I've had machines with overlays, I've installed an overlay, I've done a playfield swap, and I've played hardtops.
I have yet to have an overlay that was perfect. I had a horrible experience with a classic arcade overlay off of ebay and they can eat a bag of dildos as far as I'm concerned. See thread here https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/afm-overlay-disapointed-pics-inside#post-5811500
Yes, stripping down and sanding a playfield is not easy, but its dooable. I ended up stripping the playfield, sanding it, installing an overlay, and then going to a full playfield swap after seeing the quality of the overlay which was missing art... but you couldn't tell until after it was installed.
I have a Flash Gordon with an overlay and it's stunning, but it was done years ago when there were no other options and an automotive clearcoat was applied afterwards. Yet it is still misalligned in places and is missing some art. See video.
I would estimate the time commitiment to do a full playfield swap to be maybe 30% more than an overlay on a machine of that vintage if you can find a good swap candidate or a repro.
I have seen overlays installed and not cleared and the results are not great. Overlays wear out over time. You really need to throw a playfield protector on top. I've installed a couple of playfield protectors and the games play just fine to me afterwards. I'd check out a regional show and try and play a bare overlay, hardtop, and playfield protector to see if I cared at all were I you. All in all, by the time you install an overlay and throw on a playfield protector you are more than half way in price to a new repro playfield.
If you've got the dough I'd go playfield swap. It's not the technical ability so much as remembering where everything goes and taking good photos. You will have to resolder a couple of connectors, but in general these are on large vuks and its the easiest soldering you can do.
Good luck in any case!
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