91 GT Zaskar

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Hi, I've been a lurker in the shadows on here for many years, owned a whole raft of MTB's during that time (1990 onwards) from Muddy Fox, Bigfoot Smokestone, Club Roost (snapped two frames, very bad bikes!), Kona's, Specialized & Santa Cruz. I've never in that time owned a GT though. So I recently put that right by purchasing this from a local auction (I think a couple of you were bidding as well!). It's a very tired looking 18" 1991 Zaskar with 2x4 forks and some Suntour XC Pro. I bought it without viewing (always dangerous I know) but it looks like it'd been stored outside for a long time, most steel elements have succumb to rust.

Spec Sheet (work in progress)...

Frame: Zaskar T6061

Fork: GT 2x4

Headset: Tange Seiki Falcon FL270C 1 1/8"
Stem: GT flip/flop
Handlebar: GT OEM
Grips: Ritchey WCS
Barends: no

Brakes: Front - Suntour XC Pro. Rear - Dia-Compe 993 U-Brake
Brake Pads: - Unknown
Brake Cables: Yes
Cantilever cable hangers: Suntour
Brake Levers: Suntour XC Pro

Shifters:
Front Derailleur: Suntour XC Pro
Rear Derailleur: Suntour XC Pro
Derailleur Cables: Yes
Cassette: - XT 8 Speed M737
Chain: - Shimano CN-HG40
Cranks: - Suntour XC Pro
Crank Bolts: - Unknown
Chainrings: - Suntour XC Pro
Chainring bolts: - Unknown
Bottom Bracket: - Shimano
Pedals: - Suntour XC Pro

Hub Skewers: XT M730
Rims: Ritchey Vantage Comp 32H
Hubs: XT M730/M732 32H
Nipples: DT Swiss Brass
Spokes: DT Swiss Champion
Tyres: Panaracer Smoke/Dart re-issue
Tubes: yes

Saddle: Turbo re-issue
Seatpost: Suntour XC Pro 26.8
Seatpost Binder: GT Original

Weight: ?

Here's what it looked like when I picked it up.. PXL_20210509_104057825.jpg
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The narrowest cockpit I've ever seen!
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Let's get rid of the pannier & get that chain moving, it was like a length of solid steel.
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Forks are in a pretty bad way. They are currently away (along with the stem) at a paint shop getting blasted and resprayed gloss black. Hopefully they come back okay. Paintshop didn't seem too fazed by these pictures when I sent them over so hopefully they'll be alright.
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I've probably bitten off more than I can chew, it's been my first restoration and I've learnt many things by pestering you lot with questions, and buying left/right & centre new components. This bike owes a fair whack now, but I'm pretty close to having everything I need. Just need a new saddle and pedals. I've a box of shiny parts ready to go on.

The first job was to strip the frame and get to work with some #0000 grade steel wool and vinegar/water to get rid of the oxidisation..

Decal removal..
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All the wire wool bit done, now onto the polishing. I was really pleased with how shiny it came up. There are a few blemishes, but I'll accept that given it's condition before..
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Headset is being replaced once I get the forks back, shiny shiny.
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Couldn't resist mounting the cranks (thanks Tom!) and my NOS XC Pro derailleur. May yet go back to XC pro cranks as I have a lot of Suntour kit to go back on. Perhaps these race face look too modern?
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Polishing pretty much complete, it's back from the dead..
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The original hubs were pretty minging, time for some M730 goodness. Rear is rebuilt and smooth as you like (thanks Tootyred). I have an NOS 32h front hub to match (imported from Japan, don't ask how much!) ready to lace up to the original rims, which are surprisingly good.
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Ritchey Vantage Comp rims a little tarnished but true, and with lots of life left in them.
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New decals have been put on following a polish, the colour is exactly the same as before (just the light playing tricks).
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