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D-1 Mech's Resto

fighterjock

Active Member
Weekend Project, D-1 Mechanic's Jacket. Got a D-1 Jacket last week, at a pretty good deal $100.00 without major blow outs. Zippers were toast, original Crowns all three! Pretty Fancy D-1. No manufacturers label, but my best guess is a Cable Raincoat Co. As leather hanger looks similar, and other Cable's have Crowns????????? looking for some help here...……...anyone? Seller was asking 225.00 I sent 100 bid and he bit. Jacket arrived and looked O.K. I was worried about the condition of the fleece. Collar was most fragile of the entire jacket, but still presentable. Other than a small repair in the back, I might still do another, it was O.K. Right shoulder front had a small weak spot, I wanted to take care of immediately so I didn't get a huge blowout, so I did. Started to throw some pecards on it and some heat, but stopped and redirected. Got crazy idea of spraying inside with Lexol. Inside top shoulders and lower waist and inner arms. Let soak in the sun for a good day and a half. Lexol is pretty strong so you might want to keep items in sun, it's got a strong smell. After the lexol dryed and smell went away, I replaced all the zips. Had an old brown Talon, but didn't have bottom stop or insert, salvaged from my old bad M-445, and found two Crowns on Ebay at pretty decent deal at $15 a piece, they're still available if anyone is interested. The left hand Pocket zip I try to do like original, wasn't really thrilled with it, the right hand I decided to just install with pocket closed, not likely I'll being using the pocket anyhow. Came up with formula of Kiwi brown liquid shoe polish and kiwi black leather shoe dye for my Polyacrylate finish. I think it's a pretty good topcoat as it has good coverage and yet flexibility and sheen. Didn't and will not use any topcoat. Anyway fun project and turned out O.K. see attached photo's.
 

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fighterjock

Active Member
Nice work.... !
Looks like a great save
It would be so nice to get one of these 80 year fleece artifacts, that were super soft, and your size that you could wear, I've actually wore my old Irvin in the winter a couple of times, they were treated differently, so you actually can wear those if they're not all dried out!
 

fighterjock

Active Member
Decided to play with D-1 Mechanic's Jacket this weekend...………….again. Earlier in the week bought Angelus flat black, and Angelus dark brown, and also matte finishing 620. Checked my ebay purchase and item's didn't arrive...………...sad. So embarked on a mission of stripping the jacket. Had to go to the hardware store because once again I'm all out of that stuff...….Acetone. You'd swear I was drinking it. Well off to the store, and check the mailbox and the goodies did arrive, but Post Office must not have posted the arrival yet. Went to the hardware store, where Ace has taken over from True Value...………..owner's sold out during this Covid19 pandemic. I miss the old True Value, they had to move everything around! Why do they do that? Well came home with the Acetone and started stripping. The Acetone not only moved the original lacquer finish around it also moved the Polyacrylate finish, what happened is it softened the hard crinkled areas filled the crack gaps and dulled the sheen, which I wanted. The new ebay purchases have remained unopened and sitting in garage. This jacket was a good purchase at $100.00. One torn up unusable sample just sold for $150.00 on friday. I offered the guy some cash if he removed the tag and sold it to me. Several other people are posting ridiculous prices for their old 80 year old fleece D-1's. Like I said in my original post, I usually stay away from fleece "because it's a crap shoot"...……….that being said I also scored on a pair of $50.00 B-1 Pants last week and from the photo's they looked promising. They arrived bundled up in a Plastic Bag, not boxed...………….I was real pleased as I spent $20.00 for good shipping. They arrived and probably the best fleece I have ever seen. Ironic because my very first Ebay purchase in 1998 was a pair B-1 flight pants for $40.00. I will post Photo's in a few. Last photo shows 500 dollars spent on fleece in 22 years of collecting, 100 D-1 2020, 98 M-445 1998 and 325 Irvin two panel 2003. Remember never hang your fleece on a hangar, I use a B-29 Bomber seat for mine...……………..you don't have to get that elaborate.
 

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fighterjock

Active Member
I feel obliged to do review of Angelus leather paint I purchased but didn't use on the D-1 Mechanic's Jacket. I had an old fleece flight helmet, very similiar to the A-11, but fleece like an A-6 flight helmet. This Helmet is a AN-H-16 looks like A-11 but made of fleece. It is a very rare helmet indeed, or hard to find. I originally started an overhaul, using Melatonian leather spray medium brown. It produced a rather red looking shade, so I put helmet away in 2010 and broke it out today. I will first strip helmet as much as possible with acetone. A 1954 Chevrolet pickup driver's side mirror works perfect for the air drying station, I know a lot of you are asking yourselves "What if I don't have a 54 Chevy Pickup?" Don't dismay because a 1947-1953 and 1955 first series will work just fine. Step 1 strip the helmet of unwanted color. Step 2 let air dry for as long as you want...………...it would be nice if item isn't wet anymore. Step 3 applied liberal amount of Angelus dark brown leather paint, I'm sure you will appreciate the shade of correct dark brown, I know I did. Clean up all the extra slop you mistakeningly applied with more acetone. Hang it on your classic chevy pickup driver's side mirror. Let it air dry. More to come...……………………….. Applied Angelus 620 finisher and flattener...……………..attached accessories...………………………….put on shelf...…………………...oh shit...………………..need another shelf!
 

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fighterjock

Active Member
Working on cancer area of my D-1 jacket today, the right shoulder is really poisoned. After setting up repair, I did some more acetone wiping, and saw several fragments of yellow paint under the nametag that I sewed on. I knew they were the fragments of an old name, as the mechanics often used white or yellow paint in that general area. I did some more wiping and look at my cool find. I know positively that this jacket was a respray at some point. I do have a serial number and last name of "H" stenciled on the pocket. Unfortunately I did a search on Fold3.com and used the last four digits and last name that started with "H" several weeks ago...……...…..the result produced 50 people. Now I have to go back and search for a "JOE" By the way my middle name is "Joseph" weird Huh! Also I don't know if I sewed the name tag on straight or if the "JOE" stencil is crooked Hah! Hah! Also kinda cool that I didn't sew name tape over name!!!! Wouldn't this be a cool way of finding some beautiful A-2 Art on the back of one's jacket, Can you imagine, that would be soooooooo fun!!! I know you Guys really like the fit Pics so I've enclosed a picture of me with my sexy B-3 Jacket............…last photo.................Hope you enjoy!!!
 

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