cheers for all your replies dudes.
i have inspected the frame and appears to be paint / rust free.
its a gt stamped seatpost 22.6mm see picture.
that anul lube is shi-ite - i lost a good butt plug because of that stuff. - made the bugger perish.
shall i just go ahead and buy a 22.2mm layback ?
who wants this gt layback - i sanded some paint off ( to see if it would help 'entering ' ) - but is still cool. ?