1994 Kona Kula lucky find!

[sparkybhp]

Just got home from collecting this little beauty! A 94 Kula in mostly original condition, only change is the red DX v brakes. It still has the original Kona tyres on it!
First job will be a good wash so I can see exactly what I’ve got here but I’m thinking it shouldn’t take too much to get this back to catalogue spec.
Can anyone help with exactly what brake levers and style canti’s this would’ve had? And what’s the chances of finding the correct size dog collar?
I don’t know much about these Kona’s so any help will be much appreciated! I think I landed on my feet finding this in the correct size for me (18”) and at a good price too!
Anyone want to buy some red DX v brakes btw??

 

[mk one]

Catalogues in the archives.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Kona/Catalogues/Kona+Catalogue+1994/

 

[The History Man]

Nice frame. Almost died on mine.

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/a-happy-ending-heartfelt-thanks-please-read.284892/

 

[sparkybhp]

Partly stripped down now.


Overall pretty nice, some scuffs, some bubbling under paint and a teeny dint under the top tube.

Thanks for the catalogue link above. Is the spec 100% accurate in the catalogue? Mine has/had Stx/rc shifters.. other than the brakes seems right, oh apart from front wheel I think which is Parallax/Mavic 221.
So, some work to do, going to take it slow on this one - no rush.
Impact headset is dry but everything else seems okey dokey so a good service, find the correct parts and bolt it back together..
Titanium handlebars are lovely..
Will update as I go.
DX brakes are on eBay, not cheap - sorry, think the parts I need are likely to be pricey so hopefully it’ll all balance out..
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29547392...K-fOncFTvW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[mk one]

Yes, all the ones I have seen had that spec. Kona liked to mix up groupsets. Definitely would not have been stx on the top of the range model anyway.

One of the hardest things to find will be the Ti saddle, though there was one for sale on here just the other week.

 

[Nevilleblaze]

Nice bike . The forks are very cool

 

[ClassicDodo]

Love a gold Kula

 

[sparkybhp]

Did a bit more today on this, I’m still looking for a dog collar to suit but in the meantime I thought I’d try and make one.
I bought this dmr clamp in the correct size:

I’ve seen people do a similar thing swapping the clamp bolt for a brake adjuster. I did that but you couldn’t really clamp it up tight enough so I ended up drilling a suitable hole through the boss part that sticks out instead. Seems ok..
Next job I wanted to do was address the stiff headset. Man was it crusty in there! Witness:

I’ve never had to go to these lengths to clean a headset up before.

There was grease in there but it was some white paste stuff which had gone pretty hard.
All back together now and better, although not perfect. Might have to keep an eye out for another impact headset in good condition if one crops up.

 

[eric_james]

Lots of much there and I've not seen a headset that bad. You can get those bungs to stop dirt going into the bottom

 

[sparkybhp]

Lots of much there and I've not seen a headset that bad. You can get those bungs to stop dirt going into the bottom

Good call on the bung - that would have saved it a bit maybe. I think there was so much of that white paste in there that everything just got clogged up in there and couldn’t wash out.. Nasty!