Camshaft (G1)

Camshaft is anAutobotfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.

Mild-mannered ninja stuntman who performs daring feats of bravery while avoiding brave feats of daring.

Camshaftis anOmnibottasked with covert operations, like scouting^[1][2]and tracking.^[3]He follows orders faithfully, but being on spy missions sometimes makes him paranoid that others are spying onhim.If there's one thing he does trust, it's his super-hard body armor.^[3]Despite that and his notable intelligence, his sense of self-preservation is still so strong that he can't be counted on for battlefield heroics.^[1]

He and the other Omnibots aredimension-hoppers,^[2][4]so it's unclear whether his appearances in variousrealitiesare separate entities or the same individual. In particular, a scout named "Camshaft" in theUniverse Warwas known asOptimus Prime's bold and grim shadow-warrior, with acrobatic prowess bar none, advanced scanning equipment, and unorthodox hand-to-hand fighting skills.^[5]

Fiction

S.T.A.R.S. pack-in flyers

His alt-mode is scouting so hard,you can't even see it.

Camshaft and the other two Omnibots were featured in severalrecruitment messagesdirected athumanallies. The first message detailed the Omnibots' arrival onEarth:The Autobots marooned on that planet had sent an S.O.S. toCybertrondespite not knowing if anyone would be there to receive it. Luckily, their plea was answered in the form of the Omnibots,Powerdashers,andTime Warriors.The Omnibots quickly adapted to Earth's highways, scouting for and attackingDecepticons.Reinforcements from Cybertron!This message was later repeated almost verbatim, with minor changes made to accommodate a recruitment drive forS.T.A.R.S.The battle is far from over!

The OmnibotOverdrivepersonally narrated the next message, describing how he and his comrades had turned the tide in the Autobots' favor and were gearing up to strike at hidden Decepticon bases. However,Optimus Primewas holding back until human allies had been mobilized. Overdrive seemed to be speaking specifically to military personnel, and his message segued into the activities ofG.I. JoeandCobra.Earthlings: THE S.T.A.R.S. need your help now!

The next pair of messages told the story ofJohnny,a young S.T.A.R.S. member whose town came underThundercracker's energy-draining attack. He summoned a squad ofAutobot carsas well as the Omnibots, but it is unknown how the presumed battle unfolded.Have the Decepticons defeated us once and for all?Can one boy, alone, hold back the evil Decepticons?

The final message involving the Omnibots was delivered fromUltra Magnusto the potential new S.T.A.R.S. Commander. Magnus presented the first distinguishing characteristic of Camshaft's personality (that he was a scout), then claimed that the Omnibots were "destined to fight a war in another universe on March 31, 1987" if the S.T.A.R.S. Commander did not requisition them.You Have Been Chosen.And, indeed, they were absent from all future messages.

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Legendscomic

Camshaft was among the Autobots who defendedAutobot headquarterswhen the Decepticons came to steal theTransform Super Cog.Slugslinger's Ambition

Train Wars

WhenThe FallenattackedCybertronin the hopes of merging withVector Sigma,Overdrivesought additional help using the power of hisQuantum Dial.Further empowering the dial with the help of the Oracle, Overdrive reached across space and time to recruit inter-dimensional warriors, as well as his fellow Omnibots, Downshift and Camshaft.Train WarsThe Fallen assumed a combination form, however, and managed to impale Camshaft and the reinforcements using energy spikes.Metroplex,theTrainbots,theTrain Team,and theLiner Teamsoon arrived to turn the tide, and the Fallen was ultimately defeated. In the aftermath, Camshaft and the Omnibots returned the foreign warriors home after the battle.Train Wars 2

The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers

Camshaft is on the right, which is left in Japan.

During a massive battle onFeminia,Galvatronintroduced his latest combining warrior,Predaking.Predaking simultaneously took outDefensor,Omega Supreme,andSuperionwith a single punch, causing much worry for the Autobots, asSky Lynxwas already engaged in battle on Earth.

Trunk activated; junk deployed.

From out of nowhere came Camshaft,Downshiftand Overdrive. They swiftly shifted into their vehicle mode and circled Predaking, tying up his legs with cable. Predaking swatted at them to no avail!

Then the Omnibots transformed into their battle modes and...droveat Predaking, which caused him to topple backwards ontoBruticus,Devastator,andMenasor,taking them all out.

The assembled Autobots cheered for these three mighty warriors of great justice.The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers #5

DreamwaveGeneration Onecontinuity

WhenShockwavereleased Menasor from containment within theDetention Banks,thecombinerattackedIacon,leaving a crumpled pile of Camshaft and the other two Omnibots in its wake.Passive Aggression

Toys

The Transformers

My name is a lie!

• Camshaft(Omnibot,1984)

• Takara name:Downshift
• Accessories:neutron blaster,2 rockets
• Known designers:Kōjin Ōno(TakaraTomy)

A re-release of one of the three "Double Changers" fromTakara'sDiacloneline,The TransformersCamshaft transforms into a Mazda RX-7 Series 2. He also has a third "assault mode" which compacts his car's length and flips out his spring-loaded missile launcher from his rear window. (It looks even dippier than it sounds.)

He was only available in both the U.S. and Japanese markets as a mail-order item. In the US, he cost $5 and fourrobot points;the Omnibots first appeared in the vey first mail-away offer, "Reinforcements from Cybertron!".In Japan, he cost 980 yen and only 2 robot points.

Camshaft andDownshifthad their names swapped for their Japanese Transformers mail-away releases (which were also available in 1985), presumably because the real-life Mazda RX-7 featured a rotary (or Wankel) engine that does not actually have a camshaft. The Takara versions also hadTech Specs,unlike the Hasbro versions.

• Omnibot Camshaft information at TFU.info

Alternators

Bluestreak's brother from another mother.

• Autobot Camshaft(Alternator,2006)

• ID number:23
• Accessories:engine-gun, light baton
• Known designers:Steve Bono(Hasbro),Marcelo Matere(packaging artist)

Released in the fifth wave of the second "assortment" of HasbroAlternators(with the white bubble-topped packaging, nineteenth wave ofAlternatorsoverall), Camshaft is aretoolingof theProwl toy,transforming into a 1:24-scale licensed Acura RSX, complete with opening doors, hood, trunk, and an open passenger compartment. His engine becomes a non-firing cannon, plus he carries a clear-plastic nightstick. His rear spoiler and hubcaps are also changed from Prowl's; however, they are the same as those of the blue "civilian" Prowl from Takara'sBinaltechversion of the line.

Like the other late-seriesAlternators,Camshaft has a state-specificlicense plate,sporting an abbreviated form of his name, "CAM SHFT", registered in the Ocean State of Rhode Island (also the home ofHasbro).

Camshaft's deco was originally designed withBluestreakin mind—specifically, the originalDiaclonedeco for theGeneration 1toy depicted in early catalogs and the toy's instructions. An early leaked sample even sported an abbreviated form of the name "Bluestreak", "BLU STRK", on its license plate.^[6]Hasbro planned to release the silver deco at the same time, as a Subaru Impreza WRX, under the name "Silverstreak". However, thetrademark"Bluestreak" wasn't available for use, so the blue toy was released as "Autobot Camshaft" instead.

Thetampographeddeco onAlternatorsCamshaft's shoulders (also Bluestreak-inspired) somehow ended up on thebackof the shoulders, a weird fluke that somehow passed throughquality control.It'spossiblethat this happened because the deco designer didn't take into consideration the fact that the pegs that connect the forearms to the shoulders in vehicle mode are located on the front side of the shoulders, which would have made it difficult to tampograph the deco around them, and thusmaybesomeone at the factory decided to put the deco on the side without the peg.^[7][8]

• AlternatorsCamshaft information at TFU.info

Universe(2003)

His feet look tasty.

• Autobot Camshaft(Spy Changer,2006)

• Accessories:Rifle

Released in the second wave ofUniverseSpy Changers in the toyline's later stages, and sold primarily through "discount" outlets, Camshaft is identical to the lastKB Toysexclusiveredeco ofW.A.R.S.,transforming into a clear-purpleNASCARFord Thunderbird stock car. He features through-axle construction that allows him to zip along quickly on smooth surfaces, plus he is compatible with many "Hot Wheels"and" Matchbox "racetracks. He was available only on an individual card from discount chains like The Dollar Store.

This sculpt was also used to makeGearheadand theGeneration 2Go-BotSoundwave.It was planned to be used to makeGeneration 2Greasepit,but that toy was ultimately unreleased.

As with manyUniversecharacters, it is unclear whether this Camshaft is meant to be the same individual as hisGeneration 1predecessor. He is included here because his on-packagebiobears the same function ( "Scout" ) as presented in the previousmail-order flyersand Dreamwave profile.

This toy wasrepurposedasShattered GlassCamshaft.

• More information on Camshaft (actually, W.A.R.S.) at TFU.info

Generations(Japan)

• Downshift(2015)
  • Accessories:Presumably gun/blade

A mock-up of a new Japanese "Downshift" toy in the form of a 2008UniverseDeluxe ClassIronhideredeco was shown inTransformers Generations 2014 Volume 1as one of ten potential exclusives forVol. 2.During thefan pollheld to determine which of the ten would be produced, Camshaft claimed only 1.6% of the votes, leaving him in second-to-last place,^[9]withGoshooterto win.

Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Merchandise

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Private Camshaft, Special Ops•Scout(2019)
  • Wave 3C: Convention Pack 2019
  • Rarity:RT
  • Card Number:T01/T03
  • Stars:8

Notes

• An image from the mini-catalog that came with theDiaclonepredecessors of the Omnibots depicted the toy that would eventually becomeGeneration 1Camshaft with a Bluestreak-esque head, which some fans believe may have been one of the inspirations for theAlternatorsAutobot Camshaft toy...but this seems highly unlikely.
• The road to having a personality has been a long and rocky one for Camshaft:
  • The bio included with his North American toy was buried in his instructions, and all it said was that the Omnibots were in the early stages of their evolution and had not yet been tested.^[10]
  • He was given his "Scout" function in thelast mail-in flyer that offered him,just in time for him to venture off into "another dimension." That would be the long and short of his official English-language characterization for almost twenty years.
  • In Japan,Takaradidrelease a bio with the toy, though his function of "Tracker" did not match up with the American one. That, and his andDownshift'snames somehow got swapped.^[3]
  • None of this reflected the profile found in theMarvel comicbible,which was written in bothTransformers Universeform and in the pared-down style of an on-package bio (with Tech Specs, even!), giving him a very different personality from any other portrayal: His function was "Road Warrior," and he was said to be recklessly overconfident, tearing up the highways and literally pulverizing cars with no regard for human safety.^[11]This was never officially released to the public, only seeing the light of day on The Allspark Forums in2007thanks toJim Sorenson.
  • The English-speaking public finally got an official profile for Camshaft inDreamwave's 2003More Than Meets the Eyecomic.This naturally presentedanotherpersonality, keeping the "Scout" function but otherwise having little or no relation to anything else that had come before.^[1]
• In later years, toys sporting the name "Camshaft" required an additional "Autobot" prefix fortrademarkreasons, making the official name "Autobot Camshaft".
• TheAlternatorsMazda RX-8 (which ultimately ended up asMeister) was originally intended to be named "Camshaft", according to various early store listings and a premature reply from Hasbro's customer service. This would also fit with the early idea of making theAlternatorstoys "direct updates" of their characters'Generation 1predecessors. A prototype was leaked to the public in early 2004 sporting the same basic colors as the laterAlternators"Autobot Camshaft" toy (the Acura RSX), although it's uncertain whether the prototype colors for the RX-8 were supposed to be indicative of the proposed colors for Camshaft (since the Acura redeco was originally intended as a Bluestreak homage before being renamed into "Autobot Camshaft" ). The reason the RX-8 Alternator was ultimately not named "Camshaft" was apparently because the real-life Mazda RX-8 car doesn'thavea camshaft. Of course, Camshaft's original RX-7 mode didn't have a camshaft either, but it's unlikely anyone gave a damn (except very few rotary fans that got a good laugh) since that wasn't a licensed toy.

Foreign names

• Japanese:Downshift(ダウンシフトDaunshifuto),Camshaft(カムシャフトKamushafuto)

References