Hi Pinsiders,

This is my first post, and I might only be here occasionally. There are so many great restoration posts, and I wanted to share one in return.

-JD

Solid state Evel Knievel
Backbox S/N: EEK 13025
Cabinet S/N: EEK 11256

As received:
rusty legs
rusty leg levellers
missing score displays
dead MPU board
missing coin door lock
missing coin door flap
incorrect plunger
burnt up varistor
missing flipper coil
missing backbox key
damaged fuse block
missing tilt ball
burnt chime solenoid
missing post nuts
burnt bulbs
cracked or missing rubber rings
corroded lamp sockets
incorrect plastic parts
corroded switches
corroded pins on most PCBs
rusty fasteners
damaged wires
failing connector pins
failed transistors
flaking backglass
worn playfield
damaged cabinet

Photos
Paint flaking on backglass. Rusty lift trim.
HPIM2643 (resized).JPG

Missing score displays, creative addition of wooden trim around backbox.
HPIM2645 (resized).JPG

Wooden trim continues on lower cabinet. Artwork had been touched up at some point
HPIM2647 (resized).JPG

HPIM2648 (resized).JPG

Cabinet damage, missing lock, Williams shooter housing/plate
HPIM2649 (resized).JPG

Mouse playground
HPIM2651 (resized).JPG

S U P E R worn
HPIM2657 (resized).JPG

Mice kindly packed cardboard inside for shipment
HPIM2655 (resized).JPG

Under the paperwork
HPIM2671 (resized).JPG

Free circuit board etching service
HPIM2660 (resized).JPG

MOV it on over
HPIM2661 (resized).JPG

Evel Knievel SS restoration pt. 2

Disassembled the playfield, and went to work with Magic Eraser. The crazing went all the way down, and the playfield would have required a complete repaint or overlay. Found someone in Burlington with a playfield for sale.

Donor playfield
IMG_0333 (resized).JPG

Unfortunately, not fully populated
IMG_0336 (resized).JPG

Stripped donor and original playfields. Notice the difference in the thickness of the black outlines around the inserts.
HPIM3227 (resized).jpg

Donor playfield cleaned, erasered, cleaned again, and clearcoated.
HPIM3248 (resized).jpg

I had intended to touch up the paint on the backglass. However, I cracked the entire thing while trying to remove the lift trim.
HPIM3357 (resized).jpg

Found someone in Toronto selling a backglass.
Evel (resized).JPG

Evel Knievel SS restoration pt. 3

Trim removed from cabinet and backbox
HPIM3517 (resized).jpg

Hardware removed from cabinet. Sanding and filling.
HPIM3557 (resized).jpg

HPIM3564 (resized).jpg

IMG_5158 (resized).jpg

Primer
HPIM3753 (resized).jpg

Stencils
HPIM3838 (resized).jpg

Finished
HPIM4036 (resized).jpg

Backbox got same treatment
HPIM3613 (resized).jpg

Interesting discovery. Someone had attached a thin piece of plywood over the right side of the backbox, likely to cover the big chips missing from the wood. The plywood cover was painted to somewhat match the cabinet.
IMG_0281 (resized).jpg

Evel Knievel SS restoration pt. 4

Electrical work.
Clay's suggested mods to the power supply: improved grounding, larger regulators. Heatsinks are from a receiver/amplifier heatsink that I cut into three.
HPIM4034 (resized).jpg

Lots of SCRs replaced on the lamp driver board. I was unable to revive the MPU with a Great Plains corrosion repair kit. Bought an ultimate MPU from John's Jukes.
HPIM4030 (resized).jpg

Pins on the solenoid driver prior to replacement
IMG_0284 (resized).jpg

Coin door hardware reinstalled, correct shooter mount, new coin flap. Set for free play, so the coin slots were blanked out.
HPIM4033 (resized).jpg

Playfield reassembled.
IMG_5145 (resized).jpg

I had worked on the project off and on four years. I estimate that there are over 200 hours of work into the machine.
A family friend had asked me to restore it and to take my time. I finally finished the last details and returned it in 2017.

Thanks Peter.
Your username seems familiar. I'm sure I've referred to your reproduction cards before (IPDB?)
Just sent a donation.
Thank you.