tamiyablog.com

Whereas the Avante Mk.II has gained tremendous popularity in Japan (Tamiya’s by far largest market), the release of the Avante Mk.II has stirred a lot of negative reactions among worshippers of the original Avante outside Japan. Many don’t consider the Mk.II to be a worthy carrier of the name that once epitomized the cutting edge of what Tamiya was able to in terms of “exotic” and expensive materials, mated with a visually very pleasing design.

1. Black wheelnuts and black custom made decals for the wheels, to mimic the Avante’s camlock wheel fasteners. I first considered adding “cam-lock” decals too, but decided not to as the intension is not to give the impression that the Mk.II has cam-locks, just to honour the nice look of them.
2. DF-02 hop-up dampers, stripped of the blue anodizing to resemble the original Avante’s Hi-Cap dampers. Technically, DF-03 hop-up dampers would have been better, but their threaded bodies don’t look as much like Hi-cap dampers as the smooth bodies of the DF-02 dampers do.
3. Gold coloured hop-up springs instead of the included silver coloured spring, again to resemble the springs of the original Avante.
4. Avante logos on the side painted in camel yellow instead of using the included gold logos. I chose to use the “edgy” logos of the Mk. II instead of the “soft” logos of the original Avante, just to indicate that it’s a modern model.
5. “Being nuts is neat!” painted in camel yellow on the rear wing to resemble the original Avante’s wing decals. Camel yellow was used to match the wheels, as I never understood why the original Avante had dark yellow wheels, but bright yellow decals.
6. Number “2″ decals from Sonic Fighter in camel yellow, instead of the included black and white “2″ decals, again to resemble the number stickers of the original Avante.
7. A few “period correct” decals added and the majority of the Mk. II decals omitted.

I would like to point out that I’m very much aware of that my Mk.II is a far cry away from the terrific looks of an original Avante, and it was never my intension or even hope to get any closer. Never the less, 20 years after the release of the original Avante, I think it’s indeed fair to say;

Scratch built on the Tamiya 1/12 58004 XR311 chassis and completed in only 2 months for Tamiya Hobby Show!

Source and more

The IFMAR Electric 1/10 Off-Road Car World Championships are held in Japan this year and Team TRF will be there in force with their specially-tuned TRF501X machines. To commemorate this participation, Tamiya is announcing the release of a TRF501X World Championship Edition, featuring many special parts that will be used at this world-class R/C race. These option parts promise to bring out the true potential of this racing buggy.

About the Model
# 1/10 scale assembly kit R/C model of the TRF501X, with many special option parts added.
# Differential has been redesigned to increase performance and durability.
# New parts including aluminum caster block, aluminum rear upright, and reinforced upper arm mounts further enhance the buggy’s ability to withstand the rigors of off-road racing.
# New ball connectors made from high-strength steel.
# New damper pistons made from Delrin, a lightweight and low-friction resin material.
# The entire drivetrain has been modified to improve power-transfer efficiency, with parts such as an 18T center pulley, 37T ball diff. pulley, and 369mm drive belts.
# Clear polycarbonate body shell has been redesigned for better aerodynamics.

In recent years, world-class on-road R/C touring car race events have encouraged the use of brushless motors in conjunction with event-controlled tires. To achieve success under such conditions, a fine balance must be achieved between handling and tire wear. It is with this in mind that Tamiya designers developed the concept of the brand new TRF416 chassis.

About the Model
# 1/10 scale assembly kit R/C model of the TRF416 chassis.
# New 2.25mm lower deck design emphasizes simplicity, while the 2mm upper deck has been lengthened.
# Front and rear bulkheads feature the same width while everything about the chassis down to the screw locations has been designed for optimum symmetry for better roll characteristics.
# In order to obtain maximum traction, both the motor and the center shaft positions have been moved back to shift more weight to the rear of the car.
# Drivetrain features front direct-drive, center direct-drive, and rear ball diff.
# Front and rear uprights equipped with 1050 size ball bearings.
# 37T pulleys for front and rear, while an 18T pulley is installed in the center.
# R/C system, body, tires, motor, ESC, battery & charger separately required.

Marc Rheinhard wins the modified rubber sedan category of the 2007 International Indoor Championships held in Las Vegas from September 27th to October 1st.

Mr. Satoshi Maezumi who is the most famous TRF driver in Japan won the race with proto type Tamiya DB01 belt-driven 4WD racing buggy named “Durga”.

Source and more excellent Tamiya videos from Japan: Great Tamiya fan Masatoshi