Whooooop! Finally sourced a tiny 98 Kona Explosif :D
- Thread starter mamadirt
- Start date
Thanks! It's a tiny 13.25" seat tube due to someone lopping 3/4" off :evil: - no problem for me though as I'm only 5'2". It'll be an XC build - reckon the poor thing needs a dignified retirement.
The rear end is very much improved over its original state but the gouges and dents remain - it's crying out for a strip and respray eventually but the blue paint on the few undamages areas is absolutely gorgeous and I really want to keep it original. What you can't see in the photos is the extensive grazing and cracking to the lacquer on the main tubes and decals, which hopefully I can minimise with T-cut.
I'll post some 'warts 'n' all' pics of the back end soon
The rear end is very much improved over its original state but the gouges and dents remain - it's crying out for a strip and respray eventually but the blue paint on the few undamages areas is absolutely gorgeous and I really want to keep it original. What you can't see in the photos is the extensive grazing and cracking to the lacquer on the main tubes and decals, which hopefully I can minimise with T-cut.
I'll post some 'warts 'n' all' pics of the back end soon
Here you go - hopefully these pics will show the remaining dents/gouges a bit better . . .
Stays and brake mounts . . .
Battle scarred down tube . . .
Non-driveside chain stay (which looked like it had been run over by a bus :cry: )
Forks cleaned up nicely . . .
Stays and brake mounts . . .
Battle scarred down tube . . .
Non-driveside chain stay (which looked like it had been run over by a bus :cry: )
Forks cleaned up nicely . . .
Those konas, especially in that size with P2s were a great choice for trials bikes. Not really explosif (bit pricey to use for that!) but certainly some of the lower models.
Think the paint has come up great. Did you prime the areas first? And what type of paint are you using?
Think the paint has come up great. Did you prime the areas first? And what type of paint are you using?
Yes, I reckon it's definitely had a previous life as a trials ride although, as you say, why someone would use an Explosif is beyond me.
The paint used is just standard artists acrylic which blends in and T-cuts to a shine nicely. I didn't use a specific primer - just used a thin coat of the same white paint as a base.
Bit of a hiccup in the build now though . . . I've bought the wrong length spokes (began to lace up the rear wheel yesterday and it didn't take long to realise that I'd taken the printed ERTO measurement instead of ERD making my spokes about 30mm too long :roll: ). Fingers crossed the replacements should be winging their way to me today, along with a matching front hub from Germany, so I'd like to think it'll be up and running by the weekend
The paint used is just standard artists acrylic which blends in and T-cuts to a shine nicely. I didn't use a specific primer - just used a thin coat of the same white paint as a base.
Bit of a hiccup in the build now though . . . I've bought the wrong length spokes (began to lace up the rear wheel yesterday and it didn't take long to realise that I'd taken the printed ERTO measurement instead of ERD making my spokes about 30mm too long
:roll: ). Fingers crossed the replacements should be winging their way to me today, along with a matching front hub from Germany, so I'd like to think it'll be up and running by the weekend 
