1977 Evel Knievel Pinball Machine by Bally \u2018Anybody can jump a motorcycle. The trouble begins when you try to land it.\u2019
\nSo said the legendary Evel Knievel, who was less well known for his armchair philosophy than he was for his stunts but did manage to deliver a few pearls of wisdom in his quieter moments. (Specialist subject: \u2018the bleedin\u2019 obvious\u2019, we must assume) After all, what else are you going to do when you\u2019re flat on your back in a hospital bed for months on end with nothing to do but ponder the meaning of life?
\nThankfully Evel\u2019s daring exploits inspired Bally to create this terrific pinball table, which was conceived in 1976 and hit the production line in \u201977. With a design by Gary Gayton and superb artwork by Paul Faris it was destined to be a success, and like the character on whom it was based, the table did indeed \u2018take off\u2019, selling out the entire production run of 14,000 units.
\nA quick trawl though the owners and users forums suggests that although this wasn\u2019t the fastest or most sophisticated table ever, it had a compulsive quality that kept people coming back for more. The comment \u2018played it death\u2019 appears more than a few times! Faris\u2019s artwork for the back glass also wins much praise, but to fully appreciate his efforts you\u2019d need to set aside any politically correct concerns about the depiction of large chested women in tight tee shirts. I think we can say that this table was very much \u2018of its time\u2019 and leave it at that.
\nLike all our \u201970\u2019s pinballs, this table has been completely refurbished and is in full working order, unlike the great man himself. Perhaps we should give him the final word:
\n\u2018I decided to fly through the air and live in the sunlight and enjoy life as much as I could\u2019 \u2013 Evel Knievel
\nAllow us to explain how and why we go to such extreme lengths when repairing and restoring vintage games.
\nOver the years we are fortunate enough to have gathered together a select few individuals whose enthusiasm for jukeboxes, pinball machines and vintage arcade games ensures that they are never less than 100% committed to the task in hand. They quite simply love breathing new life into old circuitry and want to see as many of these classic pieces preserved for future generations as possible.
\nNot for them the perfunctory checklists and proverbial \u2018tyre kicking\u2019 which pass for an inspection at other dealers but instead an unflinching determination to get to grips with the detail. This usually begins with a thorough strip down of the machine and a forensic examination of the internal workings. They\u2019ll be aware of the particular quirks and foibles of any given piece and instead of just replacing failed parts they\u2019ll always go the extra mile, swapping out components which are likely to fail in the near future.
\nAn obvious comparison would be between a classic car which remains on show in a garage and one that you can actually enjoy driving.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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