Avante 2001

[T-StudioWorks 218]

Dear Mr. Tamiya,

I know you & colleagues frequent this site often.  We are reaching out and would like to suggest Tamiya re-release the Tamiya Avante 2001.  The factory has all the tooling to reproduce the model as shown in this video.  It would be a fantastic hit among Tamiya enthusiast.

Click video link below:

Yours sincerely,

T-StudioWorks 

 

[T-StudioWorks 218]

More pictures for your consideration.

 

[T-StudioWorks 218]

[T-StudioWorks 218]

[Kpowell911 1898]

Why a re release? It kills the coolness and value of the original?

[BuggyDad 4407]

4 hours ago, T-StudioWorks said:

More pictures for your consideration.

 

Absolutely fantastic. 

An old friend of mine has an original that I suspect didn't get a huge amount of running back in the day. I was thinking I might offer to strip, clean and reassemble it at least, as a sort of mini resto. It's interesting to know that one can be built out of an Egress kit and some additional parts. In part because for me if I was going to buy a Tamiya re-re kit it'd probably be the Egress. I wonder whether anyone does a repro shell? 

[BuggyDad 4407]

23 minutes ago, Kpowell911 said:

Why a re release? It kills the coolness and value of the original?

Does it? I mean, the originals remain just as scarce. 

[Willy iine 18804]

I am probably not understanding the significance of this budget version Avante-family car...

Why not just get the flagship version instead?  (Egress / Avante Black Edition..).  The whole point was to get away from their standard plasticy chassis, no?  Why re-release a car that went backyards..(?)

[Snappy1 966]

2 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

Absolutely fantastic. 

An old friend of mine has an original that I suspect didn't get a huge amount of running back in the day. I was thinking I might offer to strip, clean and reassemble it at least, as a sort of mini resto. It's interesting to know that one can be built out of an Egress kit and some additional parts. In part because for me if I was going to buy a Tamiya re-re kit it'd probably be the Egress. I wonder whether anyone does a repro shell? 

TBG do repro shell, they are quite a good copy, MCI also do decals.

I have an original shelter and another original hopped  up as a runner, with vintage ball diffs, vintage high caps, alloy front and rear towers, full bearings, RZ motor, lightweight Avante re re rims, these really are a great car, I also have a Frankenstein Vanquish/ 2001 .

 

[Snappy1 966]

10 hours ago, Willy iine said:

I am probably not understanding the significance of this budget version Avante-family car...

Why not just get the flagship version instead?  (Egress / Avante Black Edition..).  The whole point was to get away from their standard plasticy chassis, no?  Why re-release a car that went backyards..(?)

Yes it was not the top of the line but it had the longer wheelbase the same as the Egress, it also had a FRP double deck chassis. If the Egress is comparable to the Top Force Evolution, the Avante 2001 is the Top Force.

It had most of the original Avante issues rectified, it is an Avante but it isn’t fragile, iirc and I may be wrong but it also had a modified steering bridge the same as a Vanquish, they are very rare and with a few minor mods drive very close to an Egress, when you drive one you can instantly feel the Egress bloodlines .

The 2001 is a must have I believe, but it is very difficult to find them.

They also. come with a driver, which the Egress doesn’t.

[moffman 5747]

@T-StudioWorks i hope you get your wish and tamiya do decide to re-release the avante 2001 but I have my doubts it’s on the cards anytime soon unfortunately! Because a few years ago they did a 2001 conversion body set for the egress and the avante 2001 wasn’t really a popular buggy on its original outing it was tamiya’s last throw of that original chassis family and the re-release vanquish wasn’t the success they hoped for as was the egress black edition of late not the success they thought it would have been which is a shame because all of them a very good buggies!
My humble opinion is they would be far popular if they announced the release of these buggies then you see them a few weeks later on the shop shelves not for example the egress black edition was announced at the beginning of July (I remember because I was in New York and reading about it outside the one world trade centre) and turned up in December and this year we have the boomerang announced in February for a late August release! I think you get cabin fever after such a long time then you forget about it but if tamiya strikes while the iron was hot so to speak they would probably shift more units 

[Saito2 6676]

I sometimes wonder if timing and its actual name didn't hinder sales as well. The 2001 was at the tail end of the oof-rood craze here in the US, just before touring cars took the spotlight. There's a pretty hard run of off-roaders from about the Super Champ on forward, with very little on-road interruption. Those on-roaders are beginning to filter back in around the time of the 2001. Touring cars were starting up and even the F1 cars were starting to appear again.

The Avante name might have been tainted a bit too. The original was very expensive and I recall those that bought them for actual track use were pretty disappointed. Prices dropped like a brick (hitting as low as $99.00 on certain closeouts). For those just bashing, the 2001 was still pricey at the time and the cheaper (and arguably better handling, if not more plastic) Manta Ray would have suited better. The 2001 remains an odd cap on the end of the Avante era, recalling the name and look of the original, but not the ultimate (Egress) iteration. Perhaps they thought the name actually had positive cache to capitalize on, or perhaps the name meant something as the original Avante was a bit of a passion project and this got the car more "right" than the flawed original.

[Willy iine 18804]

5 hours ago, Snappy1 said:

Yes it was not the top of the line but it had the longer wheelbase the same as the Egress, it also had a FRP double deck chassis. If the Egress is comparable to the Top Force Evolution, the Avante 2001 is the Top Force.

It had most of the original Avante issues rectified, it is an Avante but it isn’t fragile, iirc and I may be wrong but it also had a modified steering bridge the same as a Vanquish, they are very rare and with a few minor mods drive very close to an Egress, when you drive one you can instantly feel the Egress bloodlines .

The 2001 is a must have I believe, but it is very difficult to find them.

They also. come with a driver, which the Egress doesn’t.

Thanks for the history info.     It sounds like a nice collector's car for Avante fans.  

For me I really like my Egress and original Avante, but the main reason is for the CF dual decks and the premium parts/feel.  Take that away and it just does not resonate with me.  I would like Tamiya to concentrate on releasing a ridiculously premium Super Egress TD4 TRF.

[T-StudioWorks 218]

Hmmm... firstly why I would like to see a re-release... because its just downright cool! 

If we bought the original Avante thinking it would handle well but was sorely disappointed because of it fishtailing around, was heavy, cumbersome and overly fragile, then why not the Avante 2001 because it wasn't so fragile, handled like an Egress and did I mention it looks downright cool like an Avante!

I do have an Avante that I have no urge to use.  That's why I built the Avante 2001 as a runner and I'm really happy with how it runs.  I also recently purchased 2.2inch MCI 3D printed Avante rims to fit modern day tyres with narrow fronts to fix the oversteer and make it even better.

If Tamiya were to ever re-release the Avante 2001, I would expect it with a carbon chassis like the Egress.  Not go back to the FRP chassis.  I'm not sure if it will have black plastic shocks as Tamiya did include black plastic shocks on the Vajra but if Tamiya see it as a collectors item like the Egress B.E., then it wouldn't take much to anodise the aluminium shocks in black.  After all Tamiya anodised the Egress B.E. shocks in that titanium-gold colour.  The front uprights could also be anodised grey if they wanted to, or knowing Tamiya they would leave it in that gold colour first seen in the Avante 2011.  The upper arms I think Tamiya would revert to the same as the VQS / original Avante 2001 as they retooled that part with the bumper attached for the VQS (20:09 of the video).  All the other parts can either come from the VQS like the planetary gears and the Egress like the wing support (as an upgrade from the original).  Unfortunately we will have to live with the wonky servo saver.  So it really wouldn't take much for Tamiya to do a rerelease except to figure out how to position the buggy in the market.  I hope to see it as a collectors item and be packaged with blister packs like the Avantes & Egresses.  Please do not do it like a VQS / Top Force Evo packaging rerelease...

Then we wouldn't have this debate about it not selling well, being a step down from an Egress etc etc.  Because over time it will be sought after.  And Tamiya can re-re-release again in 6 - 8 years for the ones that missed out on the first production runs.  Those Egress B.E.'s that are sitting on the shelves now will be sought after in 5 to 6 years time and will be even more sought after if Tamiya doesn't re-re-release it.

As for the value of the originals, I'm a collector that wants to just share the hobby with others.  I collect not to earn on resale.  I don't get a kick-out of seeing the prices of what I collect go up.  I don't intend to sell my models because all the cars I have, have a story behind it that is unique to me.  I have sold some not at a price to profit but to cull my collection as space is limited and to make room for what I really want to build and keep.

Whatever the debates it's just a hobby to be enjoyed whichever way you want.  Hope you guys enjoyed the video whatever your stance.  Stay happy guys!

[one_hit 1044]

On 5/26/2023 at 2:29 AM, Kpowell911 said:

Why a re release? It kills the coolness and value of the original?

If the Vanquish hadn’t been re-released in 2020, my vintage one would still be in pieces. I’m so glad I didn’t pay ridiculous prices for a vintage Vanquish G parts tree that will probably crumble to pieces anyway as soon as I screw into it  

I’m also hoping for an Avante 2001 re-release. That way I can have the complete Avante series all displayed together. Already have the Avante, Egress, Vanqish and Vajra. I do have the Avante 2001 body set and an NIB Egress kit to put it on, but would still like a re-release so I can stock up on spares!

[moffman 5747]

I’m all for a re-release for all rc’s I’m like you @T-StudioWorks I buy for collectability with 80% of that nostalgia!  so the re-releases is my way of doing that I have a few avante’s original and re-releases black edition and egress so the 2001 would fit perfectly in my collection but I never bothered with the vqs because I couldn’t justify the price because of the amount of the plastic that’s in it! 
if tamiya do re-release the 2001 unfortunately tamiya’s ethos is to keep it as near to the original as possible including all its flaws (eg terra scorcher, vqs) at best you’ll get a carbon fibre chassis! Let’s hope

[kontemax 1725]

On 5/25/2023 at 3:51 PM, T-StudioWorks said:

 

What about these black Hi Cap Dampers?
Are them painted or anodized?

Max

[Snappy1 966]

46 minutes ago, kontemax said:

What about these black Hi Cap Dampers?
Are them painted or anodized?

Max

I believe they are anodized Max, it was mentioned in the video

[T-StudioWorks 218]

15 hours ago, kontemax said:

What about these black Hi Cap Dampers?
Are them painted or anodized?

Max

I had the anodizing stripped off and re-anodised in black.  

[kontemax 1725]

On 5/28/2023 at 2:56 PM, T-StudioWorks said:

I had the anodizing stripped off and re-anodised in black.  

Good!
I already did it a couple of years ago but I made them gold, like the original Avante.
You can see the result here: 

Max

 

[T-StudioWorks 218]

On 5/30/2023 at 4:33 AM, kontemax said:

Good!
I already did it a couple of years ago but I made them gold, like the original Avante.
You can see the result here: 

Max

 

Good one Max.  Interesting custom built Egress & Avante 2001!

The anodised black shocks might not look striking but I guess I wanted something subtle that was an upgrade yet mirroring the original’s black plastics.  And of course I wanted to hint to Tamiya this could be done as a high end collectors item if they were planning the last / rerelease of the Avante platform with the 2001.  😉

Hope you enjoyed the build like I enjoyed your interesting builds.  🙂

[kontemax 1725]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:06 AM, T-StudioWorks said:

Hope you enjoyed the build like I enjoyed your interesting builds.  🙂

For sure.
I subscribed your YT channel, obviously.

With Avante 2001 there are only 3 color choices for the Hi Cap dampers:

Titanium Gray, as Tamiya did the Hi-Caps.
Black, to mimic the plastic dampers.
Gold, to mimic the original Avante dampers.

Max

[T-StudioWorks 218]

Well… we never know…. Tamiya might release in the titanium gold from the Egress BE… Tamiya being Tamiya….  But I hope not.

Thank you to you & everyone for subscribing to the YouTube channel.  It means a lot & keeps me going, wanting to make better videos.  

 

[ruebiracer 1044]

For anyone wanting a TBG repro body: It´s very good in my eyes, and has the improvent of a shortned nose in front. So it doesn´t get damaged as easily as the original, which almost contacts the stabilizer mount screws. So when hitting an obstacle, the bumper bends back and can trash the body nose. I only noticed the difference, because I laid an old original body with broken nose above my TBG body. It doesn´t harm the look, but I find that a quite nice improvement from Team Blue groove. Very suited for a runner shell.

[kataplaz 118]

I still don't know, or have the courage, if I build the model.

I can't make a decision, I've tried many times but I ended up giving up and moving on to other models