First ever project: 1992(?) Kona Fire Mountain

[alexthekid]

Hi there. I've just won a Kona Fire Mountain on the bay for a wacking great sum of £33. I should be collecting in the next couple of days. The idea is that this will be my first (trial) project in restoring a MTB. Something i want to get into and hopefully fully restore an early 90's Explosif or similar next time round. This is very much a trial but i'm hoping to make it a useable bike to fit a child seat on for family bike rides in the summer.

Just a few questions:
Does anyone know what year it is?
Do all the parts look original?
Is there a 'how to' thread on the basics of restoring a bike?
Best way to get a stuck seatpost out of the frame?
How much do frame & fork resprays usually cost (heard Argos are good)?

Here are some photos of said bike;









Frame is looking pretty scratched up but i'll clean it up as best i can and maybe just buy some new decals if i decide to even go that far. Plan is for some amber wall tyres, new grips and generally tidy it up as best i can. Really don't wanna throw too much money at it, that'll be for the next project

Any info on the bike or tips on restoring would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Alex

 

[Si_33]

Hi Alex,

Good score! Wait for the Kona experts to come along to answer your questions in full, but I'd say it's a 1992 model going by the colour and decals and comparing it to my 1992 Cinder Cone. Looks like you've got the original forks and stem which is a good start. I reckon you could have it up and running without a huge outlay.... Although be warned..... It is an addictive hobby

 

[Minifreak]

Lovely bike Alex and a great RetroBike start. My addiction started a couple of years ago with a 1992 Lava Dome in full black. I don't even know how many retro bikes and parts have passed through my hands since Down to 5 keepers and two almost ready for sale right now.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

 

[alexthekid]

Hi Alex,

Good score! Wait for the Kona experts to come along to answer your questions in full, but I'd say it's a 1992 model going by the colour and decals and comparing it to my 1992 Cinder Cone. Looks like you've got the original forks and stem which is a good start. I reckon you could have it up and running without a huge outlay.... Although be warned..... It is an addictive hobby

Yeah i think these just came in lime green & black by the looks of the 1992 catalogue. If they did come in any other colours then i might be tempted to respray it as i'm not that keen on the black or the green TBH (is it bad to respray a different colour to original?). It's never going to be a show piece though, just a cheap restoration project to practice on and find out whether i'd like to do something a little more involved in the future. Can't go wrong for £33 though!

 

[k-rod]

Re:

Howdy - welcome to a captivating hobby (possibly seen by others as an 'addiction').

My advice: lots and lots of patience, and lots and lots of persistence. And, a little bit of luck!

 

[jonthefish]

Could it be a '91 - seat clamp suggests maybe but I'm no expert. Catalogue here http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... 1.jpg.html

Personally I prefer original paint. It is only there once so don't rush to repaint. I think black Konas are cool but I'm biased.
Bike looks to have lots of original parts. I'd clean it, give the paint a quick T-cut, clean and lube the moving parts, adjust cables then see how it all looks/feels. It is bargain and you're entering a world of enjoyable tinkering and occasional tooth gnashing.

What's going on with front shifter?

And talking of tooth gnashing a quick search on this site will throw up plenty advice on stuck seatposts. Good luck.

 

[alexthekid]

Could it be a '91 - seat clamp suggests maybe but I'm no expert. Catalogue here http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... 1.jpg.html

Personally I prefer original paint. It is only there once so don't rush to repaint. I think black Konas are cool but I'm biased.
Bike looks to have lots of original parts. I'd clean it, give the paint a quick T-cut, clean and lube the moving parts, adjust cables then see how it all looks/feels. It is bargain and you're entering a world of enjoyable tinkering and occasional tooth gnashing.

What's going on with front shifter?

And talking of tooth gnashing a quick search on this site will throw up plenty advice on stuck seatposts. Good luck.

Yes it could well be a '91. There's no brake booster either which only came out on the '92 models by the looks of things (it could just be missing though). Specs are very similar between the two years but i think the rims are different so will know for definite when i get the bike here in my possession - i should be collecting it today.

I'm actually warming to the black now and also to the idea of not repainting but just leaving it all original and cleaning it up as best i can. I don't have any old style bike tools so it'll probably just go off the bike shop for some replacement bearings if necessary.

No idea what's going with the shifter either but happy to buy a couple of NOS parts if necessary

 

[Minifreak]

Found a pic of mine:



You've got a great project there, enjoy it and don't part with it just because a sexier bike comes along. I wish I'd never sold mine

 

[alexthekid]

Found a pic of mine:
You've got a great project there, enjoy it and don't part with it just because a sexier bike comes along. I wish I'd never sold mine

Nice bike! Mine will look similar and i'm definitely gonna go with tan sidewall tyres (Panaracer Timbuk 2's look amazing).

Is there a serial number register so that i can identify what year my Fire Mountain is?

 

[retrobikeguy]

Re:

Nice..........

I had the green version, great as an everyday rider so it ended up being my works rider.
200GS thumbies were standard IIRC but dont laugh, they were as good as my XT's.

mine in commute mode