Avante

[Carlos 959]

Hi all,

Can any one shed some light on how rare and collectible the Avante is?Is it in the same league as the 959 and celica GRB etc etc.I've just started collecting Tamiya vintage R.C's after years away from the scene.

Are there other models which are as equally sort after or have cult like status??

Any help would be great

[GTodd]

You are joking right? The Avante is right up there with the 3 speeders and the SRB's. It is a highly valuable and desirable car. I dont think that it is worth the 2800 that it is for sale for online, but 1000 is reasonable.

[94eg!]

A new built box-art painted Avante with new Technigold and CPR P100F just sold on eBay for $1200. That was with an unfinished driver figure and driver decals included.

Avante's in general come up a lot on eBay, but perfect examples are extreamly rare and will fetch a premium. The hard part is figuring out if it is truely complete as parts from similar cars can be difficlut to detect via web pics (ie: Avante 2001 driver figure or Vanquish steering system).

[kyy94312]

Avante all the way!!

I'm not hesitate to run my Avante bidded from ebay since there were lot of spare parts or even cars for repair.

Cheers!

[Hibernaculum]

You are joking right? The Avante is right up there with the 3 speeders and the SRB's. It is a highly valuable and desirable car. I dont think that it is worth the 2800 that it is for sale for online, but 1000 is reasonable.

I'm not sure if the Avante is right up there with the 3 speeds and SRBs. Not yet.

If I recall (correct me if I'm wrong) New In Box Avantes fetch on average somewhere around US$1800 to US$2200. This is above the value of the Super Champ, and similar to the value of the Rough Rider. Impressive for a late 1980s car.

But the rest (Sand Scorcher, Ford XLT and 3 speeds) tend to be in the next bracket above, starting at US$2600 and going well beyond in some instances.

Avante is a nice car - futuristic but without being featureless, like many of the racing buggies that followed. It's value seems to come from it's funky looks and the fact it was a milestone design for Tamiya.

Personally, I don't think it's something I would collect. I bought one cheap about a year ago, contemplated restoring it, but sold it on a few weeks later. I do like it, but not enough to pay the kind of the money it now asks for. IMHO, it isn't as interesting as the pre-1988 buggies. I prefer realism - rollcages, headlights and window netting, etc.

cheers,

H.

[mobias]

The Avante ticks a lot of the boxes that RC Tamiya fans look for - lots of metal parts, uniqueness and good looks. I can completely see why its so loved. One thing I've noticed though is that they do seem to drop their value as runners quite sharply. You can get a fairly decent Avante thats been used but not abused for 150 or there abouts. I've never seen a runner Bruiser or Sand Scorcher for that amount of money unless you're very lucky. I think people are generally quite sussed to the fact that the Avante is a difficult and expensive car to maintain as a runner so they change hands a lot.

[Live Steam Mad]

The Avante ticks a lot of the boxes that RC Tamiya fans look for - lots of metal parts, uniqueness and good looks. I can completely see why its so loved. One thing I've noticed though is that they do seem to drop their value as runners quite sharply. You can get a fairly decent Avante thats been used but not abused for 150 or there abouts. I've never seen a runner Bruiser or Sand Scorcher for that amount of money unless you're very lucky. I think people are generally quite sussed to the fact that the Avante is a difficult and expensive car to maintain as a runner so they change hands a lot.

It's the ENGINEERING that blows me away, all those space age exotic materials (well, they were at the time) and the sheer amount of metal parts and the way everything is machined and not injection moulded, it's like the difference between an elegant Victorian iron bridge and a modern cast concrete one LOL.

Also the rarity and uniqueness of the design series are big attractions for me. Even the colours of the metal parts I find interesting (I love mechanical engineering and metal machining that's why vehicles fascinate me). The fact it has a cool cockpit with controls and a driver is awesome too.

The sharp detailed looks are a world away from vague modern truggy rubbish. Hehe.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[Carlos 959]

Your comments have been helpfull.I personally have an affinity with this age of cars and buggys as they were what i grew up with.Hopefully the engineering and design of the Avante will match or better the work that went into the 959 and the Celica GRB!Both excellent cars.The sand scorcher etc were a bit before my time in the R.C world but are none the less lovely models ad maybe given time i could be persuaded to collect the older models.!

Do any of you own Avante's?

[94eg!]

Do any of you own Avante's?

Yes...

[Carlos 959]

That is very nice indeed!Have you owned from new or bought recently?Anything i sould look for when buying one??

[Disco]

Hi, I own a new built avante that i built from new parts it took some time , but was worth it i think. My friend Alan Cox (synchrocnc on Tamiya club )helped me a lot with many of the rare parts i needed in a series of trades and great deals.

Every part was new , it is fitted wuth a repro body set at the moment , but i have a new genuine shell for it.

There pictures of it on my showroom (TC ID is disco)

[Disco]

I built mine about 6 months ago, there are lots of parts only fitted to the avante so i would look for one that is as complete as possible, some parts go for silly money like the bodyset, pressparts, shocks, technigold motor etc.

I would expect to pay about 200 - 250 for a used but nice avante, you could easy spend over 500 to built one out of new parts if you can find them.

regards

Dave

[94eg!]

That is very nice indeed!Have you owned from new or bought recently?Anything i sould look for when buying one??

This car was bought from the original owner/builder on eBay over 3 years ago. I added a new motor, CPR (reciever/ESC) and battery to finish it off. I recently added the proper driver figure to finish it off as the car was sent to me with an Avante 2001 driver which is slightly different. The decals on the driver are ridiculously difficult to apply, so most people tend to skip it.

If your planning on buying one of these, I suggest you first study all it's later siblings (Vanquish, Egress, Avante 2001). Pretty much every part on these 4 cars is interchangeable, so you absolutely must make sure the one you get is all original. Some parts are getting VERY difficult to find and/or very expensive.

If you see one your interested in, you can always PM me to help you determine what might be incorrect or broken...

[WillyChang]

these things were a sight to marvel - at the LHS in the display cabinet back in 1989

today you'd have to be a masochist to try build one of these from parts especially a 100% correct build.

Save yourself a lot of stress and buy a NIB kit if that's what you want to do, could work out cheaper too.

[Disco]

today you'd have to be a masochist to try build one of these from parts especially a 100% correct build.

Save yourself a lot of stress and buy a NIB kit if that's what you want to do, could work out cheaper too.

Yes Willy i must be a masochist! as i spent 75% as much to find all the original parts as a new in box would cost and that was with the help of Alan who got me many rare parts cheaply.

But i think thats not the point for me, i don't find it stressful to search out all these parts, indeed if find it an intresting challenge and more satisfying that just getting a new old stock kit, which i rarley do.

Its just my way of thinking, its not what everyone would want to do , but hey...we are all different.

Dave

[Andy_B]

I always wanted one of these so I've been building one from all new parts. Its been on the go for just over 2 years now and just needs a shell, decals and technigold to finish.

I'm not sure on the total build cost but would estimate it to be around 350 so far, maybe a little less. Some of the parts have been difficult to obtain but it really is just a case of waiting for parts to come up for sale.

[mobias]

Question - Why did Tamiya put wheels/tires that were the same width front a back on the Avante when pretty much every other 4WD car anyone ever made, including Tamiya, had narrower wheels/tires on the front?

[Carlos 959]

Well i'm currently bidding on an Avante on Ebay.It's listed as original including,driver,cockpit,box and instructions and it's the nice blue colour.If any of you get time could you possibly have a look for me and see what you think and let me know if it's a good one,please don't bid on it!!

Quite looking forward to seeing if i get it.

[mobias]

Is that the one pictured with its box? I hope your bank account is flush, that'll go a for a fair whack I'm sure. Good luck.

[Disco]

Hi,

If as mobias said its the one with the box and a silverstar speedo, then it will go for a good price, looks to be all there and in nice condition. The only negative thing is the messy wiring, but this could soon be sorted out.

[Carlos 959]

Yep it has a box so must be the same one,bank account not too flush so may lose it near the end i reckon still i'll give it a go!

[Lemming]

Hi all, late to the thread as usual...

Having had 4 Avante's, I'm not so sure that the "fragile" monicker is really correct.

I am now only left with my seriously hopped up one, but even so, the base running gear is original Avante. I have run it at each of the Kidderminster meets, using a technigold and jumping most laps. It has done some wonderful flips, rolls, bounces (all accidental, and normally caused by being shunted off course) and still keeps going. I do have a load of spares in case it breaks, but no parts have needed replacing in 2 years of rough handling.

I guess that the simple fact is that you need to run them with the equipment they were designed for, and not be stupid with them. Running motors only up to Technigold speed (not that fast compared to most modern mild motors) and not driving into kerbs will result in a long and enjoyable relationshop with your Avante.

Personally, I haven't bothered making a perfect example as I only own cars to run them. I recommend getting a reasonable (runner) one, fully stripping it down and then rebuilding. You get all the fun of building a NIB model, but without the silly cost and fear of running it.

Just sold a decent condition runner for 150, and would recommend them to anyone who isn't a speed freak.

Steve

[Carlos 959]

So with regard to the Famous Technigold motor,which is quite mild you say compared to todays motors?!What sort of turn is the technigold?And do any of you run Dyna tech motors ?Are these any good?

[Lemming]

So with regard to the Famous Technigold motor,which is quite mild you say compared to todays motors?!What sort of turn is the technigold?And do any of you run Dyna tech motors ?Are these any good?

21 turn single, 19,000rpm approx. You can get that sort of speed from a modern mildly tuned 27t motor!

Check out here for Tamiya motor specs.

Cheers

Steve

[94eg!]

For a runner Avante I would recomend any of the Tamiya brand 23Turn Super stock motors. This includes the RZ, TZ & BZ. I use one in my Vanquish runner and it really flies. I believe I'm using an 18 or 19 tooth pinion...