Sorry, I'm lazy today so not reading the entire thread before posting...

Commuting on a c&v bike is the way to go IMO. But riding a NR equipped classic on which you like to prevent paint damage and such is a bit of a burden. So commute on a sweet frame, which has some patina and is equipped with say Shimano 105 7speed with DT shifters. You can easily do some substantial mileage and with a big smile on your face, cause of the smooth drivetrain and shifting. Getting it stolen would be a disaster, but you'll always have those other bikes which will really make one suicidal when they're stolen. So it's not the end of the world. Yet.

Just make sure your lock(s) is high end stuff. And wax the frame to give it some protection from the great outdoors.

Happy commuting!