Jon,
I agree, ride the crap out of it. Then send it in for something more to your personal taste. Take plenty of pictures of the original for the his tory books. A bike like this, repainted by the original builder/painter should retain whatever value it has at this time.
If you like rare and unusual period correct original stuff, then ride it and take care of the original paint job. I suspect no matter where you ride a bike like this, you get some attention and some sort of reaction from everyone. The key to owning a bike like this is to carefully kit it out with the proper accessories. When done properly, the effect can be quite striking.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
"O.K. Is this one you build and ride, knowing the paint will get scratched and ch ipped, or is it art work you preserve and admire on the wall...
Robert (ride it...no-preserve it) St.Cyr"
I say ride this one hard enough to knock the paint off, then send it to Brian for a nice baby-blue with cream panels and fills re-paint.
Actually I have it on good authority the fine folks at Good & Plenty are
planning a major snipe on this one to use as a lobby display and promoti onal piece. No matter how high the bidding goes it will still be cheaper than the Orange County Choppers "theme" bike they had originally wanted for the j ob.
Cheers, Jon Williams
Grants Pass OR USA