When I hear about "pre crisis" or specifically Silver age Superman it's the decisions trumping writing, or concept trumping the execution. As a guy who loves Superman I can't say it really begins to rival Stan/Jack on one end or Herbie Popnecker on the other until maybe around the original Black Zero. It sounds like the opposite of Batman who gets by on how they manage to pull off well liked stories that take a really shallow and maybe contradictory approach to his character.
That "average man" idea doesn't really apply for Clark even if he sees himself as human first. He's considerably successful in his civilian life but is willing to leave that identity itself behind in both Exile and Death of Clark Kent, and his engagment to Lois is broken specifically because Superman isn't just a job for him. It's not like he uses some crystals or gold kryptonite to take away his powers and leave it all behind for her.