A challenge of sorts - can you help me find this tanker?

[NeilMcCauley]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum, as you can probably see.

For a while now I've been trying to put together an exact replica of the tanker jacket worn by Robert De Niro in the 1976 movie Taxi Driver. Here's a picture of the actual one featured in the film.

I've been doing some research and found out the following:

• It is a 'Winter Combat Jacket'
  
• The Real McCoy, in japan, made a replica of this jacket which included the patches on the side and the stencilled name on the back
  
• Buzz Rickson does a tanker a bit like this one, which is ¬£199.00
  
• At The Front also does a version of this tanker jacket

I've been in contact with several shops in Japan to see if they have The Real McCoy recreation of this jacket, which is shown below.

Unfortunately, they're all sold out. The Real McCoy company, the actual makers of the jacket, said they don't ship outside of Japan.

I have managed to acquire the patches for the jacket, from MASH, a Japanese company some of you probably know of. So my question is, does anybody know where I could get a jacket that is the same as or extremely similar to either of the ones shown above? So far I've seen ones that look a little browner than those above. The only ones that look the same are featured on Japanese websites and--as far as I can tell--they're all sold out.

Many thanks, and sorry about the long-winded post.

- Neil.

 

[thunderw21]

I like the ones offered by www.atthefront.com. They have good quality tanker jackets for $80. Don't know if the color is what you're looking for, but you can't go wrong with it.

http://atthefront.com/us_uni_tankeri_main.jpg

Edit: looking at the photos you posted, the movie jacket has a lining that is different from normal tanker jackets which are lined with wool. Is the movie jacket really a tanker or an adaptation of it?

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Is the movie jacket really a tanker or an adaptation of it?

Well, that's what I was hoping someone here might know. All I know about the origins of the original jacket is that it was given to De Niro to wear in the movie by Paul Schrader, who wrote the screenplay. De Niro's character was meant to be a Vietnam veteran, so I don't know if that could be of any significance. As long as I can find a close match to the one I want to copy, it's okay. Maybe someone here knows about the tankers created by The Real McCoy (http://www.c-king.jp/td6102.html).

 

[Rufus]

Hi Neil, a few of these Tanker jackets end up on Ebay quite regularly (do searches for Buzz Rickson or Real McCoys Jacket).

Also check out the Vintage Flight Jacket forum... They have a 'For sale' section, and these jackets sell there every now and then. There is also at least one member who lives in Japan (User - Asiamiles) who sells on Ebay and the VLJ. He may be able to assist, and is a great fellow to buy from.

Hope that helps!

Rufus

 

[Rufus]

Vintage Leather jacket forum even.... too early... not enough caffeine! ;-)

 

[Alan Eardley]

I have one for sale. SM Wholesale. Large size (40 - 42) Used for re-enactment and washed a few times with a little sleeve wear but still serviceable. It's green.
£30 plus postage. PM me if you're interested.

Alan

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Rufus: Thanks for the advice. I'm definitely going to try to get in touch with the member you mentioned who lives in Japan - that could be a way of shipping one of the Real McCoys outside of Japan.

Alan: Your offer sounds good. Is this the jacket you have? http://www.smwholesale.com/0062.html

 

[Alan Eardley]

Yes, that's the one.

Alan

 

[NeilMcCauley]

I think I'll pass on your jacket, Alan. I'm going to try and find one that's a closer colour match to the original. Thanks anyway though.

Rufus: I'd like to contact Asiamiles on the VLJ forum. However, my account still hasn't been activated there, so I can't access the forum to get in touch with him yet. I don't suppose you have his email do you, so I could contact him directly?

 

[Elmonteman]

Taxi Tanker

Tankers are available from many Japanese stores, although the Taxi one has not been issued for some time now. Since you have the patches you could go through a Japanese Shopping Assistance service such as Zipangu-treasures.com. It helps if you can give them an idea of what you want, such as a specific site: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/br10994_01/

History Preservation Associates carries one of these Japanese tankers:
http://historypreservation.com/hpassociates/buzzrlanding_2.php

But it's probably cheaper for you to go direct. Personally I like to support local stores even if it's a little more expensive, but generally it's difficult for stores (in the U.S. anyway) to keep up their stocks of Japanese items. If they don't have something in stock I will go direct.

You could use a Japanese bidding service such as Celga.com. They will place bids for you on the Japanese auction sites. Good luck. Let us know if you have any further difficulties.

 

[Estevan]

I regularly use a service called Bid Service Japan:

www.bid-service.jp

You find something you like, send a deposit and he bids for you. Nice guy and highly recommended. I have used him several times. Actually it has been quicker than buying through eBay at times.

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Thanks guys. Your info and guidance has been really helpful. I think I'm either going use the bid-service site or go for the jacket offered by History Preservation.

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Elmonteman: Can I ask how you found the site http://item.rakuten.co.jp? It seems to be a portal through which one can search for lots of Japanese clothes. Is this right and, if so, do you know of any other Japanese sites which are similar?

 

[Edward]

Neil,

I'd be interested to hear how you're getting on with this - I fancied one of these myself. I was narrowly outbid a few months back on OFAS on one of the replicas as per your photo; I think it went for about GBP£120 or so in the end.

Might be worth looking at the Aero and Eastman sites to see what they offer.... The ATF one looks nice at a great price, but to my eye the knits are clearly too light in shade, and the collar is a different pattern than the original. As to the lining on the Bickle jacket, is it possible that th one DeNiro owned was a commercial "in the style of..." affair rather than an ex-military jacket, or did they indeed have that burgundy nylon lining? The only real difficulty I can see with doing a replica would be getting the stenciling right without messing it, but I'm sure that must be manageable? (I've only ever painted onto leather for 'costume' jackets...).

Are you planning on going to whole hog and getting that haircut to go with it? lol

 

[Elmonteman]

Hi Neil,
In answer to your question, that site IS a portal through which you can reach many Japanese manufacturers. But for search purposes I would recommend starting with Googling "Hinoya." Hinoya is a collection of 4 stores clustered together in a very cool and famous shopping area in Japan. I have found that they carry a wide range of things most of us are interested in. In the case of the Tanker Jacket, you will find over time that Buzz Rickson or McCoys are two of the more popular manufacturers of military reproductions. So if you click on those two companies on the Hinoya site, chances are good that you will find the jacket you are looking for. Finally, once you've found the item you are interested in, you can copy the Japanese characters for it and then insert those into a Google search. Presto! You will come up with many, many stores and sites that are relevant to your item of interest. Hinoya is a great place to explore and has a wide inventory but sometimes you have to go to the secondary search because they might not have your size in stock.

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Edward: Thanks for the interest! Well, the current status of my little 'project' is 'on hold'. Through talking with Juno, who operates a middleman service through bid-service.jp, I found out that Real McCoy, the makers of the exact replica of the Taxi Driver jacket, have sold out in all stores. However, they will be getting more stock in May or June - I don't yet know which. I made a bit of a mistake early in my project. I bought a tanker jacket from What Price Glory. It arrived and the following things were wrong with it.

First, it was HUGE. I ordered a large because I'm 6'2", but this tanker was massive, with very baggy arms. However, the length of the jacket--in relation to the bagginess of the rest of it--was really short. Strange. To be honest, even if it was the right size, it still wouldn't be right. The wool lining makes it very heavy and warm to wear. Thinking about it, I should have expected this. It is, after all, a replica of the 1942 tanker. So! I now know that I need a CIVILIAN recreation of the Taxi Driver jacket, not just a tanker that is a close match which I can customize with the patches and stencil. As for the lining of the original jacket - I don't know if it's authentic or not. Either way, I do know that I'm probably going to want/need this kind of lining as opposed to the very thick and heavy wool lining used in most Tanker replicas.

And no, I won't be sporting the mohawk!

Elmonteman: Thanks for the answer - you've really helped with your advice. I'm having some trouble finding the Real McCoy brand on the Hinoya site, but I'll keep trying. Hopefully I'll be able to find the jacket before May or June, which is when Real McCoy say they'll have more of the Taxi Driver replica. But if I can't, I'll just have to wait until then. Although it will cost me about $620 to buy it through Juno!

Oh, one other thing. What is OFAS? Is it an auction site that sells clothes?

 

[Edward]

OFAS stands for Our Favourite Auction Site - it's a common term for eBay round these parts.

Interesting update.... I'd definitely consider buying one of the replicas myself if a reasonably priced source can be identified. As an aside, I've often considered doing the full Travis Bickle as a costume - being a shaven headed sort, all I need is a strip cut out of an old wig spirit gummed to my head to simulate the mohican... lol

 

[fardin]

hi neil
have u e mailed c-king, cause as far as i know they ship international
best wishes

Well, that's what I was hoping someone here might know. All I know about the origins of the original jacket is that it was given to De Niro to wear in the movie by Paul Schrader, who wrote the screenplay. De Niro's character was meant to be a Vietnam veteran, so I don't know if that could be of any significance. As long as I can find a close match to the one I want to copy, it's okay. Maybe someone here knows about the tankers created by The Real McCoy (http://www.c-king.jp/td6102.html).

 

[NeilMcCauley]

Hi fardin,

Yeah, I emailed c-king but unfortunately they are sold out of this jacket. It still looks like my best bet will be to wait until May, when the makers have new stock, then order either through bid-service.jp or, if I'm able to pay somehow (it says they can't take credit cards) through c-king.

 

[fardin]

there is another japanese shop i know wich ship international. i think this must be the buzz rickson jacket. they also speak a bit english, send them an e mail, and here is the link to the N1 jacket
http://shop.yumetenpo.jp/goods/d/pants-shop-avenue.com/g/SdBR10994/index.shtml#

Hi fardin,

Yeah, I emailed c-king but unfortunately they are sold out of this jacket. It still looks like my best bet will be to wait until May, when the makers have new stock, then order either through bid-service.jp or, if I'm able to pay somehow (it says they can't take credit cards) through c-king.