For the purists, no. However, if someone is going to use a classic for more than a Concours display, maybe ditching those points and condensors in favor of hall effect switches and SCR's might make more sense.

I think what they're referring to is when someone does a full restoration on a vehicle and the car is better than when it came off the assembly line. Absolutely flawless paint - I can find paint flaws in any brand new car. Fit and finish beyond what was normal to come off the assembly line.

How can you do a restoration to make is look like it just came off the line? You can't and I think that's what the article is about. The flaws that came with the car were flaws that were normal for the era it was produced. If you remove the normal flaws, then you have created something that would have never existed back then.

Either you restore it or you don't. If the end result is better than the factory new condition, so be it. I'm always amused at how some people seem to want to find fault with just about anything.

I was in the fine jewelry and watch business years ago. The purists would turn their noses up at refurbished watches and jewelry. They wanted pristine examples that were not repaired (except for a watch movement cleaning). Lucky for me, my shop was near a senior complex and we acquired a lot of old watches and jewelry that was in like new condition. If you can believe it, the watch guys preferred a watch with some patina on the dial vs one that had an old refinish on the dial. Don't ask me how I learned this!