Univega Gran Turismo 58cm

Description

This bike is a vintage Univega Gran Turismo, from around 1984, though I don't exactly remember the year but I think that is right. It was in a garage kept in perfect condition unused since it was made practically, and includes the original front cloth zipper bag, the leather toe clips, seat, and a set of TWO original water bottles. The last year, however, I rode it everywhere, and unfortunately had the bright idea to ride it recently on a slightly rainy day and there is a thin layer of dirt now on parts. Make a higher offer and I'll clean it off before I send it, otherwise clean it yourself when you get it. Underneath the layer there is very little damage, scratches or anything. Bike has been tuned a handful of times, and chain lubed regularly. Some rust on the spokes unfortunately from riding near the beach for a year. I will try to get better pictures of the hardware and see if I can find sizing information on there, but in the chance that I cannot, I am 5' 11" and the bike is slightly too big for me, so I think it is 58cm.
Pictures and descriptions below are not my own, but from other people with similar bikes. Mine was in better condition of any of them until I rode it for a year, now it needs to be cleaned up, needs new bar tape, and needs new spokes, has a few scratches from regular use but nothing gnarly. I need to go home and get better pictures of the hardware to confirm what it is using currently.
Below are descriptions of other similar bikes for your informational needs:
https://rjl.us/velo/83univegapix-1.htm
https://store.bicycleczar.com/57cm-UNIVEGA-Gran-Turismo-Lugged-Japan-Suntour-Tou-p/02200024.htm
https://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2010/cc755-jamesbooth0310.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/97652170@N00/sets/72157621793160091/
1984
Univega
Gran Turismo
Serial:
M515101
Manufacturer:
Univega
Name:
GT
Model:
Gran Turismo
Year:
1984
Primary colors:
Silver, gray or bare metal
Frame size:
58CM
Wheel diameter:
27in
Frame Material:
Steel
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES• Two pairs of braze-ons on front drop-outs, one pair on rear drop-outs, one pair lowrider braze-ons on sides of front fork, cantilever bosses and a rear cantilever cable hanger, and a distinctive triangular braze-on on the right chain stay to protect the rear derailleur cable from the chain • Tange Nova headset • Sugino GT 170 crankset w/ triple front chainring (52-48-28t) • Sylvan touring pedals • 13-34 rear cassette on a Shimano 105 hum • Suntour Mountech front derailleur • Shimano Deore XT rear derailleur • Rivendel silver bar-end shifters • Brooks B-17 leather saddle, honey-colored • Dia-compe 981 cantilever brakes • Nitto Technomic Stem • 46cm Nitto Noodle bars, with tan cork finished with twine and amber shellac • Tektro R100 brake levers with Cane Creek gum hoods • Suntour sealed-bearing hub on front wheel • 27” Araya rims • 27x1 1/2” Panaracer Pasela tires • Velo Orange fenders • Nitto Big Back Rack • A few scratches on the top tube
so im trying not to be sentimental about this one. a great deal has popped up and i need to make some room.  bought this to replace my 84 miyata 1000, which was stolen.  the 84 gran turismo was a rebranded 84 miyata 1000. some components were the only differences. same color, same braze ons etc. univega's top of the line touring bike at the time (i think. the specialissima and gran turismo traded that title a couple times, but in 84, i think this was the top model.)
it is double butted cr-mo, lugged, in a sparkly silver. made in japan. it had almost no miles on it, when i got it and i haven't put many on myself. garaged its entire life.  everything is in amazing shape. just short of time capsule shape. a few minor scratches here and there, but nothing that even made it through the primer. rustless and frame savered to ensure it.  the only issue of note is a semi pinched seatpost binder.  i am selling this without the wheelset. originally, this bike came with 27 inch wheels, but 700c fits in fine with barely any brake adjustment needed. i am running 40mm little big ben's with no problem. 35mm with fenders. could maybe get to 38 with fenders too.
2 water bottle mounts2 front drop out eyeletsrear rack mountsfender mount at the seat stay bridge
cool miyata specific braze ons:loop chain slap protectorchain hangerpop out mid fork mountsrear brake cable hanger bridge
suntour dt shifterssuntour front derailleursuntour mountech rear derailleurcanti brakesoriginal rear racksugino gt triple crank.
new vo porteur bars on a dirt drop style stemnew shimano brake leversnew mks touring pedals with half cages
i can also swap out the porteur bars for cr-mo albatross.  also have a lklm stout/stainless front rack i can throw on. image here
not really sure how to price it. i guess i'd like to get between 350-400$ depending on if you want the albatross and front rack or not. does not come with wheels, bottle cage, wald basket, kickstand or brooks saddle (but i will put a saddle on it if you want.)
About finding & restoring a time-capsule, almost unridden 1983 Gran Turismo
Part 2: the restored bike! (with some 2018 changes as indicated)
I finally finished the restoration of the bike in September 2011
after playing with the work all summer. It didn't need much actually, besides a new BB, handlebar covering & brake hoods, tires; tubes; & cloth. Also replaced a few things (see below).
And,
the bike rides grrrreat!!
It's like riding a on a magic carpet - quiet, the best shifting I can remember (28t largest cog never hurts!), nimble and comfy, brakes work perfectly with no squeal, and looks, in my opinion, pretty doggone good in sliver, silver, and brown!
(2018 note: maybe my color perception is changing; I plan to 'phase out' the brown parts for black, maybe gray handlebar tape; I think it looks better with the silver & gray).
And I'm
sold again on a standard-5 freewheel
after shifting with this. Lots of space for the chain, and sturdy, quiet shifts (granted it's a 14-28 at present!).
I've kept it mostly original 1983, but:
Replaced:
- Replaced the squirrel-gnawed original with a
Brooks "Flyer"
brown seat (the springed B17) .. seat, not saddle dammitt!
- Swapped the original MKS AR-1 quill pedals for
MKS Sylvan touring
'prime', since I like the wider cages (a little shinier seems to be the only difference with that 'prime' addition).
- Tires to
Panaracer 'Pasela tourguard' 27x1.25
.
- Brake hoods with
Cane Creek
brown (what else? see below for 2018 what else!).
- Replaced the still pristine but now old stock Dia-Compe pads with nice
Velo Orange adjustable brake pads
(the black, regular compound).
- I swapped the regular Dia-Compe triangular canti
cable hangers
with the "wheeled" ones from my 1984 Trek 830
- Replaced the 48t
chainring
with a Sugino 40t (need to replace the 52 with a 48 or so).
- The BB needed replacement as mentioned; got the excellent
Tange LN-3922
sealed; the 127.5 fit about right with the GT crankset, maybe 125'd be a wee bit better.
- Replaced the
brake cable housings
with some cool translucent silver (reused the still perfect original cables!) from the very-recommended Porkchop BMX folks (the original derailleur cable housings are the wound-stainless SunTours, so also match well).
- Had to replace the original Esge
fender struts
, as the original installer (see below?) had trimmed them absolutely down to the minimum edge of the bolts for the original 1.125 tires; adding the 1.25s necessitated longer, so found a set of NOS Bluemels struts that works well. These remain untrimmed at the ends of course!
- replaced most eyelet
bolts
with new stainless; a few were already thus.
Added:
-
Grab-on maxi grips
(I've used them since before even this bike was made!)
-
Tressostar brown tape
over the Grab-ons. Used 4 rolls total and silicone adhesive in some areas for additional durability. This was my first attempt at taping over Grab-Ons for better look and durability; I did a little bit of a hatchet-job [later I've come to call this my 'disheveled mummy look'], but not too bad.
- Original
Mirrycle
rear-view mirrors mounted on the brake levers (both left and right; it's a real luxury to have two instead of one on a tour bike!). The photos here show the 'Third Eye' bar-end mirror that I had in the interim; I didn't like this position as much after trying it, so was pleased to replace with Mirrycles when they arrived).
- Added MKS
pedal flips
(but rats! - I can't use the reflector on that side anymore with the flips).
- Added
Crane 'Suzu'
brass bell.
- Added Sugino
Autex
bolts for the cranks.
- Added a Velo-Orange "elk leather"
chainstay protector
(this isn't very good quality, and will probably peel off soon; we'll see).
- I even contacted the original Greg's Greenlake Cyclery to get
logo water bottles
... I'm guessing that this bike rolled out of the shop 28 years ago with their bottles in the cages.
A later (late 2011) update on that idea: I telephoned them several times but got switched back & forth to people who knew nothing - the same person several times - & in the interim holds listening to corporate propaganda about how huge their several stores are, before being promised an email back but no reply... suffice to say it took numerous attempts! Finally agreed to have them mail me two ( shipped, a lot, but was going for the match, you see). Unfortunately, while their logo still looks like the one on the frame sticker, they have their website THREE %$**ing times in large print on the bottles!
Not historically correct, dangit
! (And no telephone number on them, oddly, which I'd think'd be more useful, after all
what idiot can't find a website?
)
Removed:
- Ditched the front & wheel reflectors.
- Removed the 'keep the axle 1cm from the back' rear dropout screw-ins
- Removed the pump umbrella clip, handlebar bag bungee hooks, etc. of course.
- Also added, then removed in buffing, lots of car-polish!
Still to do
(2011; partially revised, see below):
- Maybe I'll swap the
freewheel for a 13-34
or the like.
- Maybe try a behind the seat tube
pump
fit, Zefal HP silver if I can get one, I suppose.
- Wd. like to get some US-made
Jim Blackburn
lowrider & standard front racks too...
- Maybe get a decent era
Avocet touring II
seat (a rare brown one?)!
- Add some
reflectivity
- maybe tape on the fenders and some velcro-on wheel reflectors like Rivendell used to have.
In autumn 2018 I made a few changes:- Three things below in the new
'I changed my mind; brown doesn't go with gray anymore'
theme:
1. Changed seat to
Brooks B17 black
(I think black looks better with silver & gray). The brown flyer that I added 2011 was on my Kibo for a year or so, then I moved it to my new Woodrup touring bike (and the old green & brass B17 from the previously incarnated LHT touring bike went on the Kibo).
2. Wrapped bars/Grab-Ons/brown tape over with
Newbaum's tape, black
.
3. Changed brake hoods to
Dia Compe 204 semi-anatomic, black
(completion of the 'un-brownification', and better than the Cane Creek ones) (what else in 2018 now includes Dia Compe 204 hoods)
- Changed shifters to 'historical'
Suntour LD-1500
ratchets - the very set of ST ratchet shifters that I bought new in 1982, and which last 'rode' September 21st 1983 (35 years ago exactly!!) on my 1960s Dawes, the night I crashed it. So sort of an anniversary. I don't think I have any other bike parts from that bike. Besides, they're nice shifters!
- Replaced the 52t outer chainring with a Sugino 48t, and the 2011-installed 40 middle with a Sugino 38; so
now I have a nice 'symmetrical' 28-38-48
.
- Added a proper
stainless chainstay protector
(& ripped off that damned VO 'elk hide' one).
- Added
Jim Blackburn front rack & lowrider
(these originally bought in the early 1980s for my Cannondale ST-500; probably won't tour with this much, what with my Woodrup & Kibo, but as it has the lowrider mounts may as well dress it up for future possibilities!). (I have NOS too, but my old used ones have historical/sentimental value like the shifters! These toured around Lake Superior in 1990, among elsewhere)
- Replaced the LH Mirrycle (had busted in moving/storage sometime 2012-2017).
- Pleaded, compelled, threatened, and reasoned with fenders to clear the tires... Grimaced at the unsightly fender line (thanks to Mr. Phillip Clark for originally pointing that out).
What I haven't done yet...
is swap out the 27" wheels for 700c.
This bike is way too tight with 27" wheels for wide tires, let alone fenders! 700c would solve this to a large degree.
I have an
interim set of 700c wheels
: Mavic 550 hubs with Campagnolo Omega 36° rims. Great wheels, but a little late & non-Japansese for this bike... And I just can't bear to not use the NOS wheels!
So maybe will
wait and build a new set
with my in-stock NOS
Suntour, Specialized, or Avocet sealed hubs and Velocity Atlas or Nobs rims
in 2019.)
- I'll see if the Dia Compe 981 cantilever brakes will adjust OK to use 700c wheels. Else
may swap with Kibo for the Dia-Compe 983 eccentrics
.
This is my first Univega, and first Japanese touring bike. I like it.
If you missed it, here's all about the bike and what it was like when I found it unchanged from 1983!Or just
go to the pictures
if you haven't already! The first ones are immediately after I got the bike home
*all original dust is still intact*
, and then after all restored and polished.
A few links of reference for this bike:(but I believe this page is the best documentation for the bike anywhere as far as componentry and construction)
Someone else's 83 GT on Bikeforums
- and still more if you search.
Another 83 GT
, this one got a little 'bastardmodernized', not a lot, wheels mostly...
Here's an
appreciative commentary on the Univega 'concept'
& history.
I originally posted the first part
: pre-restore on Bikeforums.
I originally posted the second part:
post-restore there too.
1983 Univega Gran Turismo Part I - Does the old dog have any new tricks?
1983 Univega Gran Turismo
Made in Japan from Chromoly Tubing (straight gauge), 27" wheelset, 3x5 gearing, cantilever brakes, 44cm chainstays, single eyelets on the rear stamped dropouts, double eyelets on the fork (possibly hi-ten straight gauge fork legs) and one set of water bottle mounts on the downtube. The Suntour BlueLine components are clamped to the frame with only top tube cable guides brazed on. It's built with the strength for fully loaded touring and most conclude that the frame is identical to the Miyata 610 of the same year.
It is not a lightweight thin-wall race frameset and you can feel the frame's extra pound of weight in your hand. I'll report back on the road feel though as it is still highly regarded by those who choose to eschew the latest and lightest in favor of sturdy and reliable loaded down bikes that steadily eat up the miles.
The photo shows the bike exactly how it came to me.
Honestly its in great condition and the paint is excellent, still showing carefully lined lugs and the colorful Univega "U" on the seat tube. New tires were a bonus on the alloy 27" rims. The components were in great nick as well. I'll keep them in case I decide to put it back to stock. Honestly I'm only interested in the frame for the moment.
My goal? See if this old dog can run with the new dogs. Ever since I sold my Surly Cross Check I've regretted it due to its split personality and versatility. Instead of dropping 0 on a new frame (and nearly as much for used right now) I decided to give a vintage bike an honest to goodness shot at winning my heart.