I was looking at a friend's antique tractor. An early Oil-Pull. As you can see it has never been screwed with, still has the original paint. It's more valuable in that condition and certinally looks a heck of a lot more interesting than if it had been taken apart and sandblated and painted and etc.. At that time it occured to me that this wisdom certinally applies to old guns. In ten minutes a fool can make a "hanger" out of what was an expensive antique firearm. ["Look, I cleaned it up real nice with steel wool!"] It also occured to me that a nice, complete, original, old mini very often should NOT be screwed with. Anyone can paint a collectable mini bike and otherwise 'pimp it up' like a French tart. But when that's done there is no going back. The original patina cannot be recovered. I know there are no hard and fast rules here but it is something to consider before that urge to "improve" the looks of that vintage, original mini takes over your better judgement.
While I also agree to some point...
most (all) of the old school mini bikes I've seen have been blown up and
stripped/butchered/re-painted/modified/crashed or worse over the past 4 decades.
I've had to un-do decades of abuse and neglect just get mine back in acceptable condition that I'm proud to display and call my own.
Maybe if you find that "needle in a haystack" perfect example, gently ridden, setting in a barn, covered with dust... but those a very few, and very, very far in between.
mardyn
most (all) of the old school mini bikes I've seen have been blown up and
stripped/butchered/re-painted/modified/crashed or worse over the past 4 decades.
I've had to un-do decades of abuse and neglect just get mine back in acceptable condition that I'm proud to display and call my own.
Maybe if you find that "needle in a haystack" perfect example, gently ridden, setting in a barn, covered with dust... but those a very few, and very, very far in between.
mardyn
Same here. I too have not found an un-raped classic mini. So we do what is right with what we do find, fix the broken stuff and etc. and save them from distruction. However, there's a Bird that I have been watching that is absolutely nice. Decided that I will spend no more than $600 for it when it becomes available. It is in fact in a barn. I said that in a post a year or so ago and was told by several that was WAY too much money. Well, it aint. Sure, there is a chance something nice will show up at any moment. And for the short money we all like to pay, but I'm not going to hold my breath.