Buco J-100

[Wdawg]

You guys will all know that leather jackets are not exactly a profitable hobby. I've spent way more than I'd like to find out chasing eBay jackets etc.

That karmic record got paid back in full when I saw this jacket come up for £60 BIN.

No liner, no tag but it's gotta be that holy grail.

When it arrived it was dry as hell, slightly flaky in places but it's amazing how much difference a coat of conditioner makes and this jacket has loads of life left. That being said, it is need of some patching up.

There is a hole in the chest where a small section has worn paper thin, the binding on one sleeve has rotted through and the thread has deteriorated in a few places.

And amazingly enough, this thing actually fits.

So what do you guys think? Definitely a Buco right?

Worth the probably costly repair job or try to flip? Does Aero repair jackets other than theirs because they'd be my first choice.

Either way, I'm stoked about scoring it. Probably should give up on the Bay now and quit while I'm slightly less behind

 

[ton312]

You guys will all know that leather jackets are not exactly a profitable hobby. I've spent way more than I'd like to find out chasing eBay jackets etc.

That karmic record got paid back in full when I saw this jacket come up for £60 BIN.

No liner, no tag but it's gotta be that holy grail.

View attachment 185658
View attachment 185659 View attachment 185660
When it arrived it was dry as hell, slightly flaky in places but it's amazing how much difference a coat of conditioner makes and this jacket has loads of life left. That being said, it is need of some patching up.

There is a hole in the chest where a small section has worn paper thin, the binding on one sleeve has rotted through and the thread has deteriorated in a few places.

View attachment 185661 View attachment 185662 View attachment 185663

And amazingly enough, this thing actually fits.

View attachment 185664 View attachment 185665 View attachment 185666

So what do you guys think? Definitely a Buco right?

Worth the probably costly repair job or try to flip? Does Aero repair jackets other than theirs because they'd be my first choice.

Either way, I'm stoked about scoring it. Probably should give up on the Bay now and quit while I'm slightly less behind

That certainly looks like a Buco. From the photos I can’t imagine it would be anything but a Buco. Too bad the snap at the collar isn’t one of the embossed with Buco type. That would’ve answered your question without a doubt. I would repair it and wear it.
It’ll be hard to flip it for the $1k they can reach without a liner and tag. And for what you paid (and the fit you have) even harder to replace.

 

[sweetfights]

Keep. A huge win. Worth repairing and wearing.
Looks good on you.
It has all the elements of a Buco.
Congrats!!
How long was it on auction before you snagged it?
Great score.

 

[lina]

Yeah, nice fit!

 

[handymike]

Great score!

 

[ProteinNerd]

Looks great and what a price!

I’d keep it as you would probably struggle getting a decent price with no tag.

 

[Mysteryo]

And yes, you can send it to repair and restore to Aero, they already did a god job with 2 of my vintage jackets.
Great score and undoubtely a Buco J100
Keep it! Or sell it to me for the price you bought it ;-)

 

[Justhandguns]

It certainly looks exactly like the J100. 60quids is a bargain!

 

[Camaro1967]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread OP, but I had a similar situation.

I picked up a Buco J-100 for $300 without a liner, tag, or embossed collar snaps, that looked exactly like yours. The original owner (super old school biker) used it to do motocross, swore up and down it was a Buco, despite no identifying marks. At the time, I didn't care. I thought to myself, "I'd love to have an original for cheap."

After I wore it 4-5 times, the cotton thread started to break in some spots. I guess I flexed or did something stupid. But it happens. Bummer. Anyway, I ended up paying another $200 to have it stitched up at Johnson Leathers in SF.

Unfortunately, the fit was a little off for me afterward, so I ended up selling it. I didn't know what I would get for it, but it eventually sold on eBay for $775. Not bad for an original Buco without tags. One of those rare moments where it is possible to flip and turn a profit with this hobby.

One suggestion Alan gave me, and I'm sure others have heard similar things: you can always find a raggedy old Buco with the label still intact and have it removed and transferred to your jacket to complete the look. Some may say this is blasphemous, but if it's a Buco label on a Buco jacket, I don't see the issue.

Anyway, if you're not interested in selling or maximizing the value, just fix the jacket so it's serviceable and enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[Blackadder]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread OP, but I had a similar situation.

I picked up a Buco J-100 for $300 without a liner, tag, or embossed collar snaps, that looked exactly like yours. The original owner (super old school biker) used it to do motocross, swore up and down it was a Buco, despite no identifying marks. At the time, I didn't care. I thought to myself, "I'd love to have an original for cheap."

After I wore it 4-5 times, the cotton thread started to break in some spots. I guess I flexed or did something stupid. But it happens. Bummer. Anyway, I ended up paying another $200 to have it stitched up at Johnson Leathers in SF.

Unfortunately, the fit was a little off for me afterward, so I ended up selling it. I didn't know what I would get for it, but it eventually sold on eBay for $775. Not bad for an original Buco without tags. One of those rare moments where it is possible to flip and turn a profit with this hobby.

One suggestion Alan gave me, and I'm sure others have heard similar things: you can always find a raggedy old Buco with the label still intact and have it removed and transferred to your jacket to complete the look. Some may say this is blasphemous, but if it's a Buco label on a Buco jacket, I don't see the issue.

Anyway, if you're not interested in selling or maximizing the value, just fix the jacket so it's serviceable and enjoy the hell out of it.

Replacing a label has certainly been done many times. Issue is the Buco label indicates whether the jacket is HH or Steerhide and unless you can ascertain the leather used on your jacket and securing the correct label, it is not just blasphemy, it may be fraudulent misrepresentation.
I have a Buco J-100 with a steerhide label and a Buco J-24L without label is coming my way. I am guessing the J24L is also steerhide but I doubt I will ever test it for sure.
My Buco J100 came with a replaced lining and main zipper. No hole or any other damage. Bought it because of its ready to wear condition. Not looking to flip it so actually happy with the repair already done to it.

 

[Camaro1967]

Issue is the Buco label indicates whether the jacket is HH or Steerhide and unless you can ascertain the leather used on your jacket and securing the correct label, it is not just blasphemy, it may be fraudulent misrepresentation.

Yea, I get what you're saying. I don't want to suggest fraud is good or that anyone should be intentionally misrepresenting their jacket, presumably with the intention to inflate its perceived value.

But, on the same token, I have boughten some vintage pieces from folks who, in some cases, were the original owners and wore them to hell and back. The original tag won't always be available, but the owner knows what they bought. And there are some folks who like having the tag. Maybe to re-sell the jacket at a higher price. Or maybe just for their own edification. Still, using a tag that is worn-like in appearance on a used jacket looks the part as opposed to slapping a brand new tag in there.

 

[Blackadder]

I am not much of a trader when it comes to leather jackets. I just wear them and only sell if they don't fit. Tag may fetch a better price but I wouldn't pay the premium for it. As said my Buco J-100 has a label but it is also missing the original lining and zipper so I guess it doesn't really matter to me as long as it is within my budget which is a lot lower than what many traders wanna fetch. I have been looking at my Buco J-100 for over a month and there was zero interest so seller had to reduce the starting bid every week until I won it for a little over 400.

 

[navetsea]

sofa restorer can do a lot more magic to patch hole and worn out spot than a jacket maker.

 

[Camaro1967]

sofa restorer can do a lot more magic to patch hole and worn out spot than a jacket maker.

Never thought of that. That’s worth checking into once everything goes back to normal. Thanks.

 

[Camaro1967]

Tag may fetch a better price but I wouldn't pay the premium for it.

Fair enough. I don’t particularly care about the tag for personal use either, but the longer I have been in this hobby, the more mindful I am that I won’t always keep every jacket I get. So, minimizing my loss, or maximizing my gain, becomes an important consideration.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

That fit is so perfect. Looks like a Buco, but I am not a vintage expert enough to be sure.