OM 4.63" convertable

[Aggie01]

Some of you guys have seen my post on the butchery performed on my recent OM .45. It is currently in the hands of a master gunsmith who is "looking forward to working on it" and "plans to document the rebuild with pictures".

The question is:
Since it will be restored, and not original, does doing anything to it "not original" have any impact on value?

I don't have a original 45 colt cylinder for it. and I'd hate to drop money on a proper one and have the chambers be too big.
If I valued my gripframe and grips right that came off it (that now i cant sell cause they look so good on my ROA), and I can trade the 45 acp cylinder for some of the repair work, I will actually have $0 in the frame and lockwork before repairs start.
I didn't note in my earlierpost that the barrel may be trashed too. I should know tonight.
I'm sorely tempted to rebore a 6.5" .357 NM prewarning barrel ($150) I have to .45, chuck a NM take off bisley cylinder ($0) in it and a ROA grip frame ($100), and just enjoy the hell out of it. That would make it the perfect "daddy" gun to my 6.5" OM 357. (my only other OM Ruger)
or I have a S&W Model 29 barrel I could rebore...
It will stay an unconverted OM .45. But the devil is in the details.
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=65940

 

[G2]

ANYTHING you do to it at this point will help the value, There is no collector value at this point. Looks like a good platform to build a custom on. I think most guys concur that custom guns never bring the $$ you put into them, It is the fun of building the gun the way you want it.
and then there's allways the "friend" that has more money that what a man should have, and the "I want it now!!"

Take pictures, and keep us posted, love to watch these things come alive.

 

[Aggie01]

Here's a pic of the possible barrel donor. Also in the same shop.

under $100 in the barreled action, add a SBH GF/Hammer (had em), Max cylinder (had it), take off .41 barrel (had it)...and the magic will happen.

That is not his work on the frame. I took a sandpaper wrapped stone to it to see where the pits and waves were.