1997 Kona Explosif - Mustard Color ID

[ViperZ]

Hey All,

Recently I purchased a 1997 Explosif on impulse. I really didn't have a plan for it other than I want to buy it. It was sold at a fair price for the condition, so no surprise there. It is however pretty chipped up with more patina than I typically like in a bike. However it can always be built up as a beater bike.

So, has anybody sourced or found a suitable touchup paint, or repainted one with a close to OEM color?

I realize it's a very unique and special color, which was part of the appeal. I took it to my local autobody paint supplier. They told me it would be a hard color to replicate, as it's most likely painted with a base metallic coat of gold or silver, then a transparent light orange color coat, then a matt clear.
I have even thought of painting it a close to color, and letting it rock, I'm not a retro purist yet, so please feel free to let me know the errors of my ways "Its Only OEM once"...etc.... "Ride it battled scars and all"... Or talk me into painting it a bright gloss metallic orange, so it looks like new

I picked up some VHT engine paint at Canadian Tire in a spray can, and tried a little touch up with a Q-Tip. It's not bad in some light, but in full sunlight its more gold than mustard. I suppose at stand-off distance its better looking than the open chips.

I mocked it up just to have a look see. I like the look of it with the P2 Fork, and would really like to run this as a rigid fork bike, but realize it will be a FS bike.

Thanks for any help, comments or assistance

 

[pebble]

Best left in original paint if possible as I believe it can effect the steel?. Somebody will know better than me though. I would just build it up and ride it as is.

 

[JuanSock]

Only original once

 

[JCS]

Leave as is and find a close match for touch-ups would be my suggestion.
That’s a lovely colour and will be a hassle to do a full respray and applying new decals.
Have you tried:

- humbrol and/or revell modelling paints might have a similar colour

- nail varnish. I found a Gucci green nail varnish that is a very good match for my 91 Cinder Cone

 

[FluffyChicken]

From my point of view.
There is hardly a mark on that really. Ride and enjoy. If you must then dab a bit of clear over the bare metal parts.

Otherwise, forget it and find a colour you like.
Mines green, wasn't my choice but I like it. I think it now has more scars then yours and it hasn't altered the bike in any way ;-)

 

[ViperZ]

Best left in original paint if possible as I believe it can effect the steel?. Somebody will know better than me though. I would just build it up and ride it as is.

I don't think repainting would affect the steel, not painting the would affect the steel more, as there are open spots

Leave as is and find a close match for touch-ups would be my suggestion.
That’s a lovely colour and will be a hassle to do a full respray and applying new decals.
Have you tried:

- humbrol and/or revell modelling paints might have a similar colour

- nail varnish. I found a Gucci green nail varnish that is a very good match for my 91 Cinder Cone

I already have the decal kit. I have repainted and re-decaled frames in the past. This is a hard color to replicate, so yeah, if I could get a nice matching tough up, I would try that first, build up the bike and see how I like it. Thanks for the idea, I'll go look at the nail polishes and see what's available.

From my point of view.
There is hardly a mark on that really. Ride and enjoy. If you must then dab a bit of clear over the bare metal parts.

Otherwise, forget it and find a colour you like.
Mines green, wasn't my choice but I like it. I think it now has more scars then yours and it hasn't altered the bike in any way ;-)

Ha HA, thanks for that perspective. Yeah, part of me is just pick a nice color and have at it. The more I look at it though the more I'm thinking just build it and see how it rides and if it keep bugging me then it's time for a repaint. I would like to know if others owners of the same bike have found a close touch up paint.

 

[Oldtat]

Bloody lovely that colour. I'd just dot in something similar in the chip marks.

 

[arnomatic]

I wouldn’t even bother with touch ups if I were you! My latest Kilauea was in a very similar condition to yours when I bought it, and I had to fight every urge I had to restore it. The most I did was treat the rusted areas with some rust converter and hit the whole frame with a few coats of clear coat to seal it again.

If you make the frame perfect, you might feel you have to do the same for every component you pick up for it. My build is far from NOS, but that means I ride it less carefully (in a good way).

I’ve repainted a Kona before with new decals, and I think it’d be incredibly hard (and expensive) to get something close to the original paint quality. This is all presuming you like the colour, if you want to repaint it, I say go for it. Repainting is a fun process and a good learning experience! It’s always good to see creativity.

Sorry for the ramble, first coffee of the day, good luck!

 

[ViperZ]

I wouldn’t even bother with touch ups if I were you! My latest Kilauea was in a very similar condition to yours when I bought it, and I had to fight every urge I had to restore it. The most I did was treat the rusted areas with some rust converter and hit the whole frame with a few coats of clear coat to seal it again.

If you make the frame perfect, you might feel you have to do the same for every component you pick up for it. My build is far from NOS, but that means I ride it less carefully (in a good way).

I’ve repainted a Kona before with new decals, and I think it’d be incredibly hard (and expensive) to get something close to the original paint quality. This is all presuming you like the colour, if you want to repaint it, I say go for it. Repainting is a fun process and a good learning experience! It’s always good to see creativity.

Sorry for the ramble, first coffee of the day, good luck!

Ha ha I hear where your’e coming from! I do like the the whole rebuild process. But at minimal I do have to touch it up, even if it’s not a close match, thst just how I feel about that.

Enjoy your coffee, I appreciate the the ramble, thanks!

 

[ViperZ]

For anybody in the same boat, this is the closest I have found so far. It’s more gold than orange but it hides the bare metal and the white base of the Mustard color. I got it at Canadian Tire.