1993 Kona Lava Dome up for a rework...

enc

Kona Fan
I Picked up this cash on collection, 93 Lava Dome locally through eBay and as is often the case, the condition on viewing was much worse than in the eBay ad images… after discovering the seat post was seized (which the vendor neglected to mention in the ad) I was ready to walk away. The seller had other ideas and offered me the lacklustre Lava Dome at a price I couldn’t refuse. He told me about a local guy “the Seatpost man” whose sole business is the removal of seized seat posts. looking into the cost :eek:.. it was almost what i paid for the bike so that was a non starter :rolleyes:
The initial plan was to deal with the rust best as possible without major strip down, clean, service and use it as an all-weather rider. I use all my bikes though some I’d rather not use in rubbish weather. this one I was going to use in any weather. Also, it was something to tinker with in the enforced, furloughed, covid lockdown layoff.
Following a thorough service, degrease and clean I treated the rust and sourced some automotive colour touch in paints but finding a good colour match for the original Kona paint scheme was nigh on impossible. I continued to use the bike in this state for a number of months before deciding on a full strip down and repaint.
 
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So, its around 18 months ive had the bike and decided to give it some attention. It rides really nice but looks terrible. I think you'll agree... the rust is beyond "patina" 😆 it was actually being used prior to me taking it on ... as you can see, all components are "well lubed" the previous owner used it for riding to the Gym... apparently the general mankiness was a cunning disguise to deter potential thieves from helping themselves to it :rolleyes:

Video Clip ...




Removing the decals with a heat gun...

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Old faithful...

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Bilt Hamber Deox applied, wrapped, and left overnight...

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Bye Bye rust ...

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That was as nearly as rough as a badger's ar$e! Going to dissolve the seatpost with caustic? Looking forward to updates
 
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I see the chain on the seatpost, did you use a puller to get it out ? I remember seeing something on Youtube that connects to an old bottom bracket and pulls them out. Got a stuck post to remove myself and want to try and avoid cutting..
 
I see the chain on the seatpost, did you use a puller to get it out ? I remember seeing something on Youtube that connects to an old bottom bracket and pulls them out. Got a stuck post to remove myself and want to try and avoid cutting..
it is a puller but wouldn't work on the post.

It took 2 of us well over an hour to remove. A couple of days before trying to remove the post i started spraying it with plusgas which I also sprayed into the cage mounting holes and left the bike upside down so the plusgas would flow to the post.

The puller wouldn't budge the post so we had stiltsons with a scaffold bar over the handle to increase leverage. We were soaking the post with OKS611 penetrant at the same time twisting the frame back and forth and it started to move.

ended up in a vice, twisting and pulling at the same time.
 
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Dodging the rain, wind, direct sun, wind, rai … I managed to get paint and clear coat on at last.. the joys of working outdoors :(

There are some “dry spots” and orange peel in a couple of places but these will compound and polish out once the paints hardened sufficiently.
I'm quite new to “autotek” aerosols but I’m liking them.

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High build primer fills traces left by the "rust worms" which there were many.

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Liking this stuff

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i have a complete DX group set in good condition and as this build isnt to OEM spec ill be using it here

Clip...

DX canti ready for some cleaning action...

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After...
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Does anybody know what the A/B is?

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