One of the things I love about collecting the G.I. Joe Classified Series is getting a chance to get vehicles I never had as a kid. The Thunder Machine was one that I admired from afar. I never had one in my own collection, but the few times I got to play with one that a kid down the street had left me longing for more. Now I’ll have a chance to park the Thunder Machine in my Classified garage thanks to Hasbro’s latest made-to-order campaign.
Assemble your Dreadnok Thunder Machine to match the original or customize it with modular parts for a personalized display and unleash unprovoked mayhem on the G.I. Joe team.
Available only through pre-order until 10/23/2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Placed orders can be cancelled until Monday 11/9/2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Complete your shelf with this made-to-order addition to your G.I. Joe Classified Series collection.
Highly articulated 6-inch (15 cm) scale vehicle with premium deco and detailing
Modular Dreadnok Thunder Machine with accessories inspired by the vintage toy.
This campaign is slightly different than the previously made-to-order Arctic H.I.S.S. Tank. Payment will be collected at the time the campaign closes as opposed to when it ships. That means you’ll be charged for your Thunder Machine on 10/24. If you ordered the Arctic H.I.S.S., you’ll also be paying for those shortly, as they’re expected to ship soon. Yikes!
The Classified updates to the Thunder Machine are all removable, so if you’d prefer a more classic look, you can customize to your heart’s content. While you might not get the same front end as the vintage version, likely due to licensing issues, what you get is close enough for my taste.
At 21.3 inches long, the Thunder Machine takes up a bigger footprint than most Classified vehicles. Keeping the offering at $125 US is pretty impressive. The lack of electronics helps keep the price low, as does the decision to offer Thrasher as a mainline release instead of packing him in with the Thunder Machine.
While I’d have loved to have seen Thrasher included, I can settle for picking him up at retail. It might even give me a chance to get him on discount if I’m lucky… though let’s be realistic, I’ll be preordering him day one to ensure the Thunder Machine has its rightful driver.
The Dreadnoks have always been my favourite subteam from either G.I. Joe or Cobra. What’s not to love about punk rock/heavy metal bikers with a love of grape soda? I scored the Chameleon and Zanya earlier this year. Once I get Thrasher and the Thunder Machine, the last item from my Dreadnok wishlist will be the Swampfire, because everyone needs a personal watercraft/helicopter combo when the swamp gets too steamy.
