Harry wrote, in part:
OK. So the paint scheme is dated. So is the hairstyle in your 1989 photo. Your partner's too. For $336 +$150 for new paint, the bike was worth noting. No new quality custom frame is being brazed today for less than $1500 with fork; and steel fork building skills are ever less
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Ok. Getting down to brass tacks. the auction was terrible. Not *one* decent picture showing off the workmanship of the frame. That was the first problem.
Second, the parts group was completely forgettable and has no collectible value at all, far as I can tell. I assume it had campagnolo drop-outs, but if not, it *did* have a campagnolo part or two on it, and the guy should have put campagnolo in the title somewhere.
The auction description was barely adequate. Given the relative obscurity of Davidson, even to cognoscenti, more was needed to bring in the bids.
Harry, you are dreaming if you think you can get a decent paint-job for 150 bucks. A decent one-color paint-job from a professional costs over 300 bucks, with graphics, and usually closer to 500 bucks if you want a candy or pearl. A crap paint-job isn't worth the hassle of getting it done. If I'm going to have a frame like that repainted, I'm going to get a nice job, that'll make it look tasty.
and you have to take the whole thing apart, ship it to the painter, wait, get it back, reassemble, etc. It's a big, fat hassle. And by the time you've factored in shipping, you have a significant dent in the wallet. I've done this many times, I do know something about it.
And, finally, the paint really was atrocious. I've seen many otherwise nice bikes go for less money solely because the paint just sucked. This was one of those times..coupled with the other problems noted. Not to mention the fact that lots of us *like* original paint. And when the original paint stinks, you really don't want to bother with it, whatever it is.
Now, I should note, Harry, that, otherwise, I actually *agree* with you. Davidsons are badly undervalued. But this one could have sold for possibly twice what it did, or more, with better pics and a better description. And a little modest keyword spamming in the title.
Charles "ebay auctions are an art" Andrews Los Angeles