What price nostalgia? Ideal Toy Co.Evel Knievel figure,Jet Cycle and Gyro. Mint in Factory Sealed and a mere $495.00 from actiontoysvia: weirdscifi
"Ideal Toys, the major manufacturer of Evel Knievel toys, got their start in the Knievel business in 1972 when they released the first Evel Knievel action figures. These six-inch figures were made of plastic except for the head, which was made of vinyl. These figures came dressed in Knievel’s trademark American flag-adorned white jumpsuit and white shoes. Additional accessories included a helmet and, strangely enough, a cane.
The Evel Knievel figures were a big hit and were quickly followed by the next logical step: stunt vehicles. After all, everyone wanted to fly as high as Knievel but no one wanted the multitude of broken bones that would inevitably be involved. Thus, Ideal’s Evel Knievel stunt vehicles provided a perfect solution to this dilemma. This long-lived line of vehicles began with the Stunt Cycle, a working miniaturized cycle piloted by a bendable Evel Knievel figure. The cycle was powered by a hand-cranked power launcher that got its engine going and could then be launched towards any stunt-obstacle its user’s fevered imagination could dream up.
The Stunt Cycle quickly became a required part of any all-American kid’s toy repertoire. Its massive success inspired Ideal to create a veritable fleet of Evel Knievel vehicles. There were Super Jet (shown) and Canyon Sky Cycles that were designed for stunt use, as well as a Crash and Stunt Car that would break into pieces upon impact with an obstacle (perhaps as a warning to any impressionable youngsters actually thinking about a career as a daredevil). Other stunt cycles included the Silver High Jumper Stuntcycle and the Strato Cycle, a toy inspired by Knievel’s motion picture debut, Viva Knievel. Another cool Knievel-inspired vehicle was a dragster that came complete with a working parachute to bring it to a halt.
Ideal Toys also unveiled a series of playsets to provide unique backdrops for the antics of the Evel Knievel stunt vehicles. There was the Stunt Stadium, which included a ramp and cheering crowds painted into its bleachers, and Stunt World, which included a three-dimensional obstacle course for Knievel to ride his cycle through. One of the strangest Evel Knievel playsets was the Escape From Skull Canyon set, which included a werewolf-style monster, boulders, and skull-adorned trees as obstacles for Knievel."
maybe- just maybe, this Christmas.
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