I have come to the conclusion that in a sort of karma sense, Bridgestones were built to ride and modify and ride some more. There really isn't, in a meaningful sense, a stock bike. Instead, they evolve.
I have a Bridgestone Kabuki Super Speed that I converted to 3 speed, using a Shimano hub and Nashbar alloy rims. At first I kept the drop bars, but later I converted to flat bars and put the derailleurs back on so that I could use the 3 speed wheel on my daughter's bike. Now I have the 3 speed wheel back on the Kabuki with the flat bars. My Kabuki sometimes gets treated like an Erector set. I build it up, then take it apart and rebuild it in a different combination. If I see a part, either by itself or on a used bike, that has potential, then I add it to the mix.