My First Restoration Avante 2001

[wongy008 6]

Hey guys just wanted to share my little restoration. Im rather proud of it. How did it all begin ??? well about 5 years ago i got myself a original Avante from someone in the club and also a 2001 from someone also in the club. My intention was to restore the avante as a shelf queen and use the 2001 to bash running lipo.

The avante was not in the condition the pictures suggested and i was rather disappointed. It needed lots of work. I managed to source a original body from ebay and some repro decals along with other bits to start restoring it. But then it was left in the loft until recently when i sold all the bits individually making a little bit of money on the way. i dont like to call it making money more like inflation from my investment lol

Back onto the 2001. The seller said the car was in extremely good nic and he would throw in spares with the sale. i never really asked what they were as the car was going cheap. Back then i paid £175 delivered and insured ( going rate was £250+). when i opened the box the car was mint. It had been run but probably less than 3 times. The best part was the spares included. There was a brand new full tamiya decal sheet, new front and rear diff housing trees, new front arms and new bumper.

i sourced a new set of tires and a better condition body. The non painted Tamiya bodies were far too much money. i can understand people asking for top money for the 58072 avante ( i sold mine for $520 USD ) but i could not justify paying what people were asking

The first part of the resoration was to rub down and primer the driver for paintin. I had a set of 58072 avante driver decals and tried to fit these. The purists will say i should of used the 2001 decals but i prefer the look of the orignal avante. The red decal along the top of the helmet was a complete haddock for apply. it bubbled. when it applied it the best i could i did not like it so used gthe blue strip from the 2001. I think the driver actually came out the best......

The car was completely disassembled, cleaned and built back up with new parts where applicable

The old decals were removed, body cleaned and new ones applied. These turned out alright until i got to the massive avante decals down each side. i kinda messed these up which spoils the finished car.

does anyone have any spare of the said decals that i can buy. i also found repros as http://pandagfx.com/index.php?main_page=pr...products_id=122 but what are these like. the orignal avante repros are really good but what about these 2001 ones

here are some pics

comments welcome

i am awaiting a new sports tuned can from hong kong to complete the car. The car is sat proudly as a shelf queen. my mate came over yesterday and he was well impressed with it

i still want a 58072 avante and itching for tamiya to re release it or the re lease the top for evo. These are 2 models that im most fond of in the tamiya range ! ! ! !

[Novastar 241]

I think you did a great job. The decals are ok I managed to mess up my Lunchbox decals so I better not try an Avante. The body colour choice is good together with the black and white rims and the driver detail is very nice..

[larbut 4]

It looks great!

Makes me want to restore mine, instead of running it...

-Lars

[wongy008 6]

cheers guys.

im looking through TC and ebay for the next project now )

im hugely disappointed with the 2 main decals it really spoils the car. it does not show up on the photos luckily

i wanna run this car but its too nice too

[loaded 4]

Very nice, I like the Avante colour/decal set too, but note that the Avante 2001 body is a little longer and perhaps this is why the problems with the decals?

I still think the look of these cars are very Avant garde without being futuristic in say, the vein of the Saint Dragon, or Super Sabre, but in a more 'worldly' way (I can't put it better, maybe someone else can). What I mean is it looks human, not spacelike, but modern in a very appealing way. I used not to be a fan, way back (perhaps because I didn't have one?) but now I think it is one of the most beautiful buggies. I had better stop lest I soil myself

Paul.