Dennis,
They still rock. I got mine just under two months ago.
I learned to fly with electrics long before I got the Avistar, but I still love flying it.
Now that's something I didn't think of. I love the sound of 4-strokes. Having one on the Avistar would be very cool. I wouldn't throw that 40LA away though, it's a good engine.
Did you actually have a Saito 56 on an Avistar?