Aero Modified Sunburst

[Benny Holiday]

Benny I don't know what size you are, but there is a superb aero goat halfbelt on ebay in Oz for about $650AUD, looks new, seal goat, awesome. I think it's a 42 or 44...

Thanks for the heads up mate, I'm a itty bitty 38 mostly. I have an Aero standard half belt, 10 years old and looking way cool. My next project is a Bootlegger with a Sunburst back in chestnut steer, but I can't justify starting it with the Aussie dollar so poor.

 

[Bunyip]

Thanks for the heads up mate, I'm a itty bitty 38 mostly. I have an Aero standard half belt, 10 years old and looking way cool. My next project is a Bootlegger with a Sunburst back in chestnut steer, but I can't justify starting it with the Aussie dollar so poor.

Sounds good mate, the AUD is a killer. Back up above .80c USD....it won't ever get much better again...

 

[ProteinNerd]

Sadly I think the days of buying leather jackets at parity are behind us for a long time.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Agreed gents. At present my fair wife is only working 3 days per week with money going to day care for the little guy and to after school care for Miss Ten so my hard-earned is needed elsewhere. My dream project will have to remain just that for a while.

However, I'm having a great time celebrating your purchases with you!

 

[dan_t]

I'm interested to know if anyone else has done this.......

On this new half belt, the jackets waist is larger than mine. As such, the waist adjuster pulls are tightened somewhat. No issue here, other than the excess material seems to poke outwards from the body a bit.
If the jacket is layed down without care & the tabs are caught underneath at an angle, this tends to also encourage them to sit out from the body.

As a remedy, I have created a couple of 'keepers' just like a watch band, or belt. These were made from a sample of seal Vicenza that I had.

I think the overall 'tidiness' has improved & it certainly keeps the pulls against the body now.

The colour in real life is actually not as different as the pics show. In fact, I may re-do these in the dark seal Vicenza that I have laying around.

 

[Fanch]

Good idea - same principle as a keeper for a watch strap.

 

[navetsea]

nice simple mod, with helmet usually it has to be pulled back up covering the D rings, and then secured with a snap button, is it strong enough to stay in that position when it is not being pulled back up at the end? sorry I have difficulty explaining my point.

 

[dan_t]

Strong enough? Sure. The stitching on the back is certainly functional. Not pretty, but functional.
A bit like the difference between a plastic surgeon who lives in an apartment in Manhatton overlooking Central Park versus an Army field surgeon. Both will do a 'functional' job.
I'm the Army guy, Aero are the well to do plastic surgeon......

 

[handymike]

Great idea!
Nicely done Dan_T

 

[Peter Bowden]

Ravishing jacket and a superb fit-you must be thrilled

 

[ProteinNerd]

I actually thread a few stitches through the existing stitch holes

 

[navetsea]

Strong enough? Sure. The stitching on the back is certainly functional. Not pretty, but functional.
A bit like the difference between a plastic surgeon who lives in an apartment in Manhatton overlooking Central Park versus an Army field surgeon. Both will do a 'functional' job.
I'm the Army guy, Aero are the well to do plastic surgeon......

oh no, you misunderstood me, what I meant was those smooth D rings are they strong enough (create enough friction to the leather strap) to keep it from slowly sliding out? in helmet first they use more raw edged D-ring, and still what left of the strap is then folded over the D-rings and secured with snap button

 

[dan_t]

Ah! I think I follow now.
The D rings do an amazing job of holding the waist adjusting straps in place. The additional 'keepers' that I've created are simply there to tuck the excess strap into & stop them flapping around. A bit like the excess strap on a wristwatch.