My thinking is that provence trumps originality. And although we usually think of provenance in terms of a bike being used by a famous racer, I think the Gitane has personal provenance for you. Changes made in one's youth are a reminder of that youth, and assuming that youth was a relatively happy one, I'd tend to preserve the changes.
I have a similar issue with a LeJeune F-70 (on the CR site) that I bought new in 1973 (or maybe 1972). At the first repaint I had some brazeons added. I did not have them removed at a second repaint and restoration. One reason was that brazeons reduce paint damage from component clamps. But the more important reason is that the brazeons were added by the late Ray Gasorowski, the bulider of Romic frames, of which I own two. So preserving the brazeons in some small way preserves Ray's memory.
I also have an Austro-Daimler Superleight (also on the CR site) which Ray repainted, masking the original beige sections with the original decals to preserve said decals, while painting the rest chocolate brown. I didn't realize at the time what a pain in the ass that was for him, but he didn't complain, and didn't charge me a lot extra. To restore this to original now would be unthinkable. An original A-D Superleight is not nearly as rare as the memory of Ray's skill and his good nature.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Mitch Harris <mitch.harris@gmail.com> wrote: Quote: "in my opinion the strict sense of original means original. But if you compare these bikes to a stradivarius or amati violin the line begins to fade. None or very few of those instruments exist in an original state. They were/are modified by other luthiers. It does not seem to decrease value because the instruments may not still exist without help. Maybe comparing frames to old fiddles or old master pieces is incorrect, but it might be in 300-400 more years." __________________________________ I'm enjoying the comparison to violins because the greatest players in the most important concerts are likely to be using them--these older relics seem to out-perform the modern instruments. Think if Lance showed up on the start line on a rare and carefully preserved 40's Urago because he made him more able to win the tour, while the other riders looked on enviously from carbon Treks.
I'm wondering about the issue Jerry brought up because I'm about to have my 1975 Gitane refinished and I'm trying to figure out whether to restore it to original spec. when I bought it new when I was 16. I didn't like the color (what can you say to a 16 year old kid) and I had it repainted soon after I bought it, and also had them cut up the shifter clamp to make braze-on shifter pods for the Huret Jubilee shift levers. Also had him braze on top-of-bracket cable guides. I raced it that way as a teenager, and today it still has the original Huret Jubilee shift levers mounted on the custom-made braze-ons. Should I shop for a Huret shifter clamp and bb-cable guide and have the braze-ons removed, or are these modifications--made my an enthusiastic new racer kid--to be thought of as "original" in the sense of use original?
Mitch Harris Little Rock Canyon, Utah
On 6/2/07, Jonathanadamgree@aol.com <Jonathanadamgree@aol.com> wrote: In a message dated 6/2/2007 1:14:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net writes:
So are these originals or restorations? If the same hands finish it a second time, is it then again "original"?
Jerry,
Jonathan Greene Oviedo FL
************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.