I used to seriously collect 20's and 30's toy trucks. Reproduction parts started to show up for simple parts-grills, lights, wheels and tires. Soon cabs, truck beds and other unigue parts were being reproduced. Similarly, authentic decals were reproduced and one could buy and build a 20's vintage Buddy-L truck comletely out of reproduced parts. There was a lot of movement in the restoration business and big money was being spent for restored vehicles. Often times, it was impossible to tell what was original, restored original, original with some restored parts, or completely reproduced. I saw big money dropped on incorrect restorations and new collectors burned by dealers out to make a buck. I gave it up because it stopped being fun, it got really expensive, and buying and selling became a real feeding frenzy.. A vintage road bike isn't the same type of collectible as an antigue toy truck, but there are some similarities. Once it becomes hard for an experienced collector to tell what is original and what isn't, the door to a lot of deception and dishonesty gets opened. E-bay is full of stuff being shammed out as one thing when it really is something else. Some of it is purposeful. Maybe vintage bikes will not end up as so many other types of collectibles. Maybe they will. Reproduced hoods seem pretty harmless, unless the seller won't sell them to you unless he restores your bike, or if you're sold a pair as original which really aren't. That's when it stops being fun for me.
Art Smith
Phoenix, Arizona