Nothing wrong with adding brifters IMHO.
My latest project. Sold in 1987 as a frameset only (7 speed). It is now sporting modern wheels, all 2003 era Ultegra 9 speed components including brifters (except for crankset, its a Tiagra compact crank with a hollowtech II bottom bracket, FD which is still Shimano 600 tricolor, and the seat post, which is Shimano 600). Pretty far from original design. But no drilling, no grinding, no irreversible changes. Trading for a different wheelset, then I will be "done" (for now). And then I will add clipless pedals, and probably upgrade the computer to a Garmin product. Then I will be done... (Yeah, sure).
I rationalize since the bike was only sold as a frameset, there really was no "original" component set up on this bike.
My next project will be either upgrading my 1984 Lotus to nine speed, or the 1986 Basso frameset I have.
