Let's say. . .
 

. . . you acquired a classic bike (any bike, dream big). Assume that it was basically complete, but left a bit to be desired cosmetically (read that: it's ugly ). If the paint was marred and decals were rough (replacements not available), what would you do? Would you just clean it, take care of the mechanicals and leave the cosmetics alone, or would you just repaint it/personalize it? For the sake of argument, keep your present mechanical and financial situation in mind as you answer.

I know this is highly subjective, but it is intended to be. I am just curious what direction others would take.

Well, when I got an old Nishiki at a yard sale, I fell in love with the frame, but not it's condition! So, I repainted it, built up a nice set of new wheels, put on an old vintage Shimano 600 groupo, and ended up with a sweet old usable bike. Including paint and parts, way less than $100 invested in a great old bike. worked for me.

I had handed to me (no, I mean rally handed to me) a '73 Raleigh Competition that is straight and ridable, but:

A. Is UGLY!
B. Does not have it's Huret, Campy GS gruppo in place. Early Dura Ace, Suntour Cyclone bits are in their place.

So, since it's not original, why not personalize it? I want it to be instantly recognizable as a Comp Frame (and show off those Crown lugs), so I'm going to do it up in a couple of colors. Black will definitely be the base color, but I'm waffling between yellow and red accents or turquoise lugs and stays with the rest being black (gotta make those Carlton stickers look good!).

I've got a source for the decal set (a local legend framebuilder is an acquaintance of mine, he has them for restorations), I need a headbadge of the proper vintage and a few months of love to devote to stripping, priming, painting, masking, sanding, painting, sanding, painting, sanding painting, decalling, painting, painting, painting, sanding........

Depends on the bike....

If I ever get a second shot at a beautiful 1930s 6 Day Racer I passed up awhile ago it'll stay in its original paint. Same thing if I ever find a 1930s-50s English "Clubman" Racer.

In your case I'd personalise with a clear conscience. The bike has already lost its original components. At least the DA is a performance improvement over the Huret. I would try to find or at least have decals made so that the bike is still a Raleigh.

The fact is relatively few bikes will ever be featured on Antiques Roadshow or draw real big money on eBay. If a paintjob keeps a quality bike on the road I think that's a good deal.

For me the question becomes what do I intend to
do with the bike?
if I want it for private collection, never to be ridden
I'd leave it alone. This is especially true of something with
historical significance, say Fausto's Bianchi.
If I were going to show it, send it off to restorer
(Brian Baylis, Jim Bell) to be made new again (they can
replicate decals etc.).
If I were going to ride it, I'd clean it up a bit but leave
it in somewhat original condition.
If I had the desire to repaint, put on current drivetrain
(ergo, sti, whatever), I'd sell it to someone who would
appreciate it for what it is.

Marty

After riding it for several years, I finally commissioned CyclArt to repaint my 1959 Capo. Since the frame and fork had already been repainted once, I was spared the usual original-finish angst.

For economic reasons, I did not have the original foil decals ("Modell Campagnolo" on top tube, Austrian eagle on seat tube) reproduced, but Susan did make me a pair of white drop-shadowed CAPO decals for the downtube, and sold me a genuine Reynolds 531 decal for the seat tube. [It's too bad Reynolds never made German-language 531 decals!] I copied the colour scheme (red with white head tube, to show off the exceptionally ornate lugwork) of an original-finish 1961 Capo I saw on the Internet.

The final result looks fabulous. (I told Jim this was much more fun than buying a new bicycle!) My wife especially likes the red-and-white lace look of the head lugs. (I have seen Capo Modell Campagnolos with and without chromed lugs, half-forks, and half-stays. Since I live a km downwind of the Pacific Ocean, Jim warned me strongly against chrome.) My Capo is definitely a rider, not a museum piece. Not wishing to return to the dark ages of cottered cranks, steel seat posts, and heavy brass Campag. Gran Sport derailleurs, I have installed a 26.4mm Campag. microadjust seatpost, a Campag. Veloce crankset, and an early 1980s Campag. rear derailleur. I have retained the original Weinmann brake calipers and Campag. downtube shift levers.

Bearing in mind I'm more into lowriders and cruisers, I probably wouldn't ever buy a bike that I didn't intend to respray, unless it was either a new reproduction or it had recently been painted. As for classic road bikes, I'm not big on sentimentality, so unless the paint and decals were in great condition, I'd probably repaint it anyway, maybe adding my own hand-painted logos so I don't forget who made it.

I remember an ad for a T-shirt that I saw in the back of Hot Rod Magazine many moons ago. It showed a man propped up on a huge chainsaw and standing next to a chopped Woody with a caption underneath that read, "Anyone can restore an antique, it takes a real man to cut one up."

Having said that, I think I'll make a chopper out of the Gitane. . .

I'd get the darn thing properly painted and silkscreen the decals up myself. I'm debating doing this for the 73 PX10E I use as a fixed gear.