I just took an old Bianchi Sprint 76 (which I may have paid over the odds for, but what the heck), that probably "wasn't worth fixing" to most people, which had definitely seen better days... and I put it back on the road with a mix of Campy 9-speed Mirage & Veloce, + a set of Campy Khamsin wheels I got for a smokin' price off eBay - and I love it, absolutely brilliant to use for commuting into & out of the city.
Otherwise, it'd just be sitting in the back of a vintage Italian scooter shop in Ireland.
So *please* go and upgrade that old bike, and *enjoy it*.