Okay, I am writing a fanfic and I am stuck. Do the team members have to be in their vehicles for the vehicles to transmute? Can they be transmuted remotely? Also, if Jason has a passenger when his car transmutes, what happens to that person? Do they wind up squished in the back of the G-2? Thanks in advance for your thoughts --

I don't think there is a definitive (i.e. canon) answer for any of this, but I'll try. I dont' think they would have to be in the vehicle for it to transmute (or detransmute) but if someone is not in the vehicle, what would trigger the transmute? The person in the vehicle would suffer from the transmutation 'waves', which in fanon have been stated to be someone unpleasant (the Team is used to it). And yea, the passenger might end up in Joe's backseat... or his lap.

I think in BotP there is a lot of wiggle room for you to play with. The best canon examples that I can point to are not in BotP, but Gatch. In episode 19 Speed Race From Hell, the team leave their vehicles in civilian mode. They later transmute, and when they return to their vehicles which have also transmuted. However, in episode 20, the puppy episode, Joe's car stays in transmute even though he hasn't. In episode 85, That's G-4 (the hippy episode), Joe carries the Galactor spy in the back of his car. We are left to speculate exactly how this was done. I really think it is done by whatever works for the plot. We know that when they transmute in their vehicles, both transform. We know that regardless of what mode they are in, the vehicles are in Birdstyle mode if they are docked with the Phoenix.

Julie, I am so glad you came to this board. You ask some really good questions. Questions I would never consider but always leave me thinking. A few of your questions I have had answers to, but the answer seems to fit better in my AU and not with the BOTP world which I suspect you are thinking about.

I think it's SUPPOSED to work by proximity. If they're close enough to the vehicle when they trans or de-trans, the vehicle will change with them. However, due to the inconsistencies others have pointed out, you can kind of play with the rules depending on what you need for your world/stories. I'd just say try to be consistent with your choices.

Thanks, gals! I love knowing that I can come here & ask all these questions! Which reminds me, I have another: I've always assumed that the G-2 is stick shift but do we see that in canon? Thanks for the help!

Originally posted by jublke I've always assumed that the G-2 is stick shift but do we see that in canon?

I think it is, but not positive where.

Originally posted by amethyst

Originally posted by jublke I've always assumed that the G-2 is stick shift but do we see that in canon?

I think it is, but not positive where.

Off the top of my head, I can't say exactly where, either. But I seem to recall seeing the stick shift in a race or two...

Yeah same here ... I think it is a stick, I have some memory of Joe's hand working a gear shift (my mind wants to take that someplace dirty). Considering that the show was done in the 70s and it's a racecar, that's probably a good bet.

Originally posted by ChrisW Yeah same here ... I think it is a stick, I have some memory of Joe's hand working a gear shift (my mind wants to take that someplace dirty). Considering that the show was done in the 70s and it's a racecar, that's probably a good bet.

That is likely Race Against Disaster, so it is not the G2, but I'm sure it shows shifting sometime in the G2, too; just not sure exactly where.

Originally posted by amethyst That is likely Race Against Disaster, so it is not the G2, but I'm sure it shows shifting sometime in the G2, too; just not sure exactly where.

Yeah, I was going to reference that episode and then went oops that was Lucy's car.

Can't realy see Joe driving an automatic..more an manuall / stick cause he would have more control of his car

I wouldn't think any race car driver would use an automatic, but I don't actually know. Any racing fans here? Becky?

I think all race cars are some sort of manual transmission, either stick shift or what they now call "flappy paddles" which are mounted on the steering wheel.