Creating a Kona Kula Cone?

I picked up a '92 Cinder Cone last year. The frame is my size (not sure what size) and has sat at home, patiently waiting for some attention. The only original kit remaining on the frame set is stem, bars, headset and BB. The plan has always been to find the Suntour drivetrain etc and return it to catalogue spec - maybe in a black metal flake paint, rather than the original gloss black.

Yesterday I picked up a '96 Kula. It's probably too small for me but it was cheap - and the XT/XTR kit, Maguras, Wildgrippers, and Mavics are more than worth the asking price. But the frame is cracked along the downtube. I could attempt to get it repaired and resprayed ... but the frame will still be too small for me.

I'm now thinking I might create a hybrid - I can respray the Cinder Cone black (or gold, like the Kula) and hang all the Kula kit on it. It would be a Kula Cone. Maybe I'll even ask Gil to make some one-off decals.

What do you think? Should I return the Cinder Cone to former glory, create the hybrid, or is it worth finding another Kula frame but in my size?

Re:

JonTom I was looking at the very same Kona on Gumtree and thought about buying it as well. You got yourself a bargain even through the frame might be catcus! I reckon the steel framed Cone in gold paint with period decals and all the decent gear would look pretty smart.

bring the Cinder Cone back to its former glory. It fits you and its a great riders bikes anyway.

dismantle the Kula and cut the frame into 2 halfs (like one over here did it to show the butted sections of the frame) and you have a great wallhanger or a "trophy" in the man cave.

If you want to re-use the parts of the Kula, just sit back and wait till a 19" or 20" Kona frame from the 95 or 96 vintage pops up and transfer them to the new frame.

Pay some attention to the Judy fork before you do that, as the Elastomers are shot

I like the idea of spraying the cindercone to look like the kula if you wish.

I am also selling a 20" 1998 pahoehoe with p2 if your looking for a large higher end frame to restore with the kula parts

magas":1lggw133 said:

bring the Cinder Cone back to its former glory. It fits you and its a great riders bikes anyway.

dismantle the Kula and cut the frame into 2 halfs (like one over here did it to show the butted sections of the frame) and you have a great wallhanger or a "trophy" in the man cave.

If you want to re-use the parts of the Kula, just sit back and wait till a 19" or 20" Kona frame from the 95 or 96 vintage pops up and transfer them to the new frame.

Pay some attention to the Judy fork before you do that, as the Elastomers are shot

Click to expand...

You took the words out of my mouth Defo the way to go!

Re:

I'd actually like the Kula Cone idea

Kula Cone sounds good, be different!

Quick update on this:

I've been on the lookout for an Explosif frame in my size to replace the cracked Kula. Quite by chance, one came up right here in Sydney last Sunday. It's a 1992 frame, and it needs a respray, but it's just what I'm after.

Who would have thought I'd find one locally?

I'd like to spray it the Olive Green of the '96 Explosif but don't know the paint code. If you can help please check out the new thread here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=326157

Thanks.