1977 Holdsworth Cyclone restoration / single speed conversion

So, I've been lucky enough to inherit this from from my father, it was his every day bike for 15 years or so. I have a very "functional" hybrid for my (rather long) commute, I want to build this up as something nice to ride on the weekends. Certainly single speed, possibly fixed.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/381361_10151050999610753_1290501694_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/252415_10151051000455753_1339959558_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/196545_10151051000720753_1936343826_n.jpg

First big problem is the paint job. It's been very well maintained. By which I mean all scratches and chips were patched immediately. However, that means that large parts of it are more patch than original. The attached photo is actually of the "good" side, in terms of how much of the decals remain!

So, how to proceed? Armourdex tell me that they can only powder in one solid colour, and those blue bands are gorgeous. They also can't do decals because the powder lacquer is heat cured. I could send it to Mercian, but that's expensive. Anyone have experience with Atlantic Boulevard? I can find no suggestion of price. Anyone know of a good place in London, so that I don't have to add postage to an already large bill? What's a sensible price to pay to restore the paint when it's not even a Cyclone Delux?

This is my first actual build, so I'm kind of feeling my way out. Adventures in the mechanics to come later!

why not build it first. see how you feel about the fit/feel of the bike. you can always strip and then re-paint it. but i must say i think it looks beautiful as it is.......pictures of how it was before you stripped it?

Well, it didn't have wheels when I took it off him. I didn't take a photo before I took the chainset off, though I'll photograph it later.
And put up some photos of the other side, so you can see just how bad current paint is...

Marion Vaz will be cheaper than Mercian and used to work for Holdsworth I believe...

To my eye that looks bloody great as it is but would be interested in seeing the 'bad' side - I guess it all depends on what you have in your mind as to how you want it to look...

the cyclone was dropped from the range in 1976 so yours must be earlier than 1977 or it's a super mistral fastback (but it hasn't got the seatwrap over though)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/ for loads of holdsworth info.

personally i'd keep it as it is, i repainted mine but it had been painted before in hammerite (and not so smooth)

@nuovo_record Interesting. It's only had one owner, so I trust the badge on the top tube. Either he misremembered the year slightly or it was previous year's stock when he got it (he was a student, wouldn't have turned down a discount!)

I'm convinced I'm going to have it restored now, Atlantic Boulevard quoted me a good price for the whole thing, both coloured tube sections and replacing the decals.
I took another couple of photos which I haven't uploaded yet. It's not really clear from the ones I have posted just how much of it is covered in brush strokes.

@Garethhon thanks, though a search of the site for feedback on Mr Vaz suggests his results are a mixed bag, not the best bet for a bike with sentimental value.

On the progress front, the head set and bottom bracket are off, and some of the chrome work is polishing up pretty well.

the model name was written on the top tube in italics, it is on my nuovo record and many others i have seen.
the headset badge was rivetted on until the early 80's - and are always good ebay sellers - usually for about £40 so hold on to it.

i stripped mine and had it resprayed bright red.....left the chrome stays alone and the chrome forks were a £5 replacement

So, the logo on the top tube:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gi6uqlai0saqmrl/2012-10-02%2020.16.59.jpg
And the scruffier of the two down tube letterings:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lwuwn8vmsl9gbtr/2012-10-02%2020.16.30.jpg

Frame number is 42787. Are you saying that the labelling of cyclones / mistrals was (kind of) interchangable?
I've found tell of a ~1974 mistral with number 40611 (http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=139293), but I don't know how many they were making at the time...

mdpye, it's a wee while since there were any posts on your thread, so you may have sorted out the provenance of your Cyclone to your satisfaction. However, my comments, for what they're worth: On the basis of the style of finish and the frame number, you have there a 1974 or 1975 Cyclone. My money would be on 1975. My 1976 Mistral is 43495 - date is certain, I've had it from new - and you have already tracked down 1974 Mistral 40611 on the web. nuovo_record correctly points out that Cyclones were dropped after 1975. From WW2 until c.1977 Holdsworth frames were sequentially numbered from c.6000 to c.44000 (with the slight complication that up until 1965 the Holdsworth 'shop' were issued with batches of the number sequence by the Holdsworth 'factory' - from '65 the shop started their own numbering system). The style of the 531 decal suggests an even earlier date than 1975 and is certainly pre 1977 but, assuming Holdsworth's frame numbering was fairly consistently sequential, I would still say late '74 or 1975. The single model name swag on the top tube does seem to have been a mid seventies thing. Earlier machines had a swag on each side but my '76 Mistral just had the one on top, like your cyclone. Later they went back to two model names on the tube sides but no longer used the swag style.
BTW, I use Bob Jackson for my frame finishing. I find their work good value although their courier charges are not the lowest. You'll find refurbishment costings on their website and these seem to turn out accurate in practice.