Nice report !!
You are a BRAVE man to attack the paint on a $1000 bike ... but great results well done.
ditto the question on riding hands free - I too find it really hard to do on a Brommie (but fine on other bikes) .. so what changed ?? .. was your last brompton the one with shorter front frame (changed 3-4 years ago) ? I cant imagine its the cables .. but ???
Finally - those neons inside clear tyres are really cool - where did you get them ?