AMF Spirit of '76/Evel Knievel Tribute

[OutlawAlice]

Well, after a failed attempt at refreshing an old bike thanks to unforeseen damage, I've waiting until I waded deep into this bike before posting it. If you don't succeed, blow it up and grab another.

I lucked up and got an original AMF Spirit of '76 bike in fair condition from a friend and decided to make it my first (second) true build. I plan on resto-modding it. Or just restoring it with a little more oomph than it had originally. Here's the pic on Day 1 - sitting on my shop work table.



My plan is: (subject to change )
Frame, forks and chain guard - originally white - Powder coated in pearl white with a mild flake clear coat.
Hand painted designs
Fenders - deep illusion red powder coat with white stripes
New wheels and handlebars
Red sparkle grips
Newly upholstered seat in white, red sparkle and blue sparkle vinyl

Undecided:
New or rechromed crank, sprocket, stem?


The person I got it from is also an artist and pinstriper. Once I get it powder coated, he will be hand painting the original designs back onto the bike. I had to do a little research and graphic reconstruction to get him a pattern.

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Here's the bike disassembled and headed to the blaster today:

[URL=http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/OutlawAlice/media/AMF/WP_20140709_010_zps56313c27.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Should be a cool build!

Luke.

 

[OutlawAlice]

Thank you Luke!

Here are the stampings. Onbviously made by AMF, but I couldn't find any info with the serial number. I figure because I'm a noob at this. Any ideas or thoughts?

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Try here for info on build dates, someone there should know: http://musclebikeforums.yuku.com/directory

Luke.

 

[OutlawAlice]

Okay. I'll check that out. Thank you!

 

[OutlawAlice]

I took a donor banana seat out of my pile 'o parts to replace the really ragged and rusted completely through Schwinn seat that was on the bike. I'm taking it up to NC to have it reupholstered. It will match the original pattern (below), but instead of the red and blue being printed on white vinyl, it will be red and blue sparkled vinyl stitched with white vinyl.
Original Pattern:



Here's the donor seat all the way to powder coated pan in a silver flake and clear....

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Nice! I love the amount of work you are putting into this, very nice!

Luke.

 

[whitefiretiger]

This is going to be one nice muscle bike

 

[OutlawAlice]

Seat pans delivered to upholstery shop. Waiting to see if having bearing cups, neck, crank and sprocket is better re-chromed or to buy new.

Frame, forks, fenders and guard blasted and bare:

 

[OutlawAlice]

Powder coating completed!

Frame - Pearl White with my custom "Cheeseball" flake clear.







Fenders - Illusion red and clear

 

[whitefiretiger]

Lookin good

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Wow! That looks awesome!

Luke.

 

[OutlawAlice]

After a hiatus because there just isn't enough time to eat, sleep, work AND play - I'm back on it! I'm sending out some original items I don't need or want to replace to be chromed. Here they are taken off the bike and blasted. I'm not sure what the time frame for the plating shop is so I'll just have to try and wait patiently. In the meantime, the seat upholstery is about to begin as well. I'm also having a rear wheel custom laced for a Goodyear Grasshopper Slik.

 

[Cayenne]

Nice build! I followed a link to your build and found another Spirit of '76 bike that I have since purchased. My very first bike was a Spirit of '76 and my research has turned up almost nothing. Do you have any other info on this bike?

 

[OutlawAlice]

Hi Cayenne! Same thing here. The only concrete thing I found was that unlike the Actual Evel Knievel licensed bikes, the serial numbers for the AMF Spirit of '76 bikes weren't recorded in the registry. I've heard a dozen reasons and stories why, but I don't know the real reason. The most logical was that the Spirit of '76 was made using leftover frames and chain guards from the Evel Knievel bikes. AMF made a couple more using the leftovers, but that's it. I don't even know how many were built, but I know they're hard to come by and there's no repopped decals and seats. That's why mine are being hand painted back on and I had the seat custom sewn. Speaking of. I haven't updated this thread! Post up pics of the one you got. I'd like to see it!

 

[Flying Zombie]

I wanna see the hand painted guard and stitched up seat!

 

[Cayenne]

Thanks for the info! That is still way more than I found. Please share any additional info and I'll do the same.

 

[OutlawAlice]

Well then! Here's a pic showing a well used original seat and the one I had made for this build, and the finished chromed pieces.

 

[Flying Zombie]

The seat stitchings a little different, and a little different from what Id imagined, but I understand the need for slight alterations both for your fuze of taste and the needs of the material.
I think it came out like a million bucks just the same. A clear window to an old collectible.

 

[OutlawAlice]

Absolutely. The biggest thing is that he didn't have an actual seat to measure the dimensions of the red and blue stripes. He only had this photo for reference and had to do it by eyeballing it. Taking that into consideration, I am very happy.