Nexus. He had a brief encounter with an alternate-universe namesake who was looking for some help, who found him to be really creepy. Gone Too Far

Wings Universe

"Holy smokes! You need booze!"

Hubcap was part of Jhiaxus's Cybertronian clone army. He accompanied his master when he went to Cybertron to issue a final ultimatum to the native resistance and Megaplex. Termination

Hubcap stood next to Jhiaxus during the latter’s Cybertronian invasion. When he received word that Obsidian and Strika had cleverly corralled the bulk of their forces in Iacon, he suggested to Jhiaxus that they consult Prowl on the matter. When a team of Decepticons managed to sneak behind enemy lines and ambush Jhiaxus, Hubcap held Nacelle at gunpoint, commenting that his corpse would make for a splendid colonnade. He was ordered to stand down by Jhiaxus when the Cybertronian leader realized he had already accomplished his task of uniting Cybertron. Jhiaxus was shortly thereafter murdered by Megaplex, and Hubcap dragged his leader’s corpse away, commenting on how his chassis would make for magnificent architecture. A Common Foe

Toys

Machine Wars

"Die, dismembered bodee!"

• Hubcap (Basic, 1997)

• Accessories: Grill-blaster
• Known designers: Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Hubcap, like the rest of the Machine Wars line, was a KB Toys exclusive. He transforms into a yellow tow truck with one-step spring-loaded transformation to robot mode. The grille of the truck separates to become a hand-held blaster. He and the other Basic-sized Machine Wars molds were originally designed for the Generation 2 line, but were scrapped when the franchise moved over to Beast Wars.

This toy is gang-molded with the other three Basic molds in the line. Specifically, his inner robot parts and tow-arm share plastic with Skywarp's inner robot parts, his truck parts share plastic with Skywarp's head and Prowl's seat, plus he shares the pearlescent-gray windows/visor plastic with, well, everyone.

• More info on Hubcap at TFU.info

Generation 2 mold: Greasepit
Hasbro: Generation 2 Greasepit (canceled) Machine Wars Hoist Hubcap Robots in Disguise (2001) Tow-Line Takara: Car Robots C-017 Wrecker Hook Super Wrecker Hook Robotmasters RM-04 Wrecker Hook

Notes

• Hubcap and Hoist are unique among the Machine Wars line in that they have original card artwork, rather than altered artwork from previous toys.
• This Hubcap almost got a BotCon 2014 toy out of the Transformers: Generations Deluxe Class Sergeant Kup mold (using the retooled head from Hoist/Electrons).
• Hubcap's design (at right) in the Wings Universe comics, based on the original Machine Wars toy, was previously created by Josh Burcham for a fan project.