jeep44
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 252
- Location
- Detroit,Mi
You lucky son of a gun. If it doesn’t fit, I need another jacket.I was at an auto swap meet in the Detroit area yesterday, and as my friend was looking at some parts, I was idly looking at some old leather jackets a guy had hanging on a rack there. Two of them were just what I call "Mall" jackets, but the one in the middle had a folded-over label. I was shocked when I saw "Buco" on that label! It turned out to be a Detroit-made J100-the version with no lining, size 42. Perfect condition, all Talon zips working, just a bit stiff from hanging somewhere for decades (The seller told me he stopped wearing it when he had to go to "Maternity sizes"-he had a gut). I normally wear a size 40, but this 42 is a snug fit on me. What did I pay for it? The seller said "any jacket on that rack is $20"........
Is it really a J100? it is unlined, with longer skirts than I've seen in other jackets-the zipper starts about a third of the way from the bottom of the jacket. The pockets are just a baglike canvas sort of material with no lining covering them. Would this be more properly called a Race Shirt?It's interesting that it has the double stitch lines at the zippers like the ELMC version of the J-100.
I hadn't seen that before in an old Buco.
You did very well.
Is it really a J100? it is unlined, with longer skirts than I've seen in other jackets-the zipper starts about a third of the way from the bottom of the jacket. The pockets are just a baglike canvas sort of material with no lining covering them. Would this be more properly called a Race Shirt?
I've owned one Buco. A steerhide police jacket that is still being worn by a member here. Never owned a J 100. I've had many of the same questions about their value and quality. Especially when you can purchase many nice Cafe jackets for much less.
Given that I do believe that vintage Buco are more than hype. Hype can't fool the market for that long. Other makers saw something in the Buco design that interested them enough to reproduce them.
I don't follow Buco prices that closely. Just get on ebay and start watching and you will figure out a real value.
You could always sell it to a lifelong Detroiter who would love to have a Buco to accompany his Brooks. I’m 5-9, 155 lbs.It fits-I'm not a big guy-I'm 5'7" and about 143 pounds. This size 42 fits pretty nicely, with just a T-shirt underneath. I'm still pondering what to do with this-I have plenty of other vintage jackets to wear, that aren't nearly so rare, and this one really is in nice condition-probably too nice to wear just riding around. I have a '70s Schott Perfecto for use on my '46 WL, a '60s-"70s Brooks Cafe racer for my '65 305 Superhawk, and a Barbour International for my Norton Atlas-plus several other various leather MC jackets. The Real McCoys sure are exacting on the available sizes for this new J-100-size 38 and 40 are going to make for a highly selective group of customers for this expensive jacket.
I live in the Detroit area, only a short drive away from the site of the former Buco manufacturing facility. Not once have I come across a Buco. Only seen them in photos. I keep thnking there must be some out there somewhere. Maybe one day I'll hit paydirt!