Here’s an ideal project if you are inclined to be creative and want to take part in the joy of restoring one of these vintage ALIEN toys. This item is for sale right now on eBay. Bidding starts at US$249.99 for this incomplete and broken old toy. 
He’s almost all there and only missing the dome that sits loose upon the head. He’s still in some need of repair as both arms are broken from the figure and need to be re-attached. It’s not a hard task, actually. I’ve done it many times. Take the figure apart, slap a 3mm bungee cord inside the torso and voila! he’s all fixed. Done. OK, so there’s a few additional steps required but it’s an easy repair. The dorsal crest is also provided and can be re-attached. Jam a piece of foam rubber in with the pegs to hold it in place works wonders and can’t be any simpler. Right now, US$250 is a reasonable price for this item. Grab him and make him whole once again.
By the way, here’s a method I like to use to get those severed arms back where they belong. Have fun with this figure, whoever has the joy of landing it. It’s an ideal candidate for repair and subsequent display.
-Windebieste.
Sorry for the lack of updates. Things have been on hold until the arrival of the Alien Hospital re-string I ordered. It was supposed to be delivered yesterday but with the holiday mail…..you get the picture. Other than that, he is thoroughly cleaned, polished and looks good as new. In fact, I was surprised at the lack of wear, gouges, scrapes, etc. Someone really showed it a lot of love through the years. Still no luck on a dome, unfortunately. There’s only one repro seller around (that I could find) and he’s on hiatus until sometime next year. Oh well. I guess he’ll just have to show off that “evil brain” for a while. Until next time.
After all, the Evil Brain is where it’s at. 😉
It certainly is, especially if the white and glow paint isn’t worn and or scraped and chipped! But there’s just something about that I’ll fitting dome that I just love!
Well, looks like getting a repro dome is harder than I thought. I found two different sources and one is taking a break on projects and the other just doesn’t respond to inquiries. I saw one on eBay from Europe but there seem to be some noticeable flaws…too many for the price. Any recommendations? Other than that, the alien is disassembled and took a very thorough bath!
As for repro domes, they can vary greatly in quality regardless of source. I don’t maintain track of who makes ’em.
Did you get much gunk off him? He should look stunning after such a bath; and the water used probably looked like you just washed the dog in it. lol
Thanks.
He wasn’t that dirty at all. Water was a little brown but nowhere near as some of the Kenner Star Wars pieces I’ve restored. There’s some pretty nasty specimens out there for sure!
Hello! I’m the lucky guy that bought this particular Alien. Besides the few typical “fixer uppers” he’s in beautiful shape. The paint on the head is very nice and still glows beautifully. I’ve been on the prowl for one of these for a few years now. I owned a boxed one back in the 90’s that I had to part with. This was great because he was for sale in my town. I’ve already started the deep cleaning and will begin the arm reattachment tomorrow. I’m on the hunt for a dome/carapace and will probably have to settle for a repro for now. Any recommendations? I’ve seen at least two manufacturers.
I’ve been following your work for a while now. I also restore toys, mainly vintage Kenner Star Wars toys. I’m also an avid model builder and have 2 original 1984 Tsukuda Bog Chaps, a GG tribute and a Halcyon. Yet none of those could scratch the itch of an original Kenner. I do appreciate the 24” GG for what it is though. I plan on buying your book soon. I’ll keep you posted of my progress – thanks!
Art
Too awesome. I would love to see how you progress with the restoration of this toy. I’m glad he’s gone to a good home with a promising future. I’d love to see photographic documentation of his restoration. As for domes, yeah. There’s a few people making them. Prices vary as does quality. Often one batch is better than the next – or vice versa. Have fun getting this guy back to a decent state. He shouldn’t need too much effort.
I really appreciate the support. I’ve been following your threads for a while now and am impressed by your knowledge of the subject. I too have been studying the Kenner Alien for decades now, ever since I saw one on the shelf in the Montgomery Ward toy department. It was high on a shelf but I could see enough to know I wanted it. However, my parents didn’t agree. Years later, when I was in the market for one, every example I came across had no box or parts missing. I finally found a decent boxed specimen around 1997. Unfortunately, I had to sell it after a divorce. The prices went so high after that I figured I wouldn’t find another. I tried to make up for that by getting a 1984 Tsukuda, a GG, Halcyon Big Chap and another later issue Tsukuda. None of these could fill that gap though. Finally, this one popped up and and happened to be in my same town. The condition that it’s in is the cherry on top! I’ll be sure to document its restoration.