Who makes decent 70s era leather car coats?

[Grayland]

I thought lost worlds had a few on their website

The have a car coat called "Downtown", but it's $950 for steerhide and $1150 for HH.

Edit: I just went to eBay to check out Field and Stream leather coats. Very cool one here and an incredible price although it is the color you wanted to stay away from.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mens-Vintage-FI...pt=Vintage_Men_s_Clothing&hash=item35b059c786

 

[scottyrocks]

I also did not know it was called a 'car coat.' I guess I most closely associate this type of coat with Shaft (1971).

 

[Doctor Strange]

I seem to recall that back in the 60s/70s "car coat" referred to a short overcoat, either leather or (more frequently) cloth. A three-quarter, above-the-knee length, often (but not always) double-breasted, sometimes with a zipper but more usually with buttons. Supposedly easier to get in/out of a car and drive in than a full-length overcoat or trench.

Shaft's coat is the very definition of a badass longcoat:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BadassLongcoat

 

[scottyrocks]

I seem to recall that back in the 60s/70s "car coat" referred to a short overcoat, either leather or (more frequently) cloth. A three-quarter, above-the-knee length, often (but not always) double-breasted, sometimes with a zipper but more usually with buttons. Supposedly easier to get in/out of a car and drive in than a full-length overcoat or trench.

Shaft's coat is the very definition of a badass longcoat:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BadassLongcoat

Yeah, I wish I had better images, but this is a car coat or jacket to me, from American Graffiti (1971):

 

[Jack Burton]

Which coat is pictured?

I think that was the Durango. Most of the pics/descriptions on their site our not that great.

Yeah, I wish I had better images, but this is a car coat or jacket to me, from American Graffiti (1971):

"Car club coat" sure, but I would not call that a "car coat". More specifically those are "wool varsity fingertip jackets" or "wool varsity surcoats". I think the term "car coat" refers to anything that is 3/4 length and dressy.

 

[Philalethes]

I seem to recall that back in the 60s/70s "car coat" referred to a short overcoat, either leather or (more frequently) cloth. A three-quarter, above-the-knee length, often (but not always) double-breasted, sometimes with a zipper but more usually with buttons. Supposedly easier to get in/out of a car and drive in than a full-length overcoat or trench.

In addition to this, I take it that the original car coats were designed for open car cabins (and thus they were probably leather). I could be wrong, however.
Now, I see the term 'car coat' applied to 3/4 length single breasted coats, wool or leather, by places like Schott or J.C. Penney.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I think you're wrong about that. Automobiles weren't generally called "cars" back in the open cab days. And per dictionary.com:

car coat 
–noun
a hip-length overcoat or jacket originally designed to be worn while driving a car.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Origin:
1960–65

 

[scottyrocks]

"Car club coat" sure, but I would not call that a "car coat". More specifically those are "wool varsity fingertip jackets" or "wool varsity surcoats". I think the term "car coat" refers to anything that is 3/4 length and dressy.

Okay, sure, that makes sense. Those guys were in a club and could adopt anything they wanted for their club jackets.

 

[Philalethes]

I think you're wrong about that. Automobiles weren't generally called "cars" back in the open cab days.

Yes, you are right.

And per dictionary.com:

car coat 
–noun
a hip-length overcoat or jacket originally designed to be worn while driving a car.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Origin:
1960–65

I stand corrected!

 

[YETI]

East West Musical Instruments and North Beach Leather were the priciest.

 

[fedoralover]

Yea, I do keep my eyes on Ebay. There are two things that bother me though.

It's hard to tell how thick and rugged a coat is on Ebay. I don't want a thin "buttery" coat. The other thing is most of the coats that are actually from the 70s are that reddish-brown color that remind me of my Dad's old recliner. I've heard that color referred to as whiskey but what ever you call it, I can't stand it. I'm looking for dark brown.

Jack, are there many thrift stores around where you live? Goodwill, St. Vincents, Value Village or other vintage stores? I go to these places all the time,and while you are correct that a great number of 70s era coats were that whiskey color. However not all of them were and I see them all the time and they are usually around $25 to $40. You could save yourself a lot of money if you were a little patient and checked these places out. The key is to look regularly, as stuff comes in and out pretty fast.
Here's a dark 70s jacket I saw at this website, don't know if it's still there but they probably have others. http://www.american-vintage.net/jackleather.html

fedoralover

 

[Jack Burton]

Jack, are there many thrift stores around where you live?

There is a good amount of them and I've been in about 6 of them in the past 2 months. They always have plenty of womens wear but next to nothing for mens coats. You gotta fight the Ebay scavengers these days, I guess. I still look when I can though.

 

[Fifty150]

:lol: Never been out there, but I plan on it some day.

Then you can't call yourself Jack Burton.