Restoring GT Avalanche

K

kevinicus

Likes Bikes
Hi,

I'm working on a project to tidy up a GT frame. I love their geo. It's an old Avalanche that I scored off gummy. My goals with it is to go with a red theme and to lighten it. I'm really not sure of its age but it is made of 7005 AL.

I'm about to strip the frame down and have it sand blasted and painted red. I was thinking to get it powder coated.

Has anyone here done something like this and can recommend a place to do it? Around Sydney area would be great.

Thanks :) Pics to come
 
silentbutdeadly

silentbutdeadly

has some good things to say
Sydney is quite a big place...

The Avalanche is a reasonably good frame to play with so as long as you enjoy it then all is good...
 
Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
Peter at Star Enamelers in Padstow is very good, but don't expect a quick turnaround.
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
kevinicus said:
Hi,

I'm working on a project to tidy up a GT frame. I love their geo. It's an old Avalanche that I scored off gummy. My goals with it is to go with a red theme and to lighten it. I'm really not sure of its age but it is made of 7005 AL.

I'm about to strip the frame down and have it sand blasted and painted red. I was thinking to get it powder coated.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a great project, I'm a GT cheerleader too........ - but -

Consider stripping it back and buffing it only. Get a re-pro sticker kit and go nuts with a buffing pad and some Autosol or see if the painter has some good ideas too.

If somebody out there doesn't get a woody over fat, polished alloy GT frames with stack of dimes welding then I think they have serious issues and should seek medical help pronto. You might end up with something like this mirror finish. You can hold your head high and you grandchildren's children will still be talking about how cool you really were :love:

Good luck with whatever you end up doing in the end,

65a6edc25ac6ecd67e962e7da78e6f76.jpg
 
K

kevinicus

Likes Bikes
Mr Crudley said:
Sounds like a great project, I'm a GT cheerleader too........ - but -

Consider stripping it back and buffing it only. Get a re-pro sticker kit and go nuts with a buffing pad and some Autosol or see if the painter has some good ideas too.

If somebody out there doesn't get a woody over fat, polished alloy GT frames with stack of dimes welding then I think they have serious issues and should seek medical help pronto. You might end up with something like this mirror finish. You can hold your head high and you grandchildren's children will still be talking about how cool you really were :love:

Good luck with whatever you end up doing in the end,

View attachment 333703
Click to expand...

That.... Looks... Like... A... Legendary... 16"...

Z A S K A R.

Right?

JEEZ! Talk about touching the Gods!

The Avalanche frame is a "modern" GT. 2000+ is my guess. No where near as amazing as the older GT stuff. I have been trying to find a 16" Zaskar frame but it's darn hard.

Got to call around tomorrow to find a powder coating place to get onto the frame ASAP. Hopefully it doesn't take long.
 
2DIE

2DIE

Likes Dirt
That polished frame is beautiful, how would you go about polishing something to get it to that standard?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
kevinicus said:
That.... Looks... Like... A... Legendary... 16"...

Z A S K A R.

Right?

JEEZ! Talk about touching the Gods!
Click to expand...
Yes, the flat end cap is the give away that it is an early Zaskar. You don't have one but only becomes an offence if you put Zaskar stickers on a non Zaskar. You aren't going to do that I know, so totally safe from any compulsory flogging preferably with wet fish on a cold day.

Zaskars do pop up from time to time at fair prices though. Mainly at Retrobike.co.uk. The 7005 Pantera also came in a paintless finish but not as buffed up as the 6061 Zaskar. Your Avalanche is 7005 alloy also I'd assume and might be stamped on the rear dropouts - it was done like that on the Pantera's anyhow. That is another way to tell the Zaskar apart from the Pantera's and newer Avalanches.

Do you have a sticker kit for it or just not going to worry about it after the respray?

Regardless, still looks the best for an alloy GT IMHO.

The Avalanche frame is a "modern" GT. 2000+ is my guess. No where near as amazing as the older GT stuff. I have been trying to find a 16" Zaskar frame but it's darn hard.

Got to call around tomorrow to find a powder coating place to get onto the frame ASAP. Hopefully it doesn't take long.
Click to expand...
The newer stuff is fine. The mid to lower end GT stuff was always made in Asia while only the low volumes was done in the US.

I have a 92 Avalanche in True Temper GTX cro-moly from GT's funky paintjob era. My second MTB.

 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
2DIE said:
That polished frame is beautiful, how would you go about polishing something to get it to that standard?
Click to expand...
I think a mild polish like Autosol is a good place to start. I've used it on other naked frames and it buffs up well. I think you would have to be skilled if you went down the buffing tool approach.

I have a few fine grade 3m Scotchbrite pads that can get it on the way. I bet a Mr Sheen like product is somewhere in the mix too.

I would be too scared to get fingerprints on it :tape2:
 
2DIE

2DIE

Likes Dirt
Mr Crudley said:
I think a mild polish like Autosol is a good place to start. I've used it on other naked frames and it buffs up well.
I have a few fine grade 3m Scotchbrite pads that can get it on the way. I bet a Mr Sheen like product is somewhere in the mix too.

I would be too scared to get fingerprints on it :tape2:
Click to expand...
I assumed it would require machine polishing to get that finish but if it can be done by hand I would be pretty keen to give it a go in the future.

My Avalanche 3.0 doesn't have as nice welds but they would come up ok I reckon.



Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
2DIE said:
I assumed it would require machine polishing to get that finish but if it can be done by hand I would be pretty keen to give it a go in the future.
Click to expand...
I have a Xizang that I stripped. It was one of the last ones and they were painted at the time. I didn't mind the paint scheme but it was rugged in spots and needed fixing and I love naked Ti. I stripped it with Bunnings paint stripper. The remaining bits near the welds was easy to buff off.

Since Ti is reputed to be pretty tough then I wasn't overly worried that it would end up melting off in blobs of molten metal in the backyard. Always good to check in case the softer alloy finish would get damaged or clouded once nasty shit is painted onto it.

I was officially worried here.

xizangstripped.jpg

I've buffed it mainly with a fine grade 3M Scotchbrite pad and bit a Autosol. If you have the time and urge you can get a mirror finish out of Ti and it looks great. I just leave it with the dull sheen and don't need to see myself in it. You must need some time to buff to a mirror finish too.



My Avalanche 3.0 doesn't have as nice welds but they would come up ok I reckon.
Click to expand...
It would come up nicely I think. Not like the welds are hidden now either. All depends on your preferences.
Whatever rows your boat. A nice powdercoat always looks great too.

If you are in Brisbane or prepared to ship your pride and joy then Roberto has a great rep in BMX circles.
His work looks to be top notch and many of the BMX guys are perfectionists.
http://www.robertoscustompowder.com.au/gallery-bike/
and
http://www.ozbmx.com.au/topic/41255-im-back-welcome-to-robertos-custom-powder/#comment-462702
 
K

kevinicus

Likes Bikes
Holy smokes. No wonder you were fapping.

Just whisper a GT project and out come a Zaskar and a Xizang. Two legends. Damn.

Nice bikes guys.

Not interested in sticking on Zaskar stickers on an Avalanche frame. In fact, I'm not interested in stickers at all. I'm going with a stealthy clean look. The stamp on the top tube is enough for me.
 
mik_git

mik_git

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Someone was saying that using autosol on zaskars isn't great as it does something to the ball burnishing...or some such, don't know haven't tried it on mine (but it is all stuffed up from my sweat!)...whereas it worked great on my xizang...till about 13 seconds later and it was all covered in fingerprints
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
floody said:
Well,or an early Pantera AL...but, the flat end cap with the CNC brace and V-brake cable stop are a give away of a late-model, USA built Zaskar.
Click to expand...
I think so, but need to check the dropouts too for the alloy type stamp. I think the Lightning (the other Ti GT) also had a flat end cap like the Xizang from memory so there isn't a big difference overall.

I know other alloy GT's have been attempted to be passed off as the US made Zaskars. One of my earlier riding buddies had a Pantera and I was quite a cool bike especially with the Marzocchi Bombers.
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
mik_git said:
Someone was saying that using autosol on zaskars isn't great as it does something to the ball burnishing...or some such, don't know haven't tried it on mine (but it is all stuffed up from my sweat!)...whereas it worked great on my xizang...till about 13 seconds later and it was all covered in fingerprints
Click to expand...
You are probably right there. I don't know since I don't have an alloy GT. When in doubt, don't do it and research more or test under the bottom of the rear dropout or somewhere else not noticeable.

Ti is bad for fingerprints. I find the buffing pad helps and keep the dull stealthy look instead of going banana's for mirror finishes.

We have to race these Zangers once day, you know that :love:
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
kevinicus said:
Not interested in sticking on Zaskar stickers on an Avalanche frame. In fact, I'm not interested in stickers at all. I'm going with a stealthy clean look. The stamp on the top tube is enough for me.
Click to expand...
It will come and great and should be fun project. You learn a lot.

I'm keen to see how it will end up. Keep us posted.
 
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