97 Kula - Finally Finished

[Monkeeee01]

Good morning Retro Bikers!

So she is finally finished and pics below at the top of the thread.

Full XT 8 speed throughout
Curve cranks
Hope Ti wheels on 217 rims
Z2 Bombers

Really pleased with her and she’s pretty light too.

Thanks

**Original post**

I’m going to pop to my local model shop today with my 97 Kula frame and look for a paint match to use to touch up my frame.

Does anyone have any advice please (as obvious as it might be), I want to do as good a job as possible and ultimately keep the original paint job as opposed to a respray.

The paint is not great (I think the photos make it look a lot neater than it actually is).

Thanks in advance

 

[Monkeeee01]

Just got back from the model shop with this lot. Will post progress shots as I go!

 

[Stressed]

Mmmm- Crimson Gloss. Nice

 

[Monkeeee01]

Mmmm- Crimson Gloss. Nice

I hope so, nervous I’m gonna f**k it up lol

 

[Monkeeee01]

So some bits defo look better than others, seems if you can dab a blob on it looks ok but if you need to brush it it looks more noticeable as the paint is thinner and a bigger area. Hopefully those bits will improve with a second coat.

Really light scratches seem to be best if you apply paint and then gently wipe off excess

 

[Monkeeee01]

Spent around 4/5 hrs on it over 2 days this weekend and I’m sort of happy. The photos make
It look better tbh, from a short distance away it looks really nice, but in really good light or up close the touch ups don’t match the original shiny colour.

In some places where I’ve dabbed and / or brushed to try and blend it the touch ups really stand out.

I think it will do for now, I might give a few small sections a 3rd coat in the next few weeks while I source parts to build it.

Will keep posting progress if anyone is interested.

Thanks

 

[magas]

nice work

now get her a matching red Bomber and silver parts and it rides and looks the part

 

[Monkeeee01]

nice work

now get her a matching red Bomber and silver parts and it rides and looks the part

That was the plan but I can’t find a nice matching red bomber atm so for now she might have to have the modern SID’s and black parts to match (I do prefer silver though)

 

[PhillB]

It is really hard to match paint to touch up - for a number of reasons, but primarily because even if you had sample of the original paint used, the paint on the bike will have oxidised, faded, or most likely both. You also have the factor of the clear coat that is applied, which also may have degraded, faded, or oxidised over time. With touch ups, the best you are going to get is what you have, which I think looks like a really good result! -

 

[Monkeeee01]

A few pics to show updates as I’ve now started the build following dismantling the Explosif I bought last week.

This is the first time I’ve ever fitted a headset my self and it was pretty easy with the cheap tool
I bought on eBay. Need to cut the steerer a very small amount as at the moment I think it’s just slightly too much of a gap between the star nut and the stem top cap.

Really pleased I managed to grab the Bombers to match from a very nice chap on here but I can’t quite get the crown race all the way down the fork (it’s got about 2/3mm to go - any ideas/help appreciated).

Need to get a longer BB to give more clearance and I want some 8 speed XT rapid fires shifters but really happy with how it’s going so far.

Long term want new wheels too