Here are a couple of my recent "before" and "after" projects:

1976 Centurion Super LeMans (Before)

centurion_before.jpg

1976 Centurion Super LeMans (After)

centurion_nearly .jpg

Late 60's/early 70's Bottecchia Special (Before)

bottecchia_before..jpg

Late 60's/early 70's Bottecchia Special (After)

bottecchia_repain.jpg

The Bottecchia cost me $20. The paint was the most fugitive color fade I've ever seen! I opted to paint and decal it in a retro/contemporary blend which - while not purist - I find very attractive. The Centurion cost me about ten bucks more, as I recall, but I got an almost perfect condition mid-70's Raleigh Sprite in the deal. Huge chunks of paint had flaked off and bare metal was exposed. I came up with a fairly close match to the original pearlescent orange paint. The metallic lettering was hand cut, something I learned to do as a graphic designer years ago.