"Panty hose brown" is the perfect (and funniest) description of the original color. You've done a great job painting this a fun pink color--and it looks really sharp with the black and chrome. I got a chuckle out of your group name "the Cranky People," too. I'm one of those people who will not cringe at the thought of stripping down ugly decals and painting an old machine a fantasy color. Hey, it's your machine, and the machine had a good former life as a pristine queen or a plain Jane, but why not for your own delight revamp everything for your pleasure? I mean, you paid for it. I can see if it's a rare piece why you'd want to restore it to its former glory, but not for some of the more common vintage models. I say "go for it"--you only live once!