Evel Knievel fans can leap at the chance of owning his famous star-spangled jumpsuit and diamond-studded walking stick.
The daredevil’s leather outfit, which he wore in 1972 and 1973, is expected to fetch up to $80,000 when it is auctioned later this month in Dallas by Heritage Auctions.
“Its flamboyant look celebrates ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’ that he loved,” the auction house said in a statement.
“The garment features blue and red accents to the white leather, is boldly monogrammed with his ‘E K’ initials, weighs over six and a half pounds, and exhibits clear evidence of ‘road rash’ that documents the danger Knievel faced every time he performed before a crowd.”
He wore the flamboyant suit during his successful leap over 50 crushed cars at the LA Coliseum on Feb. 18, 1973—a record that stood for 35 years.
Its distinctive appearance has been compared to Elvis Presley’s attire, though he said: “All Elvis did was stand on a stage and play a guitar. He never fell off on that pavement at 80 miles per hour.”
Bidding on the suit was at $32,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, bidding on Knievel’s walking stick—which includes a hidden liquor compartment—was at $19,000 with 12 days left.
“He can be seen holding it in just about any photograph in which his hands are not gripping the handlebars of a Harley,” the release said.
The stuntman soared to fame in 1967, when he cleared 16 cars in Gardena, Calif. During his next two jumps, he was seriously injured with a concussion and several broken bones.
He gained national recognition with a first-ever attempted jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that went horribly wrong in December 1967. He suffered massive injuries when his body was slammed 155 feet onto the pavement.
He also is remembered on the ill-fated jump in 1974 over the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls, Idaho, in a steam-powered “Sky-Cycle X-2” rocket.
His parachute deployed too early and he fell 600 feet to the canyon floor, yet walked away with only minor injuries.
Knievel suffered 433 bone fractures by the end of 1975, earning him a spot in the “Guinness Book of World Records” and forcing him to rely on the sparkling walking stick.
He claimed he broke 35 bones and spent more than half the years from 1966 to 1973 in hospitals, in a wheelchair or on crutches.
“The alcohol was as much for self-medicating as for celebrating,” the press release said.
The showman retired in 1981 and was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. He died in 2007 at age 69.
His family has now decided to put some of his prized paraphernalia up for sale.
“We are proud and incredibly privileged to celebrate one of the most extraordinary and risked lives in American history with Knievel’s instantly recognizable, battle-borne red, white and blue leathers, and his famous walking cane needed to assist him from his many injuries,” his oldest son, Kelly, said.
Chris Ivy, sports collectibles director at the US-based Heritage Auctions, said: “Hobbyists have been waiting 40 years for the chance to own Knievel treasures.
“We are thrilled to be the venue to present them to the collecting world.”
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