Kona titanium custom

[Ernie]

Re: Re:

Crikey :shock: - I’ve seen painted Kona Ti before, but I wasn’t aware that anything like this sort of paint job on a King Kahuna had been done.

I think if this had been outed before, that it would have been a toss-up between me and Ernie trying to buy this.

Pip.

, my wife{the budget holder} is very understanding...I wouldnt have bid..{she says}

Ernie

 

[al-onestare]

Re: Re:

We need to know a lot more about this frame!

We can assume that it is likely to have been done by Velographics in Bellingham, Washington. The paint was Sikkens polyurethane, like the Custom Kus & Hots.

As far as I can see it looks like a 1997 in 18". The serial number on my monitor (with my eyes) looks like 68 - my King Kahuna is number 88 and we have previously figured that about 150 in each size in 1997 were produced.

Any ideas of what fork should be on it

You won't go far wrong with a pair of Triple Butted Project Two forks with 410mm Crown to Axle.
There is a certain respected member on here who has has their P2s custom painted to match the Stars n Bars paint job on a Hot and a Ku .
I would go for SIDs every time with the shorter 63mm travel. Some riders prefer Marzocchi Bomber Z-2, but anything light with a C-A of 450mm or shorter.

Pip.

With that routing it's more 98 than 97. I think the serial number is K18069 plus one more digit that I can't read. So I wonder if this was a special mid/end of season 97 since, as stated, the decals are all 1997.

I am super excited to see this though. If it were bigger I'd be begging you to sell it to me - the best livery (sorry Canuck's everywhere, rasta flames a close second) with the best Ti frame they did/sold (IMO).

PROPER COOL

Now about that Hot that doesn't fit you...

 

[al-onestare]

Great buy!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

It reminds me of a titanium pro rider frame painted in the other green/yellow flames scheme that IIRC is kept at the Kona Headquarters...

Roland Green's, my all time unicorn MTB. What I wouldn't give for that...

 

[H1v9a8c8]

I guess I had no idea what I was buying. Just thought it looked good. As for the kona hot I sold that through craigslist. I'm located in boston massachusetts and have been into fat chance and merlin mainly. This will be my first kona build as I got the kona hot complete and really only bought it for parts. Therefore any help on year would be good. I have a complete xtr 950 group also syncros revolution crank with bars and stem but not sure what size seatpost size this would take. Fork was my main question I just wasn't sure of how much travel I should use

 

[Davichin]

Great buy!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

It reminds me of a titanium pro rider frame painted in the other green/yellow flames scheme that IIRC is kept at the Kona Headquarters...

Roland Green's, my all time unicorn MTB. What I wouldn't give for that...

That is it!

If it were bigger I'd be begging you to sell it to me

It is my size so maybe I should start the begging! :mrgreen: (this is a veeeery indirect comment to H1v9a8c8 )

 

[Davichin]

I guess I had no idea what I was buying. Just thought it looked good. As for the kona hot I sold that through craigslist. I'm located in boston massachusetts and have been into fat chance and merlin mainly. This will be my first kona build as I got the kona hot complete and really only bought it for parts. Therefore any help on year would be good. I have a complete xtr 950 group also syncros revolution crank with bars and stem but not sure what size seatpost size this would take. Fork was my main question I just wasn't sure of how much travel I should use

My 1997 Hei Hei seatpost size is 27.0

 

[H1v9a8c8]

Also have a race face crank I may use as the syncros crank is not very light

 

[Pipmeister]

Re: Re:

With that routing it's more 98 than 97. I think the serial number is K18069 plus one more digit that I can't read. So I wonder if this was a special mid/end of season 97 since, as stated, the decals are all 1997.

You're correct Al that the 1997 original spec. was for Downtube routing for the Rear Mech; the 1997 catalogue does indeed show this. However the frames produced later in the season were altered to all Top Tube routing.

See my 1997 King Kahuna below pictured from the original advert in California that I stumbled across in 2009:

Pip

 

[al-onestare]

Ooooooo weeeeeee! What a beauty although I spy a disc tab unless I'm mistaken.

So, this is adding weight to that they (Sandvik?) changed it mid-season. For someone to have this livery done for them makes me think a) they had no budget (!) or b) they were somehow linked to Kona / Sandvik as it wasn't something publically offered as an option. If I'm wrong on b) please say so.

 

[Pipmeister]

Ooooooo weeeeeee! What a beauty although I spy a disc tab unless I'm mistaken.

So, this is adding weight to that they (Sandvik?) changed it mid-season. For someone to have this livery done for them makes me think a) they had no budget (!) or b) they were somehow linked to Kona / Sandvik as it wasn't something publically offered as an option. If I'm wrong on b) please say so.

Cheers Al,

As you say the Tubing was indeed Sandvik, however the frames were fabricated by Titanium Sports in Kennewick, WA to Kona specifications. It was still possible to implement the change in the frames built in the Ti Sports factory mid season.

As for the paint job, I agree with you wholeheartedly; perhaps we may yet discover - I love this shit

The Disc Tab is likely to be a proper factory Retrofit as it differs from others that I have seen. Oh, and yes.... it is now in use

Pip