1976 AMF Evil Knievel

Back in 1976 my Dad  bought me on of these for my 6th. birthday from Dishers Bike Shop on LeIo st. in Dayton Oh. It was my first bicycle and the beginning of my love for BMX. I remember watching Evel Knievel on T.V. with my Dad. I use to make ramps out of some scrap wood that Dad had laying around in the garage. I would set up the ramp on the sidewalk in front of the house. I tried to get some "AIR" like Evel, all I ever did was crash like Evel. lol. It wasn't too long befor I trashed the bike. I bent the forks back, I ripped the seat, and cracked the plastic gas tank.

A few years later some older kids in the nerghbourhood who had real BMX bikes made fun of me for having a bike that had a plastic gas tank and plastic finders. I wanted to be cool like them so I went home and took off all the plastic junk and threw them away and then I spray painted the bike blue. My Dad was pissed when he saw what I did. If I knew then what I know now, I would have never done what I did.

I think my Dad paid around $100 bucks for that bike back then. Five years ago I found this one on eBay and paid $500. When I bought it, it was NOT as nice as you see it here. The seat was ripped, the decals were not all there, the rims were rusted,and the tires were shot. I completly striped the bike and restored it from the ground up. I had all the chrome parts re-chromed. I took the frame, forks, handlebars,and chainguard to a local Auto Body Shop to be painted. I had the seat re-upholsterd  with NOS vynal I ordered from a Restoration Garage. It took me a whole year of surching on the internet befor I found an AMF Evel Knievel decal kit. I bought them from Robbie Knievel. (Evel Knievels son) As it turns out, He has alot of his Dads old stuff that he's been selling on eBay. Too bad his old man isn't still around. I now have over $1,000. invested into this project, but it was worht it. I hope you enjoy the pictures and my long and borring story. Thanks for looking.