Marin IFT 1993? Advice wanted

[vmalmgren]

Hi: I bought this bike over the weekend. It has no headbadge or top tube decals, and the serial number is unreadable (see photo). But judging from the components, I think it's a 1993 Marin Indian Fire trail. It's got:
7 speed Deore XT drivetrain
7 speed cassette (not a freewheel)
DX hubs
Answer Manitou Three forks

This is my first aluminum bike, my first suspension bike, and my first mountain bike. Although dirty, it's in great condition mechanically. A few spokes on the rear wheel need replacing (that's why it's off) and the pedals need servicing. (The pedals have a grease port, but I have no device small enough to inject grease into them. So I had to take them apart.) It even came with one original Marin Lite tire.

I'm looking for general advice about fixing it up, but specifically:
--What's the best way to polish the frame?
--After polishing, would this frame have a clear coat of some sort?
--Where can I get new decals?
--Is it difficult to rebuild the fork (if it even needs it). Anyone ever installed an aftermarket spring kit to replace the elastomers? I've seen both types of kits on eBay.

Thanks.

 

[marin man]

Polish the frame with autosol,you could clear coat it with laquer if you like but I would leave it as the laquer eventually will peel off and look a mess
The forks are easy to sort out just pm me when you have the appropriate kit.
New decals on ebay,if they are not the colur you want then email the company and they will make you some in the colour you want

 

[mikee]

looks like a palisades m8

the IFT had a cnc'd chainstay bridge ,but its hard to say from those pics

 

[boxxer]

Looks about right for a 93 for me..... from my catalogue collection

 

[jonnyboy666]

defo the IFT, the palisades back then was steel iirc. remember seeing the IFT in the shops, personally i preferred the rocky ridge back then though as it looked similar but black instead of purple, nice find though, bit of elbow grease and that will be nice.

 

[mikee]

95 IFT was cnc manitou lovelyness

my mistake

 

[vmalmgren]

Thanks all for the input. I've got a tube of Autosol out in the garage and I'm gonna start polishing today. I think I'm gonna need more than one tube though.

 

[vmalmgren]

Finished!

It's finally done. I've taken it out in the mud a few times (it's winter here). I love it.

 

[gibbleking]

nice job on the cleaning...fancy doing my sannie if ya get bored?

 

[swos]

Very nice Marin