'Boulder's Rock Pot Vehicle!'
Even though Bandai was to provide the Stone Wing vehicle, as was the way of Western 80's action figure lines, if one faction has something, the other faction needed one too! Enter the Rock Pot!
Rock Pot (Rockpot in Europe) is 100% a Tonka design through and through. Showing none of the refinery seen in the Bandai's offering, it's all plastic, chunky and plain. It has no paint application and the control panel is the only sticker. An apply them yourself sticker sheet could have added a lot of colour and interest.
That aside, the gimmicks are fun and it has a mountain of play value! The rear of the vehicle has a socket to lock in a Rock Lords Narlie that are all designed with side catches for this function.
Looking at it more closely, Rock Pot was marketed as Boulder's vehicle that he uses to capture enemy Rock Lords, pull them up a conveyor and grind them up. It's basically a murder wagon and that doesn't sound too heroic.
However... as detailed on the Stone Wing page, Stone Wing was marketed in Japan for the Japanese version of Boulder, 'Battlerock'. Unfortunately neither fit in it unless you fold their legs back weirdly. In contrast Magmar sits in it reasonable well, so it's
likely why Stone Wing was switched to Magmar's vehicle in the West. Tonka would have known in advance they were receiving Stone Wing and design for Rock Pot would have been well underway to allow a side by side release. While it's speculation, the Rock Pot visually and function wise is far more akin to an evil faction vehicle. It's quite possible it was intended for Magmar until Stone Wing arrived at Tonka, they weren't happy with how Boulder sits in it and the switch was made.
Prototype The photo of the Rock Pot on the rear of its box appears to be an early version or hardcopy. The pinchers don't have rubber grips, are a different shape and one side appears to have a hook moulded into the end. The pinchers are also held open for the photo meaning the strong, spring-loaded feature isn't installed.
Gobots Packaging 'Boulder and his Rock Pot Vehicle must grab and destroy the evil forces and Magmar! The evil Rock Lords will have to outrun and outwit Boulder, or else forfeit Stonehead*.'
* unreleased stone skull play set and location in the Battle of the Rock Lords animation feature film.
Rock Pot was not released in Japan or and likely not Australia.
See main Rock Lords index page for more general details..
Region Codes Used: US United States / CA Canada / EU Europe / UK United Kingdom
NOTE: Location codes only shown where items were known to be released. This list is accurate yet likely to be incomplete.
Gobots Rock Lords US/CA/UK Tonka 1986
Gobots Rock Lords EU Tonka 1986
Details - Gobots Packaging
Rank - Boulder's Vehicle
Rock Type - Marble: a hard textured limestone streaked with colour giving Boulder armor and camouflage.
Specs - Pincher arm extension: 6 meters
- Pincher arm weight limitation: 1,000 kilograms
- Velocity of tread platform: 225 RPM's
- Vehicle speed: 150 MPH
- Scoop mass weight: 15,000 metric tons
Weapons - Pincher arm
- Treadmill platform
- Side rock laser
Stamped Tonka (c) Tonka Corp.
Note For the action photo below with Magmar I stood him on a block that was digitally removed later. The pinchers' ball joint isn't strong enough to hold a Rock Lords figure in the air. The spring in the pinchers will certainly grasp a figure firmly, however the child would need to keep hold of the control end to hold the figure up. They support their own weight in any pose and aren't otherwise floppy.
