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It seems to be a good offer if one leaves out the cuffs. I could even live with those for a time as I have seen original pictures from WW2 showing jackets that look worse...those jackets really received a serious beating...
I have found another nice house ELC A-2 in 44 meanwhile in warhorse hide but that costs twice as much so I am thinking what's the best option short of dishing out an insane amount of hard earned dineros for a new ELC...
Seen here and elsewhere...” real maker” labeled A-2’s have a higher re-sell value, than house jackets...maybe to be considered as well...you never know.
Good luck!
Thank you for that input...it's funny to read that about "real maker" labels...
I am fighting against it but I am developing a little A-2 addiction recently..
I have always like Navy jackets much much more and right now I own more USN jackets than USAAF ones but I feel the need for a really good A-2 more and more...
As said, plan B would be to sell off a certain part of my aviation book collection to fund a new A-2 but I could also live with a good second hand A-2 from ELC ...
For the cuffs repair,...if you are patient... you can send me the jacket and the repair cuffs to my French address, I will have it fixed by my korean uniform tailor ( working at Osan USAF base) , and bring it all back...and send it to Austria...may take 2-3 months...thats my rotation time back and forth to Korea...it will just cost you the ..A-F-A ...shipping...( and the knitted cuffs you buy)...
Wow, that's a great generous offer!
If I go for that jacket and Fardin is unable to do the cuffs repair I will get back to you
I am testing the waters on another forum right now regarding how much selling a certain set of book volumes would contribute to my available budget for a jacket so I am still in the observing part of my A-2 OODA loop
(On Amazon used books certain single volumes of said book set are offered for insane sums...)
The jacket is an older Eastman. Buying cheap can be a false economy if you don’t like the jacket. As i have learned the hard way ...
You get what you pay for
Yes, that's why I wanted your opinions as I consider you guys experts and really value your contributions...
If I can sell those mentioned books for what I think is a reasonable price a new ELC should be easily fundable but if a nice used one pops up why not...
It's cheap enough and there are ways of bringing a bit more character to the hide but it's not a disaster as is. Lining is not too bad and ELC knits are not the best anyway. Depending on your exchange rate and amount you are likely to get stung by Customs I would say at $375 it's a reasonable buy.
It looks nice enough, but if I may add this... Take the final buyer price, plus cash to fix the knits...
Then consider... For that price, you can buy a brand new Dubow from Platon.
To be honest...If I get me a new one all together, I am eyeing a Star Sportswear from ELC. I have seen one in flesh at American Classics in London in July and that hide looked just amazing...
If it would have been my size I guess I would have jumped the gun and would have taken it...luckily (or unfortunately it was a size 40 only)...
But I am so glad I have posted my original question as you guys have provided loads of good input so far... Thanks for that!
jeezelouise, that one is being offered at a bargain basement price. it used to be when an elc was offered for that kinda dough, the back or a sleeve was missing.
That looks like one from when Gary was using baby butt smooth hides without any real character. Also, play close attention to the measurements - he cut his jackets much fuller back then than he does today.
Yes, I am still thinking about it;
I have to say a big Thank you to all of you who have shared their opinions here with me, there are some good arguments for it, but also some good ones against it;
as I don´t want to rush things (awaiting the outcome of my possible book selling spree), I might as well go for a completely new jacket;
the Star Sportswear contract A2 from ELC really looked stunning when I saw it in July and I think if going for a new one, that will be the jacket of my choice then;
but as said, if a "too good to say no offer" pops up before I annoy my significant other again with a new jacket "we don´t need", I might take that offer...