I am biased, and pretty much go with the new bike every time.

Surlys are also pretty well made and spec'ed out quite well. Nothing wrong with 26" wheels, unless you're planning to take the bike on a fast club ride.

However, if you are good at fixing up your own bikes, and the Volpe is in good shape, and the Volpe fits, and/or you have lots of spare parts around, it'd be fine for touring.

P.S., I'd be less worried about what year the Volpe was built, and more how many miles it's got. If they put 2,000 miles on it, you might need to replace the chain and that's it. 10,000 miles, and you might need to replace the entire drivetrain soon...