Originally Posted by
geezerwheels
....and not be mortified with fear or get enraged if I lock it on a parking meter and go to a restaurant, and someone comes along and chains his beater to the same post and scratches my bike.
this is not to say that I don't appreciate and admire a beautiful restoration. Just that it's not for me. (plus I'm already committing heresy with a Suntour RD and FW ;^)
bottom line is I value all the opinions that have been offered here, because they all have clarified what's at stake, and helped me make a decision.
Just for that reason alone if you're going to refinish, you're going to want to go with a powder coat. The powder coat is quite remarkable, as a welder I've had to grind powder coat off to make welds and it's harder and takes longer to remove than zinc galvanze. Likewise is also strong enough that I can powder coat a piece of say flat 10 gauge half round wire, and then bend it with mandrel and rawhide hammer into a bracelet or ring with no surface damage.
Though looking at your pics I personally would just do touch ups and keep it clean. It's not in that bad of shape.