1983 GT Pro

[Bathtub57]

Bit of a story to me getting to this point.  Having been involved as most of us were in the early to mid 80's I left the scene in 1985 when Martini, Farahs and girls became more important to me than my bike.  I got into BMX when a new kid joined my school - Tom Lynch was pretty amazing on a bike and until he arrived at my school in 1981 I'd never seen a BMX! The bike I had back then was a Huffy Pro Thunder which came back from the States as we'd lived there in '82 and '83.  Sadly it got trashed about 4 years ago when my Dad had a clear out.  About 3 years ago my wifes dad was also having a clear out and found her brothers burner.  I was always dismissive of burners as not being proper bikes, but I thought I'd restore it in matching colors to my VW camper and use it at shows to get around Santa Pod more efficiently.  That bike got done and I accumulated excess parts on the way - that included a 1983 GT Pro frame and forks.  I then decided to build this as a 'found in the shed' type of bike using knackered, but quality components.  Being new to restoration my frankenstein attempt looks pretty naff compared to the amazing projects I see on here, but it's been great fun and I am becoming more and more hooked as I go along.  I've decided to avoid distractions and over spending to stick with 'my era'.  That is '81 - '85, short but the sweet spot of bikes in my opinion.  I've recently bought a Pro Thunder frame in almost NOS condition and will build a replica of my old bike (with Z rims, Dia Compe brakes, CW bars, etc etc).  Anyway this GT is ongoing - I need to but a red rear dia comp cable but they are rare as rare can be it seems - the green cable is dia compe as I'd rather have a green cable than a red crap one.  I'd love to get some feedback and some suggestions where I should make changes, or if the components I have are not what I think they are!

Specs are;
GT Pro frame and forks
Kashimax Saddle
Sugino mary cross crank
Sugino bear trap pedals - one cage is cracked
Dia Compe brakes - MX 1000(?) caliper and Tech 3 lever
New Comp 3 tires from Alans BMX
UKAI wheels
Izumi chain
OG Mushroom grips
Suntour stem
Tuf Neck seat clamp
OG GT pads

The bike is amazing to ride, it feels really light, stiff and I just wish I'd had it at Wolverton and MK 25 years ago when I was clunking around on my steel frame Huffy, who knows what might have been...........

Thanks for looking guys, feel free to comment.

This was its first incarnation just ridable



Some of the bits











and as it is now (just blank out the green cable from your mind  )

[Andy68]

Love a GT and liking the 'rider' build, top job.    Must ask tho, are you a giant??     Ya gonna get lots of, 'lower the seat post and pull the bars back a bit!'   

[Bathtub57]

Haha no I'm not 7'3" and the bike does need setting up better as I just fit the new seat and post.  I'll get on to that soonest.  Cheers.

[markyp]

nice rider,nothing to be ashamed of there fella,its always nice to have a bike to ride in to the ground and a you cant beat a gt

[AKGOFF]

Love a GT Pro, great build mate.

[Rodgy1970]

turned out smashin   

[rollin72]

bazzing rider..have you still got the seat from the 1st pic? i'd try it with the layback seatpost as the mx is too straight for a layback, only my opinion though, cracking bike

[Bathtub57]

Thanks for the comments guys.  I think I'm going to go back to a straight post with the MX, I do have a NOS Aero in red but it looked too new on this!  The seat in the first pics is a crappy repro.  Jobs to do are to fit the front brake, buy a GT seat post and switch the tuf neck clamp for a red dia compe, and find that elusive rear cable (I have a front, they seem to be quite common).  I'm also starting to accumulate parts for the Huffy.  Going to MK11 has not helped in this growing addiction.

[hunterdubber]

2 nice rides there fella 

GT's are a top choice IMO for riders

love your 85 Cab too 

[Bathtub57]

It's all part of the mind life crisis!  Dubs have been part of my life for 20 years now - the cabby is my daily run around, known as the Turd for its appealing color!  Great fun though.   

[Bathtub57]

Slight update, I've gone back to a straight post, although I'm still on the hunt for an original GT which is proving hard to find,  I've also changed the front tyre to a 2.125.  I'm also still on the hunt for a rear dia compe red cable, seen a few pop up but they go for good money.  Generally trying to get the new bits weather in to suit the rest of the bike.

The bike rides nicely, I'm hoping to get up to Runnymead soon for a full test as I'm trying to get some of the old skills back, seems like I'm limited to bunny hops for now - it's the flex in the rear brake that's holding me back 

[stidds]

That looks ace 

I like the green cable on the bike personally.  I had a pink cable on my old factory GT bike bitd, looked exactly like yours but with a pink cable.

[animal]