any Lewis experts?

[dr greg]

scored this recently, very good order, except the zip which I'm waiting on from their NOS, but what is it? it's not a Lightning, and I can't find a similar design on their site...I date it mid-70's....

 

[Blackadder]

LL Bronx Twin Track
https://www.lewisleathers.com/twin-track-bronx-no-440.html

 

[dr greg]

LL Bronx Twin Track
https://www.lewisleathers.com/twin-track-bronx-no-440.html

thanks for that, look at this rabbit-hole i discovered chasing it! https://www.omei2017.com/blogs/omei-blog/sp2-lewis-leathers-vintage-exhibition-02

 

[Edward]

Yip, Twin Track Bronx. The two sets of right-breast half for the zip were intended to allow the jacket to be worn tighter in warner weather, or with a roomier fit to accommodate layering beneath in Winter. The standard Bronx model was introduced in 1956; this Twin Track version was introduced in 1966 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Bronx. The Twin Track was the first of Lewis' jackets to have that additional zip pocket on the left forearm; thereafter it was rolled out across many/ most models in the range, and it became something of a Lewis signature touch. I don't know exactly when Lewis introduced this petrol blue colour.... It was, however, very popular in the late seventies and early eighties. In the 1978 catalogue, Lewis put a big push on their colour range. 1978 was the year they introduced bright orange leather - marketed as a safety feature(!). Needless to say, black always outsold these bright colours, but this particular blue was fairly often seen in the wild. It seemed to have an appeal to those who, in different times, were still somewhat wary of the imagery of the black leather jacket.

 

[Monitor]

Cool leather jacket.

 

[Edward]

scored this recently, very good order, except the zip which I'm waiting on from their NOS, but what is it? it's not a Lightning, and I can't find a similar design on their site...I date it mid-70's.... View attachment 439953

I believe the 'frame' of that buckle should be covered in leather the same colour as the jacket itself. The buckle was designed without a pin to hold the belt in place (the 'teeth' on the interior of the buckle fulfil that role here), and leather covered, in order to avoid scratching the tank of a bike - British motorcyclists (at least among Lewis' target market) at the time tending to prefer a more 'crouched over the tank' riding position in which a Buco or Schott-style front halfbelt would be in danger of scratching the paint work. The Bronx in 1956 was Lewis' first go at doing their take on the American-style, cross-zip jacket (which Lewis have always referred to as a 'lancer front'). When they came to designing the Lightning in 1958, Lewis dispensed with the front belt entirely, instead fitting side-buckles. These side-buckles became the norm right across the Lewis range, with only a very few models (including the Bronx) retaining a front belt, all of which, I believe, predated the Lightning. The exception being one of the more recent models which is basically Lewis' reproduction of an American Perfecto-style jacket, a sort of de-evolution of the Bronx, which was originally their take on that type to begin with.

 

[Salmosalar]

Yep - the buckle would have had lether covering it originally. I have one of the longer length LLs in black from the 70s where it has also lost the leather. I am sure LL could make a replacement for you - but check the colour first as they have two types of turquoise - this one looks like the “vintage turquoise” to me.

 

[dr greg]

Yep - the buckle would have had lether covering it originally. I have one of the longer length LLs in black from the 70s where it has also lost the leather. I am sure LL could make a replacement for you - but check the colour first as they have two types of turquoise - this one looks like the “vintage turquoise” to me.

it's too tight for me, no matter how much i pretend otherwise so I'll probably flog it off as is, AND THE MISSUS HATES IT

 

[Monitor]

AND THE MISSUS HATES IT

That is so irrelevant that it's not even funny.

 

[dr greg]

That is so irrelevant that it's not even funny.

so your wife doesn't wear jackets?

 

[handymike]

No one’s wife likes their jackets!
The only one that ever got a “not bad” from mine was a LVC Menlo Cossack about 10yrs back.

 

[dr greg]

Yip, Twin Track Bronx. The two sets of right-breast half for the zip were intended to allow the jacket to be worn tighter in warner weather, or with a roomier fit to accommodate layering beneath in Winter. The standard Bronx model was introduced in 1956; this Twin Track version was introduced in 1966 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Bronx. The Twin Track was the first of Lewis' jackets to have that additional zip pocket on the left forearm; thereafter it was rolled out across many/ most models in the range, and it became something of a Lewis signature touch. I don't know exactly when Lewis introduced this petrol blue colour.... It was, however, very popular in the late seventies and early eighties. In the 1978 catalogue, Lewis put a big push on their colour range. 1978 was the year they introduced bright orange leather - marketed as a safety feature(!). Needless to say, black always outsold these bright colours, but this particular blue was fairly often seen in the wild. It seemed to have an appeal to those who, in different times, were still somewhat wary of the imagery of the black leather jacket.

I believe it's called Turquoise these days

 

[Monitor]

so your wife doesn't wear jackets?

Sorry, my post came off wrong; Meant to say, one shouldn't care what our significant others thinks about the jackets we buy as the occasion when they will appear to love is indeed very rare.

I'm not married myself, though and I don't intend for that to ever change.

 

[Marc mndt]

No one’s wife likes their jackets!

My gf loves all my Thedi jackets. She hates the blue Schields cafe racer... and the Grizzly of course lol.

 

[Edward]

I believe it's called Turquoise these days

Yes, Lewis' own name for it (petrol blue is a generic term often used) is turquoise. As @Salmosalar notes above, these days they have both 'turquoise' and 'vintage turquoise'. It looks more like the latter to me. Obviously nowadays the two are two different shades to begin with; what I don't know is whether the original jackets like your started out the lighter shade, or if 'vintage turquoise' is actually meant to mimic a jacket which started out the darker shade and lightened over time. The latter is certainly plausible, given there's not an awful lot of difference between the two. I'd certainly not stake money on being able to tell which was which in isolation (as opposed to having one of each to hand to compare).

 

[dr greg]

Sorry, my post came off wrong; Meant to say, one shouldn't care what our significant others thinks about the jackets we buy as the occasion when they will appear to love is indeed very rare.

I'm not married myself, though and I don't intend for that to ever change.

there's a lot of wisdom in the saying 'opposites attract', my missus hates 90% of my music too, but after 30 years things balance out!

 

[dr greg]

it's too tight for me, no matter how much i pretend otherwise so I'll probably flog it off as is, AND THE MISSUS HATES IT

contacted LL and they don't do spare parts except zips, so it stays as is I spose

 

[dr greg]

Yep - the buckle would have had lether covering it originally. I have one of the longer length LLs in black from the 70s where it has also lost the leather. I am sure LL could make a replacement for you - but check the colour first as they have two types of turquoise - this one looks like the “vintage turquoise” to me.

contacted LL and they don't do spare parts except zips, so it stays as is I spose

 

[dr greg]

just an update, i put in on ebay with a description in Kanji, it went for north of US$1000 to someone in Tokyo...