Leica M2, should I recover or sell as is...

I think that it increases the value of the camera by a noticeable amount to re-cover it.

That is, you can easily recoup your cost of new materials. I think not re-covering a Leica that is missing vulcanite should be drops its value by $50 or more.
 
Personally, I don't pay attention to missing vulcanite when shopping Leicas because I know that I can repair it for $20 through Aki Asahi. But if it's really bad it'll probably look better when you sell it.
 
If I were shopping for an M2, then provided I liked the new covering, I think it would be nice to know that I wouldn't have to go through the bother of re-covering it. We are assuming, here, a reasonable charge for the re-covering. I understand it can be quite a hassle to get the vulcanite off, so as long as it's a good job, it would be a plus for me.
 
IMHO, regardless what the camera is (be it a m2,3,4...), w/o a recent CLA, the covering doesn't really matter much.
 
I might add that my personal solution was to fill in the vulcanite with Liquid Electrical Tape. Then I put my M2 into a Luigi case. The result? See my Avatar!
 
unless the rest of the camera is in mint condition and it is recovered in real vulcanite by crr luton, i don't think it's worth it.
 
I'd recover it. You can get a basic seal grain kit for $24 at camera leather. You'll easily recoup the cost when selling if you're ebaying it.

I think you have to keep in mind that not every Leica purchaser these days is an aficionado. The M9 has reawakened the Leica mystique. and a lot of used Leica purchasers aren't necessarily Leica users. So they'll want a fresh looking camera. And even more than that a lot of people aren't handy or willing to fiddle with recovering the Leica themselves.

I've done it twice with griptac on my M7 and M8. And just last night ordered griptac for my M9. It's a super easy procedure if you're patient and confident. And Leica doesn't give you crap about the warranty if you recover it yourself.
 
Recovering modern cameras (m6 and newer) and older cameras are totally different story. It is not a super easy job.
 
I've an M4-P that's lost a 1 inch patch on the loading door and I'm in a similar quandry. I've looked at the leather "comparables" and there is one that is highly similar but ... it's not vulcanite and I'm concerned about that.

Aizan do you have information on someone who recovers in Vulcanite. I read your post and wonder if you have contact information.
 
I'd recover it. Its cheap enough to do, and I've seen M2s on ebay take a serious hit due to a crappy looking covering. The absolute worst you could do is recoup the cost, and alternatively it will fetch you a much better price. To many buyers, its the difference between having the camera usable right away, and having to have it recovered before use...
 
here's the link to crr luton:

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/vulcanite.html

the reason i wouldn't bother recovering it before sale is because there are so many options, the choice is best left to the buyer. i haven't noticed lower prices for leicas with missing vulcanite. why would it, when it can be recovered, usually at little cost and trouble?
 
To all those advocating replacing the vulcanite on an M2: have you ever tried it? Removing the old vulcanite from a Leica M can be a miserable experience. I know, I've done it and I'm a very handy guy. So, consider the degree of difficulty here. Removing the covering on an M6 and newer is much easier.
 
Depends who is interested. The one photographer, who much more likes to HAVE and the one who wants to USE! I just bought a M2 with some marks - as long as the technical stuff is ok, I would go for it. But I am also sure: if I had to choose among two which are technical in same shape and same price- I would take the one which looks better . If the worn wit h some missing vulcanite is quite a bit cheaper - I won't mind.
 
I wouldn't spend the extra money for a body without recent CLA but has a beautiful newly installed covering; I would however, consider pay a little more for a camera with recent CLA but chipped covering.
 
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