If you regularly listen to the Triple Takeover podcast, you may be aware that I’ve been on a bit of a Binaltech kick of late. Almost immediately after recording our episode on the topic, it became apparent that I was going to dip my toes back into the line, something I’d long considered ever since I stopped collecting it the first time in the late 2000s.

What was maybe less apparent was how quickly that would come to pass, or indeed how deep it would go! Needless to say, I’m not so much dipping my toes as I am thrashing around trying to keep my head above water, but hey, I’ve been loving every second of it. Rediscovering classic old moulds from some fifteen years ago or more has been a delight indeed, as has picking up more than a few of the repaints for the first time ever.

The line remains a highlight of Transformers collecting for me as, despite whatever criticisms may be levelled at it from some quarters, its ambition, attention-to-detail, finesse and all-round epic nature are still more than enough to impress. I remember very clearly how enamoured I was with these toys when they first landed, often being overjoyed with them in hand or all lined up on my shelves, and that admiration has not dwindled in the years I’ve been without them.

However, there was one Binaltech release that always felt like it was off the table somehow, like it was just too far beyond reach, and that was the 2007 Wonderfest-exclusive BT-17 Black Convoy. Seemingly impossible to source even at the time of release, the toy quickly became ultra-desirable for many a BT collector and, at least at one point, could legitimately claim asking prices over four figures on the aftermarket. That’s insane to contemplate now but hopefully it illustrates why I thought for the longest time that I may never own it!

I’d also heard much about the reputation of the figure and all its various problems. You’d hope that for such a galling sum you may at the very least be gifted with the toy of your dreams, but by all accounts, BT-17 had numerous faults that meant it was unlikely to be featured in anyone’s “best of” lists. Supposedly it was a floppy mess, overloaded with diecast (a more reasonable usage of which is a signature of the BT line), and various QC errors to boot. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t a hard decision to give this one a pass.

So, how does it finally come to be in my possession then? Well, a lot changes over the years! Firstly, the value of BT-17 has dropped significantly, to the point where it’s now very hard to imagine that it ever reached the peak it did! Binaltech toys in general don’t claim the level of value these days that you might imagine they deserve in a lot of cases, but even an extreme example such as this now goes for a mere fraction of what it once did.

Then I can only say that I got extremely lucky. I came across a Japanese listing for a copy still sealed in its packaging, but with a bubble that has sustained some damage along the way and was coming apart along the one side. Having done plenty of investigation, I was satisfied the contents were entirely unaffected and reasoned that the resulting further drop in asking price meant that this was as good an opportunity to finally examine the figure as I was ever going to see.

I was also spurred on by having only recently picked up its mould-mate, BT-22 Convoy, just prior. I’ve long been a fan of the all-plastic Kiss Players release of the figure from when I originally owned it but finally experiencing the design loaded in metal had made me all the more curious about the black version, and all the more intrigued to give it a proper appraisal of my own after all this time.

So, at long last, here it is! To say that having this toy in hand feels somewhat surreal is an understatement, as it does whenever you finally acquire something that once seemed legendary and off-limits somehow. The only thing standing in my way now was the packaging, which I have to say is horrible. I like the look of it well enough (something about the sparse nature of it reminds me of vintage exclusives such as G1 Tigertrack or Black Tracks, in its way) but nothing about the design is remotely collector friendly, as there’s no way to open it without separating the bubble from the cardboard base. Even after that is done, there’s a frustrating array of twisty-ties holding the toy in place, some of which go underneath the interior bubble as well. Maddening.

Still, with the deed done I could finally appreciate that luscious officially-licensed black Dodge Ram alternate form and oh mama, it’s every bit as gorgeous as I might have imagined it to be. The rich painted finish is spectacular to behold (despite a few imperfections notable on very close inspection) and the weight of the thing is still something that will stop anyone dead in their tracks, I think. BT-22 had obviously prepared for me just how hefty this release was set to be (they both clock in at a mean 695g), but it remains a stark reality when you hold that cold metal toy in your hands.

There are a lot of other aspects to admire, of course, not least of which is how the small highlights of colour really pop against that sultry black body, or how the manufacturer logos stand out a lot more here than on most other Binaltech releases as a result. It’s just stunning all over and adds an entirely new dimension to an alternate form with which I was already very familiar.

It’s not all perfect, mind, as my copy doesn’t quite clip together as flush as I would like in a couple of places, most notably on the bonnet and the doors, but overall there’s precious little to be disappointed with here so far. I’ve never owned the Alternators Nemesis Prime as I think I always knew that it was this take that I was really pining for, and seeing that clear windshield confirms it for me. Hasbro’s popping red alternative might be desirable to me in any other toyline but in this arena of scaled real-world cars, I like the simplicity BT-17 brings to the table.

Naturally, it comes with all the regular benefits of a BT design too, including the opening doors and bonnet and the surprisingly detailed interior section. This stuff is almost taken for granted now in many ways, although it’s only fair to give the line its due in Transformers history and openly state that this aspect of it has never been bettered – not even close.

Of course, the real test comes with transformation to robot mode, something I had been somewhat nervous of due to all those rumours of imperfections and the like. How did it go? We’ll take a look in part two, soon!

TTFN