Restoring a vintage G-1/M422-A as a project

[Stand By]

Hi fellas,
I was just musing over the idea of finding an old and battered (less immediately desirable/more affordable) vintage G-1 or M422-A jacket from the 1950s - and restoring it. I was thinking that, if the leather was in decent shape but the lining/knits/zip were in dire need of replacement, that could be done with top quality materials - but would it be worth it? I don't have a lot of disposable income these days, but a nice slow project would be good (and more affordable) and it'd be great to salvage an old jacket and make it special again.
I was wondering what any of you USN jacket aficionados and appreciators thought and if you could recommend any particular maker over another? I'd surely appreciate any pointers in the right direction/things to consider.
Thanks for any help.

 

[Technonut]

Sounds like a fun and rewarding project once you find 'the' jacket..

The M422-A might be difficult to come across compared to a G-1. The M422-A was phased-out in the late 40's, and replaced with the G-1.

I'm certain you will get plenty of info on which makers to look out for shortly.. I happen to be in the beginning process of having my close to 10 year old G&B M422-A spruced-up. I'm pretty certain that I will be having Shaul at U.S. Authentic do the work. I've had some knits replaced there before, and was very happy with the work. I was sent the following price list:

Cuffs $35.00
Waistband $50.00
Zipper $75.00
Mouton Collar $75.00
Lining $89.00

Good luck with your search and restoration project...

 

[nick123]

What size are you looking for David? I'll look out for you and of course you can use me as a shipping proxy.

 

[Stand By]

Firstly, thanks for the advice, Technonaut! I'm glad that we're on the same page but you're way ahead of me and ready for your plans to come together! I'm glad that the quotes are so reasonable too! That's very inspiring!
And I look forward to seeing the result!

Secondly, thanks as always Nick for your kind offer of help/hunting ! Earlier today, I lifted out your "Hell Bent For Leather (The Saga of the A2 and G-1 Flight Jackets)" book that you so kindly gave me a few years ago - again, my esteemed thanks for that! It'll be good to gen-up on the G-1 proper this weekend.
I'm not precisely sure what size - my Aero ANJ-4 is a 42, as are my ELC B-3 and B-6 and Luftwaffe, but my ELC Irvin is a 40, as is my Buzz Rickson L2-A.
My thinking would be a 40 …?
Any help (should it be necessary) would be helpful and gratefully received, Nick - thank you (again!) - you're a good man ! Especially as it turns out that the Canadian Dollar is behaving as though it has entered the submariner business and someone left a hatch open!

 

[Dumpster Diver]

ah be in touch, I would be happy to handle any repair issues at minimum wage prices..why..because I told you I was crazy....crazy about repairing old flight Jackets.

you know you are in a long line of people who need to teach themselves a thing or two about sewing.

The only Jackets I want but can readily afford need this work always.

This is the ONLY way to do it IMO.

 

[thor]

The 1950's G-1 jackets (55-J-14 or 7823 AER) are great investments! They have awesome thick goatskin leather and should be relatively easy to find at reasonable prices. If the jacket has a decent (and real) mouton collar and the original label that'd be a real plus. Good luck.

 

[Steve S.]

I've restored more U.S. Navy jackets over the years than I can count. If I can offer any advice/guidance along the way, don't hesitate to contact me.

 

[Stand By]

Thanks to each of you for the great replies. It's much appreciated!
I'll PM you (Thor and Steve S) with any questions about the few originals out there that have caught my eye - and ask you if they're what I should be looking at - or avoiding!
Thanks again!

 

[Technonut]

If you haven't run across this site in your research, there is some good info here which may be helpful:

http://moorecustom.com/jackets/Moore_Jackets_navy.htm

 

[Stand By]

If you haven't run across this site in your research, there is some good info here which may be helpful:

http://moorecustom.com/jackets/Moore_Jackets_navy.htm

WOW! What a great resource that is! There's a lot of invaluable reading in that link - thank you, Technonut!

 

[Doctor Damage]

ah be in touch, I would be happy to handle any repair issues at minimum wage prices..why..because I told you I was crazy....crazy about repairing old flight Jackets.

you know you are in a long line of people who need to teach themselves a thing or two about sewing.

The only Jackets I want but can readily afford need this work always.

This is the ONLY way to do it IMO.

Get Dumpster to do it, if you don't have the skills yourself. It's clear from the thread below that he knows what he's doing.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/still-looking-for-cuffs-and-waist-for-g-1-jacket.75152/

 

[Stand By]

I missed that thread! Thanks!
Great work, DD ! Inspiring! Cool shades too!

Alas, I'm watching our Canadian dollar fall by the day and these jackets (in US$) are slowly becoming more expensive with our increasingly appalling exchange rate!
Part of me is thinking I should leap on something quick while it's still relatively affordable (US$200 being CDN$280 or thereabouts) as I think our poor Looney has much further to fall, or whether to be prudent and hold off entirely as the overall economy will only get tighter on all fronts up here … I also just got hit with a hefty and unexpected expense this week too, and that hasn't helped!
Doing it myself may be the best option there is at this point!
Thanks!

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ I think we're looking at $1.50 soon. For me, our weakening dollar has basically ended U.S. purchases (of any size) for the foreseeable future.

 

[Stand By]

^ I think we're looking at $1.50 soon. For me, our weakening dollar has basically ended U.S. purchases (of any size) for the foreseeable future.

Oh, I agree. And worryingly, there seems to be no government planning (or even concern) to halt the fall … so as such, yes, I think $1.50 (it's $1.70 for those who are watching from the safety of the bleachers) is a fair estimate and I can feel that same reluctance to purchase coming on. Sad but true.

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ I think Canadians are going to be surprised at how similar the new federal government is on many issues (esp economics) to the last federal government, much like Obama's admin stayed much of the course of the Bush admin. That being said, governments have much less control over things like exchange rates than we like to think and currency speculators call most of the shots. But f**k politics (and economics, the dismal science).

Are you still planning on buying a 'project' coat now that you have a better idea of how much work might be needed?

 

[bn1966]

MASH zippers, buttons & knits are very good quality & don't appear over-priced where replacement parts are needed. They had some early NOS zippers for G-1s when I last ordered from them for my custom G-1 project.

 

[Stand By]

^ I think Canadians are going to be surprised at how similar the new federal government is on many issues (esp economics) to the last federal government, much like Obama's admin stayed much of the course of the Bush admin. That being said, governments have much less control over things like exchange rates than we like to think and currency speculators call most of the shots. But f**k politics (and economics, the dismal science).

Are you still planning on buying a 'project' coat now that you have a better idea of how much work might be needed?

Well, as I said, I got a big hit of an unexpected bill on Tuesday (the furnace was just making strange sounds upon firing up - it was working fine, but I called in a tech on it. Was quoted $136 for the call out, and that was fair. The tech showed up and it turned out the furnace was emitting way too much CO and was to be immediately shut down - and it was -7C outside - so it was a major job to fix, one that took all afternoon and left me with a bill of $1188. <Gulp!> But hey, we're warm - and safely so - again and that's the main thing) so my disposable income suddenly took a torpedo.
But I've been looking online at older jackets and I reckon I could swing >$275 CDN for a decent leather body and one that has an intact label. That's all I'm interested in for the first step. The rest is all replaceable, so I'm still not saying no. I've seen one that I rather like (1950s G-1 for US$199) and want to send the link to Thor and Steve for their opinions … and I want to check the label with the link that Technonut kindly sent too. And I'm happy to gather the components slowly too.

 

[RapidReaper]

The 1950's G-1 jackets (55-J-14 or 7823 AER) are great investments! They have awesome thick goatskin leather and should be relatively easy to find at reasonable prices. If the jacket has a decent (and real) mouton collar and the original label that'd be a real plus. Good luck.

I picked up this Werber 7823 Aero at Military Antiques Museum in Petaluma CA a few years ago. The original small toothed Talon zipper puller was broken and it needed one cuff. I went ahead and re-cuffed it wit a set of Eastman cuffs and put a new slider on the zip. This one was in such great condition that I believe it probably was sent back for repair when the zipper broke and then just laid around for a while till sold off. The missing cuff leads me to believe it was probably used for parts. The skins still have that slight waxy residue on them like NOS jackets.
Here's an A. Pritzker 55J14 I picked up at a thrift store in E. Nashville, $35. It

needs new everything but the collar is great. It has a decent "broken" lettered USN stencil.

 

[bretron]

Dave aka Maverickson has been restoring G1s for years too. You may reach out to him for pointers.

Try for a pre 60s contract. The early 60s ones are nice too but the pocket flaps get crappier, the zipper is much much chunkier and the stencil goes MIA.

 

[Stand By]

Thanks the the updates fellas! Very interesting - and to score a jacket like that for $35?! Man alive. Unbelievable! Definitely the sort of thing I'm after …
And Nick123 asked me via PM if I was wanting to restore this jacket myself and do the sewing like DD would - and no, I'm not - I just want to slowly gather the parts together bit-by-bit and hunt for the good body on to which these parts can be fitted - and give the job to a professional to put together at some time in the future. This is just to be a slow-boil kind of project and one I can safely afford without affecting my other financial obligations.
And Nick asked me why I want to do this?
Well, I think these jackets are on the rare side of things and thoroughly deserve to be saved and restored - and by who better than someone here on TFL (like me) who has (thanks to TFL) come to appreciate them for what they are/were and now I know (with the help of others here just like you lot here today - thank you!) what each one requires - and they deserve restoring, because the alternative is for the ones in poorer condition to be disregarded and invariably tossed out as garbage or whatever else and slowly disappear, when it needn't be so.
Thanks again for the help, guys! I appreciate it.