I think part of the confusion here is the purpose of this section. Is it: "What would you pay for this bike?" or is it: "What would this bike sell for in your market?"
I always answer postings with the latter question in mind. Most of the time, the figures I give are what I have sold the same model of bike for in my market, or as a minimum, a similar model. So its my personal selling experience. Since my market is average, maybe just slightly better than average, I will occasionally adjust up my estimate for a red hot market (SF, NYC, Portland, OR, and a few more).
I've sold several dozen Treks in the past several years, several of them were 330s. Not a single one went to a collector. Maybe its just my market. Buyers here are looking for a road bike. Most could care less that it is vintage. They just don't want to drop $800 to $1000 into a new LBS road bike, so they are seeking alternatives. Trek is a name most recognize and respect. So they sell well, really well.
Some buyers are attracted to steel frame bikes, not as a collectable, but instead for the perceived "better" ride. Maybe a friend told them to get a steel bike, or perhaps they read it somewhere on the web.
Actually, out of 500 bikes sold, none so far has gone to a collector. About a quarter of the buyers were attracted to the style and aesthetics of a vintage bike (looks "cool"). Sold a Motobecane once to a college student, he just wanted a french bike. "Wow, its a french bike!" He could care less of the components, what the frame was made out of, or whatever. The rest were just looking for a road bike at a more attractive price.
Last edited by wrk101; 07-11-13 at 03:57 PM.