Polishing beyond original....do or dont?

[450 shotgun]

I have begun what will be a slow rebuild of a 450 shotgun. It might sound strange but i really enjoy polishing alloy and I have a great old brobo waldown grinder to do it on.
My question is am I going to devalue the bike by polishing alloy bits that came from the factory unpolished?
Advice would be appreciated because i really dont want to stuff this up and wish down the track that i had just left things as i get them from wet blasting.
Cheers
Damian

[graeme]

It's your bike so do as you wish.
If it were mine,,, I would just polish what was originally polished and wet blast what was originaly plain cast.
I've seen bikes that were done too much and they can tend to look like a Harley that is blinged. And you will make a lot of work for yourself in the future keeping it all polished.
In my opinion I would only polish what was polished, but it's your bike to do as you please.
Keep in mind that a good wet blasters work will have those bits, eg cases cylinder and hubs, a lot shinyer than when they left the factory.
Then add silver metal flake paint and you may need eye protection on sunny days.
graeme

[graeme]

Be careful not to polish the numbers off anything. Instant devaluation.

[Ventodue]

100% with Graeme on this one.

Yup, it's your bike ... but personally I hate over-polished bits of bling. Plus, polishing doesn't last - well, not on a bike that's gonna be used.

As to whether it would be 'de-valued' ... Impossible question. De-valued in whose eyes? In mine, yes. To a H-D owner? Who knows? (and frankly, who cares?)

Sorry - but you did ask ...

Craig