Author Topic: Gen 1 Kink Empire (Read 2861 times)

sycmatt · « **on:** May 11, 2017, 10:34 PM »

So. I've secured myself a Gen 1 Kink Empire that's going to be a resto project. I'm about to ask for a jar of unicorn shit now so don't all answer this question at once!

Does anyone have one or know somebody who has one that could take some close-up, high resolution photos of the decals? The one I have coming has at least one else "Empire" decal remaining so ideally I'm looking for the "Kink" downtube decal design and seat tube decal design.

fugazi · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2017, 11:26 PM »

Is it the stencil style decal that just says Kink, or does it say Kink bicycles?

sycmatt · « **Reply #2 on:** May 12, 2017, 07:37 AM »

If you look closely, there's a bit more to them than that. Both the "Empire" and "Kink" decals have a faint image of a New York skyline running through them. Off the top of my head, one of those skylines is of a bridge. The seat tube decal has a faint image of the Statue of Liberty too.

I've been led to believe that the simpler, black and red decals that you see on other Empire frames are viable options. There's a dude on the Museum with a black gen 1 and he says he has had his from new and it came with these simpler decals. I'm going to exhaust the search on the earlier ones first though.

fugazi · « **Reply #3 on:** May 12, 2017, 09:28 AM »

Never noticed that before, every day's a school day!

I asked as I had what I think was a downtube decal on an old tool chest. I have no idea where it came from, it's different anyway. It said Kink Bicycles & had something about Rochester underneath it. A mate now owns the tool chest & it might still be on there. I think it might be from a revision B.

sycmatt · « **Reply #4 on:** May 12, 2017, 10:00 AM »

Yeah, it does sound like a Revision B decal. I'll get there in the end.

OllyHall · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2017, 07:24 AM »

Cool frame man, I never did appreciate these bitd as I though the rear end was ugly as hell, a old friend of mine still has is og frame, if I had his number I'd find out if it has decals but I don't 😐

sycmatt · « **Reply #6 on:** May 15, 2017, 08:20 AM »

Oh man. That's a shame! I felt the same way about them bitd but as a collector and midschool obsessive, I can really appreciate them now. Especially as there was allegedly only 100 of them made. I'm hoping Zack Phillips is going to respond to an email I sent yesterday requesting restoration related questions.

fugazi · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2017, 10:03 AM »

I loved the look of frames from around this time period, industrial!

sycmatt · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2017, 01:23 PM »

Agreed! The first of the true tanks. My 4130 Pork is 9lbs and I think that the first gen Empire ran it a close second at 8.5lbs. I can't wait to get them together for some side by side comparison. I need some patience though. I only put a deposit on the Kink. The balance being paid on the last day of this month and then the 10 or so days for the shipment process.