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If you could restore a bike to look NOS

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Imagine this: you're six years old and your dad brings home a fully restored Bluebird. And now imagine he brings home the sweatiest rideable rust-bucket Bluebird with lots of history, original parts, and "patina" you've ever seen. What say you, collectors of kid's rideable toys? ( Or imagine a repop Bluebird? A bright shinny chrome-plated Krate? Etc., Etc., )
 
NRCS members have said that there’s more 427 tri-powered vettes out there than built. Some are close to fooling even the best collector. So it comes down to the paper trail. I’ve seen collectors hire professionals to inspect vintage cars. They spend hours going over just the paint thickness. I’ve always wondered what they charge? If you’re collecting to make a buck or to go out and enjoy your new found find and not worry about a flat tire on a reproduction? There has to be a place for the caretakers
 
Imagine this: you're six years old and your dad brings home a fully restored Bluebird. And now imagine he brings home the sweatiest rideable rust-bucket Bluebird with lots of history, original parts, and "patina" you've ever seen. What say you, collectors of kid's rideable toys? ( Or imagine a repop Bluebird? A bright shinny chrome-plated Krate? Etc., Etc., )
The topic of the thread was to talk about what bike you would choose to restore to look NOS as opposed to leaving it original. Why does latter always have to be portrayed as the worst rust bucket and full of Patina? I bought my 6 year old a beautiful '72 Schwinn with no restoration what so ever. It still had great chrome and it was unlike any other kids bike. Everyone loves it and always asks about it. I choose the crusty Phantom for myself because I'm up to date with my tetanus shots and I'm no longer need shiny chrome to impress me. If I had to restore one bike it would be my 1976 Huffy Thunder road as it was the first new bike I owned. Who is buying a Bluebird for their 6 year old anyway?
 
I'm a restorer at heart. I've been sifting through other peoples' curbside heaps since I was seven years old. I believe in the notion that "one's man's trash is another man's treasure." We were raised up to believe in recycling old things because sometimes new things weren't always available to us. Saving special things is good. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation saved an entire historic city. The millions of people who have gone there over the last nearly 100 years have memories they will cherish for a lifetime. Old houses are a little bit like bikes. They suffer from the ravages of time and tide. Every now and then they need to be restored. A house with a leaky roof will not last.

Bikes are living treasures, but they are not static works of art. We love bikes because they are beautiful but they also gave us something nothing else in the world could, freedom. That freedom, however, was often very hard on those bikes. My first bike is gone. No, really gone. If I ever am able to find one of its stable mates, I will restore it so that it looks just like it did that Christmas morning all those years ago. Then...well, I'm gonna take it out and ride it like a rented mule. And if I wear it slam out in the few good years of riding I have left, I'll restore it again. Where I'm going, I'll probably need a nice bike.
 
I prefer original every day, with the history associated with patina. Although if I could have a well restored bike that appears NOS, I would love to have a Monark Holiday or a prewar Dayton Twinflex.👍

I have seen a few restored Monarks that were real nice, but little details like fender pinstripes, rivets on the rear cheese grater rack, we’re not done exactly like original style and just took away from the appeal for me.

Now a true NOS bicycle…. Well that’s what dreams are made of.

Just my 2 cents. I personally like the patina and history associated with that on an original bike.
 
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There is a good example of a bad restoration for sale around these parts right now.
Examples such as this give restorations a bad name.

Methinks too many of these have soured many a collector and made them dislike any restored bike.
 
If I did restore a bike to NOS I’d worry about getting a scratch or ding .
True , I don’t want my original paint Shelby or autocycle to fall over but I’d actually be more upset if the one higher end restored bike I have got a big scratch or ding. That is the one bike I don’t ride .
I should sell that one.
 
You guys remember this one , that was painted. Actually was past off as original paint cause the buyer didn’t believe me . Took for ever for me to get it done

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That they're new and shiny. Doesn't do anything for me, I will walk (or scroll) right past it without thinking twice, but I'll stop to look at something cool that is original. I guess it's similar to how some people don't like Schwinns, or some only collect muscle bikes, while others only collect prewar bikes. Just personal preference.
The fact that many people use the word restored incorrectly, doesn't help. Seems like the majority of "restorations" are either overdone, or done incorrectly with wrong or missing parts. To me, in order to truly restore something, is to bring it back to exactly how it left the factory. There was a guy on ebay not too long ago selling a "restored" bike, where everything (including the tires!) was spray painted black. The word just gets tossed around too loosely.


If I personally had the ability to do this, I still wouldn't, simply because I prefer original. If someone else were to accomplish this, I don't know if I'd like it or not without seeing it. It would probably depend on the execution of said restoration; however, nothing beats original.
Totally agree. There was a “restored” Monark S. Deluxe on Ebay lately but amazingly it had modern aluminum wheels with a Nexus rear hub, & non correct seat. And the asking price was $7200!!!

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