Here are scans of the front and back of the vintage Stunt Cycle directions. I like the old line drawing illustrations in these. The copy is fun to read, as well, like the line from section "C."
"Evel does not sit down wholly on the seat, but rides in true stuntman fashion supported only by his toes and hands."
Ha, ha! How's that for damage control?
It came with instructions?
ReplyDeleteI think the instructions were a ruse. Their ultimate purpose was to stem the "company crushing" backlash that was sure to come when Moms and Dads realized that little Johnny's Evel Knievel would not sit down completely on his stunt cycle.
ReplyDeleteTwenty-two words have never been more important.
Weeks before my actual birthday (in a super hyped-up 8 year old mode)I tried to dupe my Mum into getting Evel early. "Come on Mum, come look at it, I want to show you how it works" I cried as I dragged her into a toy shop. The assistant dutifully unboxed an Evel and snapped the energizer together not knowing that once the two parts were joined, they shouldn't really come apart again! Would my Mum be so embarassed at the shop not being able to sell this Evel Knievel that she would offer to take this one and I would get my birthday early? Would she hell and so I still had to wait those few agonising weeks.
ReplyDeleteStill, it was great when he did arrive. I would line friends up the garden path and see how many he could clear. Many was the 8 year old friend who felt the agony of an Evel in the crotch that summer when they drew the short straw of being at the end of the human jump!