AVANTE
AVANTE
WELCOME
KIT CAR
KIT CAR
Avante 1981 to 1986
The Avante was an attempt at an exotic GT car based on the VW Beetle chassis. As it goes it wasn't a half bad attempt. Styled in a similar fashion to the aging Nova kit car the Avante found favour with a few buyers (probably less than 50) and you can usually see a few around the annual kit car shows.
The Avante came with a descent fibreglass bodyshell and mechanicals from a VW Beetle although different engine fitments were possible such as Alfa Boxer and Golf four pot.
The Avante was an attempt at an exotic GT car based on the VW Beetle chassis. As it goes it wasn't a half bad attempt. Styled in a similar fashion to the aging Nova kit car the Avante found favour with a few buyers (probably less than 50) and you can usually see a few around the annual kit car shows.
The Avante came with a descent fibreglass bodyshell and mechanicals from a VW Beetle although different engine fitments were possible such as Alfa Boxer and Golf four pot.
The Avante was offered in various build levels from a basic body shell with glass and ‘raw’ fiberglass interior panels up to a full kit with interior trim, instruments, wheels and tyres. The car was originally designed for use with the VW upright air-cooled engine, owing to the limited output from these units, alternative engines have been fitted to Avante's, including VW Golf,Scirocco, Lancia, Lotus twin cam and in the case of my own car, a 2Ltr Porsche 914 unit.
In late 1982, a Mark 2 version was introduced, and was featured in the December 1982 issue of Kit Car magazine. The Mark 2 was 4 inches higher and 6 inches longer than the Mark 1, and had a small pair of seats in the back. This was made possible by reciting of the fuel tank from above the gearbox to the rear wing, fitting a sloping (heated!) rear window and two small rear three quarter windows behind the doors. Despite the development of the Mark 2, only a few examples were manufactured before the company ceased production. The 2+2 appeared again some time later marketed as the Alto, there were also rumors of a version being produced with a new space frame chassis and Alfasud running gear. This article was from the Club Nova/Avante newsletter by John Kerr
I am looking for any photos,literature or brochures about the Avante kit car if you have any and would like your photos ect on the avante website please get intouch via the contacts page.
WANTED
The Avante also came in 2+2 but was physically bigger than it's 2 seat brother. To see more of the Avante+2 click here
Avante Mark 2
Avante Mark 1
Avante Interior
Avante designer Melvyn Kay.
The kit was produced by Clewlows motors in Stoke on Trent in the early 1980’s and was featured in the Kenilworth show of 1981. The car differed from its VW based contemporaries, the Nova and Eagle in that it had conventional doors with opening windows, along with a substantial space frame chassis bonded into the body shell.
Kitcar Magazine Article Click Here
Avante Sales brochure 1983
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Click on a thumbnail
Please note these are large files and could take a few seconds to download.
Booklet sent by Toma Habshi
PRIMA
PRIMA
The front foot well is constructed in 10 SWG steel sheet, into which doors are hinged. From the bottom of the door pillars (A posts), box section sills run back to a point ahead of the rear wheels where a rol lover bar runs up and across the roof of the car just ahead of the rear window. Square section steel tubes continue back to the rear of the car, which carry a stiffening brace for the rear top deck. At the front, the chassis goes forward from the foot well bulkhead and picks up on the front axle mounting points, again with a stiffening brace for the front bonnet. Besides providing pickup points for engine mounts, seat belts, fuel tank etc., the chassis contributes significantly to the torsional stiffness of the car. It is possible to jack up one corner of the car and open and close the doors with no problem - not the case with all kit cars.
click here for Nick Daynes website, with his Avante based Alto with a space frame chassis and Alfasud running gear.
Avante Alto
