Bay Area man shares passion for legendary 'Transformers' toy line

40 years of transformers

FOX 13 Photojournalist Barry Wong caught up with local collectors to see the toys with a deeper meaning.

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - Even 40 years after the debut of Transformers, Bert Montoya’s imagination still kicks into high gear when he gets one of the newest toy robots.

"I don't think it's ever gotten old for me," Montoya said. "Any time I get one, it's a thrill because it's something new. It's a new one that I can figure out. I can mess with it. I'm an engineer by trade, so I am really fascinated by how they put this together, how it works."

The toy line hit shelves in the U.S. in 1984, becoming an instant hit, especially with children. The toy robots could be transformed into an alternative, like a car, a plane or even a cassette player.

"I was there when it first came out, and I remember what a big deal those toys were," Montoya said. "It's one of those things where you kind of get three toys in one. If you think about it, you get this cool vehicle, but then you also get this cool robot, but in between all of that, you also got a puzzle."

The Transformers franchise remains strong to this day, thanks in large part to movies, cartoons and comic books. Red, of Big Redhead Vintage Toys in Tampa, says the franchise’s ability to re-invent itself every couple of years is the key to staying in the mainstream. Of course, he says nostalgia is a big reason as well.

"The majority of my customer base is older individuals, and most of the time it's people that are just trying to buy back a piece of their childhood," Red said. "That and then passing it on to the kids. I love it when adults come in here with their younger kids and show them the toys they played with, and then they buy them a toy similar to what they had, but more for their level, and that's really enjoyable too. I love seeing the new generation partake in the toys."

Montoya shares his passion with the world through a YouTube page called "Bert The Stormtrooper Reviews." He is also one of those parents passing along his love for the toys to his children. His favorite time is sitting with them, figuring out how to transform new toys for the first time.

"Just kind of seeing them get it, you know, that light bulb moment is so, so cool," he said.

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