well, I'm hardly an expert, but have an opinion on this. I think for collectible gear it may be worth the time to repair cosmetics. Some of these repairs would be easy (eg sheet metal straightening), but worn lettering *I think* requires artistic ability and time/effort that may not be economically viable. If you can find a parts unit it may be better. If you're not trying to restor it to the original look, it may give you some flexibility, for example some of the Dynaco ST70 amps I've see that are painted look pretty sharp, perhaps better looking than the original, but at the same time will not be as desireable on the market as one that's mint and original.
