Recreating those amazing paint jobs... 1990's GT

[reanimation]

So back in 91 I worked a paper round in a shop next to my local bike shop, Cycle Gear, I saved up and haggled a wonderful chunky heavy 18" blue GT Tequesta with the best paint job a luxuriously thick coat of blue with black splatter runs and white splatter dots. Wonderful. A mate bought a Karakorum in the black colour, all of these 1991 colours were ace.

Fast forward and I have hoarded a 1992 groove tube Avalanche that's been neglected and showing rust. What to do? Easiest is a blast and powdercoat and decal, harder is recreating a GT legend paint.... :| I'm not super keen on the 92 anyway though it would be easy to do, cow print achieved by lack paint sponged on. The 1991 zebra was nicer though. Hmm so what to do? Any wisdom, tips or ideas? I'm feeling nostalgic and that can only mean dragging this project out (as soon as the others are done)!

 

[reanimation]

[/color]

91


My rusty 92 cow print

 

[reanimation]

Other easy options are a bravado yellow or even better I saw someone here with a flipped bravado, blue with yellow decals so blue with white decals is an option...

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Easy mark!

That's the dalmation colour scheme. I cannot think of any early 90's 'jackson pollock' paint job that would be easy to do, replicate.

However, that dalmation could be done easier than some. I would powdercoat white then take my time to re-do the black splodges myself.
Use some old bike and experiment 'til you get it right.
Take loads of pics to follow later, then decal/lacquer it all.

I can't even envisage how GT did them, i mean the inferno red has white dots that look like acid has been splashed in the paint!

Let's see how you get on. You could be a repro pioneer here or, touch the white rusty bits up with dulux satin

 

[reanimation]

Hiya Marc, thanks, that's it isn't it. I've only ever rattle canned and though it come out well it is fragile. If I had a paint booth and oven or something I'd be real tempted to have a go used to so some splatter work at Art college. In many ways a straight colour would do as the high end tended to be one colour or maybe two. White, or yellow or blue as yellow doesn't suit me, or even metallic hmm

 

[drystonepaul]

Re:

The black splodges on the 92 Avalanche and the purple/blue ones on the 92 Team Avalanche would have been applied with a sponge. Pretty easy to do I reckon.

The thin black lines/stripes are dribbled on using a fine nozzle. The paint probably would have been warmed up to make it thinner and less viscous.

The white dots look to be drops of paint thinner splattered on while the colour coat was still wet, revealing the white base coat.

Of course all this would have been done by hand and each paint scheme is unique in that respect.

They are some of the best paint schemes out there in my opinion.

 

[yagamuffin]

Re:

sinnett177 hand finished an Alpinestars on here if you're looking for inspiration.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=130284&hilit=alpinestars+paint&start=20

 

[M-Power]

Re:

Great thread. It costs an arm and a leg to get these original paint schemes reproduced to the same standard. Sure they were done by some talented migrant Chinese worker living on a bowl of rice bitd.

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re:

That's why I am reluctant to do my 91 Karakoram Inferno, which is now orange instead of red and chipped etc. The paint design is still prominent so will leave alone for now.....would love to get it redone though.

 

[xxnick1975]

Dab the rust with krust and it will turn black