MOTUC helmet/headpiece swapping?

[Wolfman Jake]

In anticipation of the new Great Unrest Weapon Pak, I ordered another Snake Man-At-Arms and swapped out the head for the moustached version that came with the original variant of the Man-At-Arms figure in 2009. Along with that upcoming 200X-inspired arm cannon from the weapon pak, I've got an almost perfect 200X inspired Man-At-Arms for my MOTUC display. I say almost, because the helmet of the original release and the SMAA variant aren't quite the same, the latter being slightly resculpted and featuring paint apps that more closely compliment those of the rest of the SMAA figure. I'd like to somehow get the SMAA helmet on the moustached MAA's head. The helmets on both of 2009 MAA's heads and SMAA's head all look like separate pieces gluded onto an otherwise bald head. I'm tempted to try and pry them off, but I don't want to ruin my figures either. Has anyone tried this yet with good results? It seems easy enough to do, provided the glue gives before any of the plastic rips or tears.

For the curious, the clean-shaven MAA head went back on the 2009 MAA body, for a great "vintage toy" MAA for my "alternate versions" shelf, along with other variants like yellow skin Evil-Lyn, and the myriad of different He-Man, Skeletor, and She-Ra versions.

[DO4M]

If I recall correctly there is a post about this on the customs section. Also the helmets or the heads need a bit of "fixing" to fit on the helmets... (for some reason Design did not make all the helmets truly compatible with all the "Helmet wearing heads")

[Whiplash7]

I've done it lots of times. As long as the helmet is straight, you should be okay. (I tried to fix a very crooked MAA helmet, and it peeled the paint off the side of the face).
Just heat it up, get a very small screwdriver, and pry it out. The helmets don't always match the different heads, so you may have to do some cutting to fit it into the new helmet.
If you're nervous about it you may want to practice first on a spare Palace Guard head or something.

[Wolfman Jake]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, it sounds a little more involved to swap the helments than what I was hoping for. It's too bad the helments aren't universal for all heads. I guess I'll hold out hope for now that Mattel can sneak another Duncan head in somewhere down the line to match the SMAA deco. Maybe a helmetless version with his 200X ponytail?

[Whiplash7]

Nah it's not really complicated. I'm not a "customizer" by any stretch, but this is one of the easiest things to do, so I've done it. You just need a hair dryer and an exacto knife. If you need to cut or shave anything away to make it fit, the plastic cuts easily.

[Rodster6]

I swapped clean shaven MAAs helmet with a royal guard one, has to cut away some of the plastic on top of the head so it would fit in the new helmet but only the parts that go inside the helmet so no visible damage or difference.

[Larry Koopa]

I just left the helmet on because the 200X technomace coming with Dekker is going to match the orange on that helmet anyway. It's going to be impossible to make a perfect 200X MAA because the technomace is cast in vintage toy orange. Might as well just say hang the sence of it and enjoy the toy with the "wrong" helmet.

[Charlie Brown]

that's the best i can do: it's not so clear, sorry!

btw, the difference is quite subtle...

[Wolfman Jake]

Nice. Thanks for the visual!

I may just keep the heads as is, afterall. The blue plastic on the '09 head is close enough to the blue plastic on the '12 body that the difference is almost negligable and doesn't bother me. The orange on the helmet could be dialed down, but it doesn't really clash all that much with plastic on the armor or mace, or the paint highlights on either. I think the greater difference between the plastic and paint apps helps the orange paint apps on the '09 helmet fit in with the overall '12 color scheme, displaying a range of shades of orange the compliment eachother, rather that distract the eye, even if the '09 helmet's particular hue is not found elsewhere on the '12 sculpt.