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I recently hit the vintage buggy jackpot in a trade...some partially assembled vehicles and a couple original boxes.
All appear pristine, only one looks like it might have been ever run. There was also a huge box with all of the parts that had never been installed on the cars, and extra things also (like tons of period tires)...it's going to take a while to go through and sort them to the car they belong to...
With the vehicles I also got 3 uncut bodies, but I haven't determined yet which cars they go with.
The items I got are:
*JRx2, with original box
*mid or late Edinger RC10 with original box (and extra tub)
*2 Optimas
*original box for an RPS Yokomo, not the vehicle itself, but some parts, including unused original wheels/tires
*Falcon - this is the only one that looks like it might be a finished assemble, and maybe run - but in great condition. This is also the only one with a finished body shell.
*this last one I could tell was something interesting, but I had never seen one quite like this...it's got a different "feel" to it when you pick it up, and is rather complicated...so I finally identified it, it appears to be an original Tamiya Avante

I've never been much of a shelf queen collector, I like to run my vehicles. These are so nice, I'd hate myself if I took these out and got them dirty, so I will likely sell or trade these for other vehicles I won't feel guilty about running.

My question is aimed toward those of you that I'm sure are more serious collectors:
Personally, I enjoy working on them at least as much (or more) than actually running them, but as a collector, would you rather buy a vehicle built but unused, or partially built with the rest of the parts included but not installed? I'll use my Edinger RC10 as my example...the tub has the front and rear suspension installed (minus shocks), but not much else. I have the rest of the parts (hopefully the rest-I haven't sorted everything yet) mostly still in the bags they came in. What's your opinion as a collector?

And this is an informational question, I'm not looking for offers here, I know that belongs in the buy/sell area.
Thanks!

For me, unbuilt is #1, partially or totally assembled but never ran is #2, assembled and lightly ran is #3. Everything else is just a runner to me. I enjoy building the most, once built most of the fun is gone for me. I don't collect for future value and all of mine will be built at some point, but I prefer the build over any other aspect

The parts will be more valuable if they are unbuilt. You could list it on eBay and see what you get or stick around here, build up 25 meaninful posts and join our BST to sell them. I would bet though that if you do stick around here, you'll get bit with the bug and end up keeping the stuff to build yourself a nice shelf queen.

I might indeed decide to keep one or two, but I really don't think I will keep all of them...for one, I don't really have that much room! Now to decide which to keep and which not to. I guess that will depend upon getting all the misc parts sorted and seeing what is really there.
Thanks guys

Another related question...I'll use the Avante I mentioned in my earlier post.
My Avante is pretty much complete as it sits. I think it is all vintage original, but I still have to look more closely at it to be sure. I also mentioned that I have 3 uncut bodies, and I don't know if one of them is for the Avante. If not, then is it ok to you as a collector if I would get one of the more modern re-release bodies for it to sell it, or would you rather see it without a body than with the more-or-less incorrect one?
Thanks, just getting a feel for how you more serious collectors feel about these things.

My feeling, and this is just me, is that if you put a ReRe body on it, potential buyers will be leery about other parts being ReRe as well.

Makes sense.

From the sounds of it, you got this lot pretty cheap (so we're all trying hard not to hate you, just so you know). If that is the case, I personally wouldn't worry about whether they're "too nice" for you; if one (or more, or all) of them call to you, and you want to complete them and take them for a spin, do it! Life is short, and they're just toy cars. Plenty of folks have these things squirreled away. I myself couldn't resist at least completing the builds.

And just for a frame of reference: I have a rare old Nichimo Exceed 4WD/4WS buggy, complete but never run, that I stumbled across for $50. I originally thought to sell it, but then it occurred to me that I would never have another chance at one, so I decided not to sell it, and I will be running it sometime this summer (carefully, of course).

Odds are you won't come across a stash of cars like this again. Do whatever will give you the greatest enjoyment out of them, even if it makes the "collectors" cringe.

Depends on your definition of cheap...the item I traded I would value at about $300-$350 had I sold it for cash. So, a great deal, but not exactly stolen
I get what you are saying about it being very unlikely to come across a package deal like that again, and as neat as I think they are, I might be more inclined to sell or trade most of them to get something I REALLY want...although I suspect that the longer I have them, the harder it will be to part with them. I already have jrx2 and rc10 runners, so those at least will probably go...and an optima, since there were 2...

Much as gomachv stated earlier applies to me as well. unbuilt is best, partial build would be #2, and depending on what car/model/era, I would finish it. Built un-ran cars would be 3rd in line, of a 3 type collection. I would personally stay away from mixing 'vintage" with modern day goodness....... or for that matter, stay away from it all together

I'm good with upgrading "weak link" vintage car areas with stronger modern equivalents, especially electronics. At least when it comes to Optimas, I've learned a great many things that can be done to beef up, bulletproof and improve that design--which, as good as it was back in the day, had more than a few weaknesses & flaws.

From what I've read, the Avante didn't win many people over either, in its original configuration.
Thanks to all of you for the input!
At some point soon, I'll get some photos of these things on here...

Here are some pics of the cars, etc...
Now, I don't pretend to be an expert on all these vintage vehicles, so if you see I've misidentified something, let me know!
They are exactly as I got them, I haven't removed or added parts, or even dusted them off yet...

Turbo Optima - I stand corrected...it's a standard Optima #3032 Optima Mid

Falcon JRX2 Tamiya Avante

R Cane wrote:Here are some pics of the cars, etc...
Now, I don't pretend to be an expert on all these vintage vehicles, so if you see I've misidentified something, let me know!
They are exactly as I got them, I haven't removed or added parts, or even dusted them off yet...

Turbo Optima

turbo_optima01.JPG

turbo_optima02.JPG

Optima Mid

optima_mid01.JPG

optima_mid02.JPG

Turbo Optima - rear gold shocks are for rc10 and tower mounts

Optima mid - same issue with Turbo optima but rear tower is correct, missing top belt cover.
otherwise in great cond.

oh forgot to add.. great find....