I think you should leave the bar ends on there, and get used to them. If you want brifters, get a modern bike. Yeah, I'm one of those guys...
Since you already had it revamped and new wheels made, there probably isn't much else to do except maintenance and replacing the rubber stuff and usual consumables.
Traditional non sealed ball bearings should be regularly cleaned and repacked with fresh grease. After a few decades now of sealed bearings, newer cyclists tend to have a huge mental block about this. In truth, it can be tedious but it isn't rocket science.