Be aware that a number of people have pursued a 97 Explosif as their dream bike and then sold it again as they found they didn't actually like it that much. For a steel bike it's quite stiff, and the Kilauea is logically a more suitable road bike, as it weighs the same but it's more compliant.
Arguably Columbus Max was the 'best' steel tube for xc racing as its stiff:light ratio was unsurpassed. The only reason it wasn't more widely used was that it was fearfully expensive, owing to the cost of biovalising the tubes. Kona were never ones to spend 3p when they could get away with 2p, so I can only assume that they did a killer deal with Columbus when Max was nearing the end of its production life, otherwise they would never have used it. But as I say, its merits as an xc racing tube don't necessarily make it the most suitable for other purposes.
I'm no expert, but I don't think they made a black SID until well into something called the 21st century, which apparently happened after retro finished. Clearly it would be a crime against retro to fit anything like that, and unfortunately the lads would have to come round and confiscate it off you. A pity in a way, but you've got to have rules, haven't you?
I think a 97/8 Pace RC36 would work ok on the 70mm setting, but they were quite long, so it would still knock the geometry out a bit.
