1996 Kona Kilauea - re-freshed for 2010?

[kaledi]

My reinterest in mountain biking inspired me to buy a new bike last year - a full suspension Kona.
So my long lasting 1996 Kona Kilauea was rested, but what to do with her long term. Well I decided that the Columbus frame was too good to sell, and I wanted to re-build the frame and freshen it up.
So here is the last build of the old colur scheme, and now fresh from Argos, a new paint scheme, inspired by an old Hot design.
My plan is build her up with mainly new parts, since this is going to be a second bike I will use on a regular basis.

 

[kaledi]

Old colour

 

[kaledi]

New colour

 

[Andy B]

I was going to say how much I liked the old paint colour

But the new paintjob is freaking awesome

 

[majoreyeswater]

Fantastic paintwork & really nice to see something different to the single colour jobs. Makes me bloody jealous though

I know its rude but did it cost an arm and a leg to get done ?

 

[fingers]

Wow, thats a good paintjob!

 

[kaledi]

Thanks for the positive response. I spent a long time considering different options, and I realised that although I actually liked the original colour, the full 'body' of the metalic finish really didn't come across unless you were in good sunlight. I therefore decided that if I was going to go to the trouble of a re-spray, I would go for something different and more impressive.
I had got to the point where I'd got a quote to do a replica of the flame scheme of the 1997 Hot, but I wasn't confident that I'd get the flame effect that I wanted. I then came across an alternative scheme of the Hot from 1998 (I think it is the Frankenstein scheme), and that is what inspired this design.
Cost wise, I actually also had a few modifications done at the same time, including new cable guides on the top tube, reamed seat tube (though I don't think this was done), and faced the bottom bracket for modern external bottom brackets.
Total cost including the forks were a little over £200, including delivery both ways, which I don't actually think is bad value all in all.

 

[tokoloshe]

Seriously, that looks fantastic! I'm jealous, too.

 

[jonnyboy666]

this is the dilemma i'm having with my 92 explosif, stick with originality or do something very different.

the thing that is stopping me doing something different is that i had my 93 clockwork painted british racing green, and it looks great but i still sort of wish i had the classic orange white fade done regardless of the fact i have the 07 version in the same colour!

when i see i job like yours looking fantastic i think yep get something awsome done that's not original!!!

basically . . . . . aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!!!! is what is going through my head when i think of this issue!!!! :x :x :x

damn lovely paint job you have there though

 

[haggis]

very very nice