Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

DIY French Cycle Jacket (aka. Luftwaffe Jacket)

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,066
Location
London, UK
Interesting project, I looked forward to seeing the end result. The easiest way of making the bottom flap pockets functional might be to make them patch pockets, like an A2. They won't be very big, but then the originals were more or show than anything imo anyhow. Am I reading the photos right, that the sleeve zip comes back to reveal not the conventional leather gusset, but one made of the wool/cotton lining? That looks nice.

Cool car. I used to have a 1958 MG-A. Wish I still had it.

Beautiful car, the A. So much swoopier and curvier than the B. I kinda wish they'd made a fastback hardtop version of the A (there were a very few made as hard tops, but they were a sort of bubble-top approximation of the shape of the hood turned into a permanent hard top. Very practical, but not quite as aesthetically pleasing as a GT version of the A might have been (c/f the MGB GT to the MGB).

Cheers, I put a lot of work into that Spitfire! :) Would you believe this is how she looked almost four years ago now?!

dggg3r.jpg


So I'm not a stranger to hardship, hah. I'm find of the MGB too, it was a contender before I chanced upon the Spitty project. The clam shell bonnet is indeed a blessing, proved particularly handy when wiring up my Toyota engine conversion ;-)


Quite the transformation! There's something about the Spitfire that to my mind makes it so much more fun than a B (perhaps, in part, my subjective opinion that a decent B now costs far more than it was ever really worth!). I noticed you had the GT6 bonnet on there, wondered if you'd upped spec to that. Which Toyota block did you go for? I have a vague memory that one of the smaller Toyota engines was for a time a fashionable upgrade for the Minor 1000; certainly a Toyota five speed box, even mated to the original 1098cc, was a significant performance improver on those.

If ever I had the sort of money to keep a place in the country so it was worth running a car, I'd be tempted by a GT6 - always thought of them as a baby E Type, or maybe a mini-DB5, in spirit...
 

bn1966

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,107
Location
UK
image.jpg [

QUOTE="handymike, post: 2361632, member: 20747"]What's your SAAB story?
I have a few......[/QUOTE]

I've owned the Saab 10 Years, has cost me an absolute fortune, drives a dream, has driven me to distraction (and almost poverty).

I am now selling her due to unsustainable running costs. Would make a nice weekend car but I'm not in the position where this is feasible or practical.

Now flying an Abarth :) see above
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
I went to buy a Saab a few years ago. Low miles, nice condition, dark blue paint. It wouldn't start in the car yard. The dealer said 'come back tomorrow it should be going then." Should? It was the last time I considered buying a Saab. So I bought a boring Camry which has not once let me down.
 

bn1966

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,107
Location
UK
That SAAB has 240,000 miles on it but still running strongly (should be with all the £££££££ I've poured into it). Much as I love them I don't think I'd buy another :)
 
Messages
11,134
Location
SoCal
When they work, they're amazing, but most of the time it was making my mechanic $$. I did love the design of my 9-5 aero though.
 

SpitfireIV

New in Town
Messages
38
Quite the transformation! There's something about the Spitfire that to my mind makes it so much more fun than a B (perhaps, in part, my subjective opinion that a decent B now costs far more than it was ever really worth!). I noticed you had the GT6 bonnet on there, wondered if you'd upped spec to that. Which Toyota block did you go for? I have a vague memory that one of the smaller Toyota engines was for a time a fashionable upgrade for the Minor 1000; certainly a Toyota five speed box, even mated to the original 1098cc, was a significant performance improver on those.

If ever I had the sort of money to keep a place in the country so it was worth running a car, I'd be tempted by a GT6 - always thought of them as a baby E Type, or maybe a mini-DB5, in spirit...

Cheers :) Well spotted, the bonnet is indeed a GT6 bonnet in GRP, its not hiding anything exciting I'm afraid, just a standard (but reliable :p) 1332cc 4EFE block which is mated to the original gearbox with OD. I modified the front and rear bumpers as well as the rear lights, dash and other small features.....I figured it owed me! :D

Have a few vids over on youtube if youre interested....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9-nMn70JTi3a9UWUBfOB-w

This is so amazing I can't even find words to express. The jacket looks beyond fantastic on the last fit pic! Please do go on!

Thanks! :) I'm hoping to put in a few hours again this week, first on the list is to get the zipper reinstated so I can determine if anymore work needs doing on the side seams etc, I'll be sure to keep y'all posted!


Some fine looking machines there guys, I reckon ye have me beat on performance, style though......thats another matter! ;)
 

bn1966

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,107
Location
UK
I'm a recovering 900 addict.....I still get excited on the rare occasions I see one on the road.....then I check myself.

Feed your addiction....buy mine!!!! :) it'll cure you of 'Outerwear'.....you'll have no money!
 

SpitfireIV

New in Town
Messages
38
Ok, so got the zipper back in! T'was like pulling teeth *ba dum tssshhh*

18jc6s.jpg


Lined up and being stitched back in...

313rdkl.jpg



Couldn't wait to try it on then! Again, sorry about the poor quality pics, but you get the idea :) I am wearing a sweater underneath it and try block out the oversized paper clips!

2mpk0vt.jpg


a495qp.jpg


oi7nt4.jpg


Very happy with it :)
 

SpitfireIV

New in Town
Messages
38
Cheers guys! Very happy with how its turning out.

Going to recycle the old buttons from the sleeve for the pocket flaps...

2nvv8m8.jpg



Been looking for a buckle like the one pictured below, but have had no luck, even something similar in style or closing, in fact, I've tried all kinds of search terms but its not turning up any results. Is there a name for this type of buckle?

wt6ss5.png
 

Forum statistics

Threads
108,998
Messages
3,072,357
Members
54,039
Latest member
GloriaJama
Top