Avante v3: TXR Avante prototype
Shortly after completing my Avante build, I was thinking of ways to create a custom design to go alongside the box art body. I'm a huge Mini 4wd fan and dug out some of my old dress up sticker sets for the Avante Mini 4wd. This project began from there, as a scale-up of one of the designs in that decal set. I'd seen other members do fun things with similar projects (eg Egress Black Special, Azente) so I thought I'd try my luck.
18 month ago, I started a thread to discuss ideas: https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/84856-building-an-avante-txr-fan-fiction-project-help-needed/
@grastens also had fun contributing some cool stuff! https://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?/topic/84867-txr-azente-tamiya-fiction/
Roll on a year and a half and I've finally finished it, and taken some decent shots. Hope you enjoy it. This is the car that got me back into the hobby and I had tremendous fun thinking about and executing this build.
Some details about the project:
- Completely stock Avante 2011 underneath, but with an metal wing set from eBay.
- Based on the Avante Mini 4wd dress up sticker set, item 15037, heavily modified to un-chibify, and printed the excellent folks at MCI.
- Imagines that the 'TXR' (Tamiya Experimental Racing) branding in that set, and the later Egress dress up sticker set, is an early name for TRF.
- Supposed to represent an early / testing / pre-production version of the Avante, as it geared up for its ultimately unsuccessful attempt to dominate the pro circuit.
- Wheels are black Egress rims, but with hubcaps (don't hate!) cut from the front of Thundershot rims.
- List of drivers on each flank represents imagined test drivers who helped the development of the car.
If you liked those pictures, you should see these...
Avante v1: Boxart version
Comments
Tamiyastef
Wow! Very nice looking Avante. Last pic reminds me a bit off the old Martini livery. Nice pics also. Frist one is my favorite.
Bwaaatch
Thanks @TAMIYASTEF . I hadn't noticed the Martini connection, but you're quite right.
Mad Ax
A truly inspired and fabulous idea - I absolutely love it!
ruebiracer
Finally, the waiting is over! I love everything about this project, the ideas, the story, the stickers. Very cool idea with the Wheel covers. It gives the 'early' prototype look perfectly! Great result, and decent shots with not the typical Avante angles. So the first is my favorite, too!
Bwaaatch
@ruebiracer, thanks! Glad you got the idea with the wheels. I’m always drawn to hybrid / mule vehicles where one set of ideas evolve towards the next, but often with practical call backs to the existing tech. The wheels do exactly that, but also have a cool mid eighties vibe that suits the Avante really well.
Jorisschulte
Absolutely Awesome!!!
Love these type of projects
This looks very fresh, like a limited edition Tamiya kit
neobrunox
it looks superb ! your TXR Avante is very nice and i like the details you have done. i hope to see more customs based on the Tamiya Mini's because some of them are very interesting. It is cool that my Azente also inspired you to create yours Thanks
Bwaaatch
@neobrunox : Yeah your Azente got my brain turning on this project! Cool work on that one.
I agree that Mini 4wd provide a rich archive of possibilities. Dress up sticker existed for dozens of models that have RC cousins (Egress, Astute, Dash 1 Emperor, Terra Scorcher etc) and then there are dedicated Mini 4wd special editions like the Azente and Zenquish, and special edition sticker sets for things like the J Cup. Crying out for a tasty RC upscales from any of those sources.
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pininy
nice work
Barnoid
Ohhh, this puts steam in my strides
Bwaaatch
@Barnoid Glad to hear it! That's how I feel when i see something cool on this site.
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