That's because we don't get to see all-original, unrestored C2 Corvettes that spent their entire life indoors as much as we see bicycles of the same age that have.

If you could put a pristine original vehicle next to an over-restored duplicate, most fellows here would gravitate towards the original one. That outrageously smooth, completely wet-sanded clearcoat is exactly what will turn the purists off in any other hobby, and that's why most fellows here are against it.

Finding someone who can execute a repaint absolutely identical to a typical 1970's factory finish - thin, somewhat dull, flawed, and complete with silkscreen or ink decals that aren't under an outrageously thick cleacoat - well, these fellows are few and far between.

Consider the finish on my Peugeot PY-10. It's no award winner. In fact, it's not particularly smooth or glossy at all, but it looks the part - mainly because it is the real deal. Slap a glossy paint job on it, and kill the look; not to mention the lug shorelines.





While we're on the topic of shorelines, let me point out that a sharp shoreline does not excuse a strange paint job either. Consider the ever-prevalent polyurethane Imron/Deltron look (and if you need an example, just look at an early Trek). Sure, it looks deep and glossy without ruining the shorelines, but does it look right? For a 1980's Trek, yes. For Nervex lugs? Questionable:



It reflects too much light in too many directions. I'm tolerant of this repaint; don't know why though. I'd be up in arms if I saw the same thing on a PY-10.

Compare that reflection-laden paint to the factory paint job the '82 Superiors came with:



Even though it's very glossy, it's a lot easier to look at, isn't it? It isn't as thick, and the edges are defined crisply.

Another example - 1980 Team Miyata. Not too glossy, not too dull (mind you, photo shows it in a state necessitating a polish job) and the shorelines are well defined. Very much like the PY10, but the paint is smoother:



On the other hand, a modern pant job. It is nice for a custom (which this is), it's crisp at the edges, and it looks glossy as heck. Would it look right on the Peugeot? No. Does it suit this modern Terraferma track bike? Yes.





Then there are the exceptions to the rule. Here's a KOF from the early 1990's (a MASI Nuova Strada) which has an original paint job no different than the green Terraferma - with decals under the clear as an original feature, no less! Unsurprisingly, the Nuova Stradas were painted by Jim Allen, here in the States. Our obsession with deep clearcoats already corrupted the traditional look before lugged steel frames became passé. At any rate, this is how they came, and I don't dislike it for its appearance, for that's the acceptable appearance for a Nuova Strada, as delivered.



In fact, it might be very difficult to identify a repainted Nuova Strada, for most modern paint jobs (those of which treat the shorelines correctly) wind up looking just like this.

-Kurt