Kona Custom Frame Serial Numbers:

[Pipmeister]

With a little encouragement from a couple of members on here, I seem to have talked myself into compiling a List / Register of serial numbers for the Kona Hot.

The Kona Titanium list was compiled as result of my thread asking if anyone knew how TST serialised the Kona Hei Hei frames. This turned into a list of all the Hei Hei, King Kahuna, Score & Haole frames that I now have on file.

I had already at that point added a list all of the Kona Ku frames that I have on file to my thread asking if anyone had actually seen a 1998 Ku.

It follows therefore that I should do the same for the ever popular Kona Hot. This means that we will have covered all of the Kona frames that were part of the Custom programme from 1991 to 1998.

I think it best that I start a fresh thread for this. The list can be in the first post and will be updated as and when new numbers are brought to my attention. I have quite a few currently on file to get the list started, and I will add a little preamble on the builders of the Hot frames and tubing used. ----- Hey! Ho! Let's Go .

Pip

 

[romanrinos]

Well well Pip .. You're truly going for broke aren't you on this?!

So you'll be incorporating Altitude Cycles, Enigma Design AND TET serials with relevant geometry changes??!

The documentation of the Tom Teesdale built Hots in itself is a huge mountain to climb [pun fully intended]

I'm sure that I'm not alone, when I say that there is absolutely no better man to do this than The Pipmeister!!

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

I’m going to keep the list very simple with merely the builder, size, date and colour for detail. It won’t include the current or previous owner like I have done for the Ku frame list.

I am however slightly struggling with the dating of some Tom Teasdale frames. I assume that the numbers merely increase numerically through the years that he was building for Kona.

The numbers that I currently have on file for 1993 seem to be a disproportionately high quantity compared to 1992. As the frames and most of the decals were identical for both years, I am wondering if some of my documented 1993 frames belong in 1992. The problem is, a rather high profile ’93 frame would need to be moved into ’92 if I put the break where I think ’92 could end, and ’93 could begin. The other explanation is that more of Tom’s frames went to other customers in 1993, which would elevate the sequential serial numbers that year.

A similar, but slightly different problem occurs with the 1994 into 1995 frames. Another high profile frame with definite 1995 livery has a lower sequential serial number than several obvious 1994 frames :? .

Before I post my current list of numbers, I wonder if anyone knows the approximate serial where the Tom Teasdale frames end for 1992 and start for 1993, and likewise 1994 into 1995?

On the other hand, I could just post up the list, and then adjust as necessary when these anomalies are…. err “discussed” and resolved .

Pip.

 

[romanrinos]

Re:

Some information to start the ball rolling from a solid source:

- Some 1800 TET Kona HOTS were built
- Tom’s own personal bike was a 93' HOT with a SN in the high 800s

1993 decals were characteristically broken by horizontal breaklines. Believe this was across all models that year, perhaps influenced by the then new Tange fluted downtubes of the higher end models (?)

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Re:

1993 decals were characteristically broken by horizontal breaklines. Believe this was across all models that year, perhaps influenced by the then new Tange fluted downtubes of the higher end models (?)

Exactly this, case in point one I shared with Pip the other week (a "boring" black model).

To echo your point - Pip is THE man for this. I trust I don't need to share mine again

 

[raidan73]

I used to own TET 924 and TET 1122, both 14” Hots

 

[Pipmeister]

I used to own TET 924 and TET 1122, both 14” Hots

Thanks Adrian, I have TET 924 documented in my records with good pictures of the frame, and an 'in focus' picture of the serial number .

I don't however have a record of TET 1122. If you have a picture of the frame / bike and a picture of the serial number (that is readable!), perhaps you could either pop up some pictures here, or send a PM, or you can have an e-mail address if you want to send some pictures with a larger file size.

Pip

 

[raidan73]

I used to own TET 924 and TET 1122, both 14” Hots

Thanks Adrian, I have TET 924 documented in my records with good pictures of the frame, and an 'in focus' picture of the serial number .

I don't however have a record of TET 1122. If you have a picture of the frame / bike and a picture of the serial number (that is readable!), perhaps you could either pop up some pictures here, or send a PM, or you can have an e-mail address if you want to send some pictures with a larger file size.

Pip

Hi Pip, you can see some pics, including s/n on this sales post viewtopic.php?f=2&t=214819&hilit=Hot

I may have some more pics on my laptop, if you need them

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Cheers Adrian, those pictures will do nicely. I thought that I had scoured this site for every picture of a Hot (and Hei Hei and King Kahuna.....etc, etc!), but clearly there are still some more for me to find.

I'll continue to document these frames in my records as and when they come to my attention, and they can then be added to the Serial Number Lists. I have a feeling that this (soon to be published) Kona Hot List will give rise to more interest than either the Kona Ku or the Kona Titanium Lists. I have now completed it in draft form, and just need to sort out a couple of dates for a few frames.

Any pictures of the Kona Custom range are always welcome, so please do send me whatever you have.

Thanks again, Pip.