G.I. Joe Defiant Gantry Time-Lapse Teardown! Hasbro 1987

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Michael begins the long journey toward restoring a G.I. Joe Defiant Space Shuttle!
#RetroBlasting
#GIJoeDefiant
#toyrestoration
#GIJoe

[@VerdunWW1]

Yay my old defiant getting some love

[@JFvE]

Am I the only one distracted from the Defiant by the gorgeous P-40 & Bf-109 nearby?

[@cerethpainting6606]

Duke F.v. Esch no sir, you were not. I know Michael has a real thing for WW2.

[@Sturmdude]

I think those are the old 21st Century Toy models. It was a different time in the toy business. These days intermediate collectibles like that aren't produced by anyone. Either it's a cheap toy for a baby or it's a $30-$100 figure, and no options for vehicles.

[@TheNightBadger]

Isn't there a Joe scale budget military toy line that appears in stores with large vehicles for a reasonable price? Pretty sure I've seen one around... I was also entranced by the planes!

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

You forgot about the Spitfire Mk I behind him also.

[@JFvE]

@@ChrisS-fh7zt I didn't see it until later when Michael moved. Such a beautiful airplane.

[@jasonoshea7947]

Nerves of steel Micheal, not taking apart the G.I. Joe Defiant Space Shuttle but sitting so close to your WW2 airplanes. without fear of losing your balance & falling backwards.

[@bjrn-jakobbenonisen3497]

Awesome! The more G.I. Joe videos the better! 👍🏼 Thank you! Yo Joe forever!!!

[@dereklarner6298]

My goodness; keeping track of the screws alone must be a challenge! I wish 7-8 year old me could have watched this video back in the 80s; I would have appreciated all the work my dad put in on birthdays and Christmases assembling my Joe vehicles and playsets!

[@MichaelJShaffer]

Slowly pulling the hinge pin at "regular speed" with an exhalation of relief. Excited to see this project - a long time in the making.

[@mrmisty8708]

This brought back some memories. I restored a Defiant some years ago. Nothing like the creaking of the gantry going up and down to send chills down your spine and the sigh of relief when doing anything with those fragile as glass blue doors.

[@russellloker699]

I love watching your channel, I wish I had more of my old childhood toys to restore but sadly so many of mine just didn't survive, but watching you repair and restore so many I used to own brings back many memories, please never stop doing what you do!

[@GamemastersHobby]

My favorite toy as a kid :D Brings back great memories. Those WWII planes are awesome too!!! Thanks Michael!

[@stephenrider2413]

Nice to see a man getting his toys out on the floor. Also appreciate the use of the word “bugger”.

[@Beer-can_full_of_toes]

Had I known you were doing this 3 years ago I could have gotten you in contact with my dad. He built mine Christmas morning 1987. Lol I wouldn’t be surprised if he had to use the skills he has from working on the SR-71 back in the 60s to get this complicated beast together. I’m finishing restoration on several Star Wars ships currently but my defiant is next on the docket. I’m glad you did this series as well.

[@new2vero2]

I couldn’t help wishing for Benny Hill soundtrack during the speed up.. on a serious note these videos are so important for people cuz Retroblasting shows what to look out for

[@teddyd633]

Someone with talent needs to make this happen.

[@RedHeadKevin]

It blows my mind to see the sheer size of some of the pieces of plastic they used on this. That crawler has several enormous pieces of injection-molded plastic. They look like components from a dishwasher.

[@ArtistAnnex]

Daunting task Michael! I eagerly anticipate the "repair" and "rebuild" of this massive vehicle playset. I'm watching every detail of this video for the upcoming occasion that I find my own Defiant to complete my vintage G.I. Joe collection. -Rich Fekete

[@pilotman012]

I can read your mind "Don't force it DON'T FORCE IT!!!" Nice work as always. Thanks again for sharing your efforts.

[@m.i.ajoesrestoration5697]

I just started my second defiant project, can’t agree with you more about taking it down to its bare bones to make it special again. Great video

[@cybertronnation9247]

I didn't realize how big the GI JOE Defiant really was! Anyways great video, can't wait for the restoration!

[@cpagerun]

I LOVE this. The Defiant model was one of my favorite toys growing up. Wish I still had mine.

[@georgelea4297]

Thanks retroblasting this is a great video can't wait for the restoration

[@alejandrorangel1761]

that is a massive project !!! you can do it Michael.

[@BeenJamin87]

Hey Michael, I suggest using 100% silicon oil (RC Shock Oil) to reduce friction on plastic hinges and tight screws. It helps with my repair sessions but I'm not a chemist so if anyone knows how it will affect plastic, feel free to inform me.

[@cphughes100]

I'd love to see the follow up to this - these tear down and clean vids are always therapeutic to put on and just run out. Seeing the end result is always great - these toys deserve another chance.

[@thunderrobots1980s]

why didn't you look up the original assembly instructions and use it to work your way backwards ? seems like that would make it a lot easier

[@kba702]

God, I remember putting that behemoth together as a kid. You are a braver man than I for trying to take it apart.

[@EvrydayErik]

I give you props! I tried to refurbish one from scratch, got close, but quit. The defiant has some unique difficulties and extremely rare parts. It’s trickier than the Flagg. I Just gave in and bought one mint.

[@hofquarters]

Interesting to see how you approach the disassembly, I keep thinking we are so alike :-)

[@squidsminion]

My new favorite quote is “thanking my lucky stars that I have these pathetic tiny hands.”

[@Vincent-396]

I cannot wait for your future Defiant play set videos. I have one. Sadly it is missing the very fragile, and very expensive, doors. I want to see how to replace them, someday. Thanks for doing this video.

[@pendaco]

Michael looking more and more like 90's dad 😃

[@vagtav310]

I was hoping for this!!

[@irongrenadier0177]

I just got an me-109 like yours behind you today I love those 1/18 planes

[@freddyhat9796]

I'm looking forward to the restoration of this beautiful beast of a toy :-) If you want to save the door drilling a tiny hole at the end of the crack will reduce the stress on the plastic and prevent it from cracking any further. It also makes it easier to get some liquid plastic weld inside the crack to bond the pieces together.

[@robertmartinez3165]

This, this right here, this is on my wish list no my must have list.

[@skabcat242]

Even taken apart the Defiant still looks cool.

[@pixelforge4858]

one of the ones i wanted the most as a kid but did not get. would love updates on this.

[@customtoymaster3505]

Awesome work on restoring the gijoe defiant, I'm trying to do the same for mine.Any idea were I can get repro.decals .thank you

[@retroforce6919]

I forgot how big the Defiant is with you being there as a prospective. 👍

[@ericlewis217]

The best playset ever. I just love this thing. Took me buying two and a host of extra parts to build mine. And those blue doors are the most fragile vintage toy piece I’ve ever had. Had 3 sets of doors. Never ship doors. You taking the gray elevator walls off the blue doors had me cringing. Never crank it up without your free hand helping to pull up the shuttle and it’s bed. I keep two boards underneath the crawler so the wheels aren’t stressed where they connect.

[@retroblasting]

The elevators coming off the doors was not at all an issue.

[@ericlewis217]

RetroBlasting .. Well that’s good. I feel if I even look at the doors they will crack. Ha.

[@flyingonblades]

Whoa I’ve never really seen the defiant up close.. after seeing it parked next to Michael it’s like 25% Larger than I thought it was... hasbro is nuts

[@cerethpainting6606]

Since it’s not a museum piece, I’d love to apply some high end paint apps to that thing! A little weathering, paint some of the details that were sculpted so beautifully

[@matthewdonavan7913]

I'm assuming the stiff drink was off camera.....good luck with this monster! Bang, zoom, right to the moon!

[@burtreynolds2969]

Brave of you taking apart a toy named "Defiant"

[@Sportimus]

Always stop for Pop Tarts. No exceptions. ;)

[@EvrydayErik]

I’m curious about the spring holes, resting the gantry like breaks them. After you restore it, keep the gantry up or do not put the springs back in. Mine goes up and down without the springs and just some manual assistance.

[@EvrydayErik]

Also, if you don’t mind me saying. Make an inch high or so support that slides underneath the underbelly of gantry to take the stress off those wheels.

[@retroblasting]

Yeah I've already planned for that

[@manko8852]

You really need a workbench and a parts table to lay everything out. It reminds me of a printer at first glance.

[@CyrusB1]

I knew it! Mike's a Cylon. Only a Cylon could put so much effort and care into the destruction of something. Don't believe me? And well you might, but listen to the Cylon Raider fly by at 0:34 [Thanks for another great vid, Mike. :) ]

[@CyrusB1]

Wait, what?!? you just left us hanging at the end... Cylon move, Mike

[@joeyd1404]

strangely hypnotizing!

[@riderbuzz2606]

yes,more videos,i hope rb does a review of the Defiant Space Shuttle yo joe and yo RB!

[@tomgriffiths2622]

Have no idea what this is but always cool watching/doing a tear down ✊

[@curtisschultz6976]

Where did you get that cool glass table at behind you???

[@retroblasting]

Melinda found them. I'll ask her.

[@jedi69outcast]

I put mine on appliance rollers used for refrigerators or such. Mine is still very close to mint condition

[@heysbro]

How did you get the rod out enough to grab it with the pliers?

[@Fauntleroy.]

Okay, I'm gonna tell a story. I'm probably 1-3 years younger than Michael and Melinda. When I was growing up in the 80s, my dad was a real piece of work: drug dealer, tax evader, racist, homophobe, you name it. He couldn't really show love in a healthy way. But what he could do was spoil his kid. We were a poor family, but I had the Defiant, I had Eternia, I had Fortress Maximus, I had everything. As I got older, and this kind of spoiling became impossible, he pulled away from me, as he always has, with everyone, through cruelty and apathy and absence. And the toys that had meant so much to me, my only token of affection from him, rotted away in my mom's garage. When I was about 20, I went through it all. Everything that was still play-worthy went to some nice kids and the rest went in a dumpster. It was one of the saddest moments of my life, because I thought about how poor we had been and how much he'd spent on these things, since showing love any other way was so hard for him, and I felt terribly guilty for neglecting them. Now, all these years later, watching you restore some of these toys... While they aren't mine, there is something so comforting knowing that THIS ONE, at least, THIS survivor from someone's childhood, with all of the complex happy and sad memories and emotions attached to it, can have a new life, and maybe bring someone else comforting memories of a parent who sacrificed. Does that make sense? Maybe not. But I was moved and it was all so unexpected. Thanks once again for a great channel that leads to so many outcomes you could never predict.

[@bikerscout7467]

Great vid about the Defiant Gantry, but I absolutely love the P40 and BF109E in the background! Wish I had picked them up when I had seen these! Are they 21st Century Toys?

[@retroblasting]

Yep

[@byteme6620]

Isn't there a Huge G.I. Joe HQ playset?? Great Work on all this. How does 30 years of crawlspace dust and grime taste??

[@jeff3dv]

@6:13 "Come on you jerk, let's do this!" : )

[@chrismayer3919]

If it were possible, I'd replace the gantry's plastic jacklift auger/screwpole with a custom metal one (prevent a re-teardown if IT possibly breaks)

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I wish I have a toy like that Defiant...wait a sec, Mike is already in his house when he did this and still wear his shoes while doing the teardown.

[@danfrancisco6991]

Paulie Walnuts would have a panic attack

[@mathiasmorqubus]

When I restore something ( mostly Transformers) wood polish to loosen and finger nail polish for adding resistance.

[@tubeviewerX20]

Perhaps disassembling a large vintage toy in close proximity to those model planes on the FLOOR is not the ideal scenario... Eagerly awaiting part 2.

[@retroblasting]

They're not models and everything is fine.

[@tubeviewerX20]

Good to know👍🏻

[@pederwise6807]

Michael, Are you looking at replacing the gears from old parts or having someone machine them? I am assuming the gears are plastic. I was wondering if ones made from metal would hold up better? Love the show, Peder

[@retroblasting]

I'm hoping to make the repairs in metal, but I need to diagnose first.

[@pederwise6807]

Very cool! Looking forward to the next part. I know how brittle that plastic can get over age. Especially during restoration. Like the 21st century planes too. I have a lot of those in my collection the f-18 and f-16 are huge. They do look great with joe displays though.

[@MarcelosToyRoom]

I never seen one complete :( much harder to find than the Flagg or the terrordome. Hope it can be fully back to glory again

[@brock2443]

All three of them were easily broken and couldn't withstand normal childhood use. My cousin had the Defiant that we broke the gantry, bay doors, shuttle bay doors and shuttle landing gear. Then on my Terrordrome all of the door latches broke, most of the Cobra emblem sides broke off flush and the elevator to the launch doors ended up broken. Our Joes were well played with.

[@Texastoytuber]

I hope they were frosted strawberry pop tarts. Arguably the king of all pop tarts in my opinion.

[@irondoggo8572]

The defiant is cool and all but The P40 and ME109 have my full attention I’m a history nerd I can’t help it

[@retroblasting]

Spitfire behind me. :)

[@JSteplyk]

Bonus points for the David Farragut quote!

[@thevintagetoykid320]

Why is he tearing this down? To make room for the Eternia playset?

[@palpatine1975]

This playset mobile station could have made for a fantastic Star Wars playset maybe part of a Death Star or star destroyer or an imperial garrison base.

[@koshar44]

Did Cobra have a rival vehicle to this?

[@batangbatugan]

I just realized that its a crawler... that was stored in a crawlspace. That said, I think the Defiant is a great vehicle/playset except for that under engineered gantry gimmick. Sadly, we will never see anything as big and as detailed as this anymore.

[@borderline_normie]

No 'Benny Hill' theme during the time lapse sections? ;)

[@retroblasting]

No.

[@WilliamTheMovieFan]

And really your video would be all the better with it. I agree with Scott. It’s an opportunity missed. Oh well, hindsight and all, right?

[@turtle-tank8231]

Your amazing the mechanic of toy's . that thing has the size to launch Voltron

[@TheGreatSteve]

It would have been much better if they'd designed this thing as a static launch complex rather than a vehicle.

[@retroblasting]

AGREED

[@primusvsunicron1]

You gonna review this

[@retroblasting]

Nah I just thought I'd make this video and drive everyone crazy wondering why I never review it because I'm gonna become a video channel that never shows anyone anything. It's gonna be awesome.

[@wingheads]

What's your favorite Joe figure Michael.

[@chrismayer3919]

RB, you're lucky; I'd all but KILL to have a brand spankin' new DEFIANT shuttle set! I'd even prefer that over the USS FLAGG! (Though I'm fond of it, I'll have to settle for my CRUSADER alone)

[@Zombiekilltrocity]

Question, if a plastic part is too broken. Do you try and scavenge a piece off another toy, Or do you 3d print a replacement? I know on eBay replacement parts can get VERY expensive. And, other times the toy could be so rare that parts are scarce.

[@Shockwave-ob2tx]

Zombiekilltrocity He's mentioned that he goes to a website called Yojoe.com to get parts

[@retroblasting]

I look for replacements first.

[@titomiranda4476]

It's always a bad idea to take these things apart, I've owned 4 and broke a few tabs on one, parted it off and sold the second one. Kept the other two because they were variants

[@retroblasting]

And yet, mine went back together unbroken. Do your hands shake?

[@titomiranda4476]

@retroblasting beginners luck, and no, my hands don't shake. Plastic gets brittle.

[@nirvanasimp495]

Its my birthday!

[@BeenJamin87]

Deadshot2618 Happy Birthday!

[@nirvanasimp495]

@@BeenJamin87 Ty

[@thomjames66]

I don't understand why BV doesn't give you a hand, Oh right no arms never mind. : )

[@thedeathreaperofficial8079]

Nice Messerschmitt in the background

[@jamespero6803]

And thats why i bought mine complete.. To much of a headache

[@retroblasting]

This wasn't a purchase. It was a donation.

[@jamespero6803]

@@retroblasting thats great but ur gonna have put in some real work to complete it... Getting the umbilical cord alone for a decent price is a nightmare

[@richhawkins8110]

Calling something a 'bugger' makes you an honorary Englishman, lol.

[@jeff3dv]

ALWAYS . . . stop for Pop Tarts.

[@cpmario97227]

Okay, but why are you wearing shoes inside 😂

[@timothyward8695]

Why are you obsessed with his feet?

[@timothyward8695]

Mario?

[@retroblasting]

Fuck off, Mario. Get your own house.

[@cruetsanther6275]

You need a proper work table

[@IAmSamThatIAM]

I know it's my Asian culture speaking, but set it aside. I hate when people wear there shoes in the house. That's so freaking nasty. Just imagine where he stepped on public restroom, and just contaminating his own home.

[@retroblasting]

It's real simple. DON'T. WATCH. THE. VIDEO. I don't need your judgment or your verbal abuse. Piss off.

[@IAmSamThatIAM]

@@retroblasting Well excuse me Princess Snowflake 1.

[@IAmSamThatIAM]

@@TimHayes Well excuse me Princess Snowflake 2!

[@IAmSamThatIAM]

@@timothyward8695 Well excuse me Princess Snowflake 3!

[@IAmSamThatIAM]

@@timothyward8695 I bow to you my Majesty. Have pity on me, because I'm not worthy of your greatness.

[@bloodmuffin123]

You need to have some kids.

[@retroblasting]

I prefer to have my KZbin channel. Kids would be the end of my ability to make videos.

[@retroblasting]

Also, that's a really presumptuous thing to say.

[@bloodmuffin123]

No KZbin won't delete your channel if you have kids there are heaps of parents with their kids on youtube.