Cece Carlucci Chest Protector

[Dpayner]

Hi,

I bought my Carlucci after Umpire School 30 years ago.

I want to refurbish it.

There are shoulder bands and straps worn thin and weak.

Who is the expert?

[tpatience]

@Razzer

[dumbdumb]

see above.

but 

never sell it, unless Ted Barrett asks to buy it, if he by chance ever gave away or sold his, and now has give away or sellers remorse.

[MadMax]

@Dpayner, could you please post some photos here for @Razzer @tpatience @wolfe_man and the rest of us gear-geeks to see what (extent) needs to be done?

TIA.

[Dpayner]

3 hours ago, MadMax said:

@Dpayner, could you please post some photos here for @Razzer @tpatience @wolfe_man and the rest of us gear-geeks to see what (extent) needs to be done?

TIA.

 

[Dpayner]

3 hours ago, MadMax said:

@Dpayner, could you please post some photos here for @Razzer @tpatience @wolfe_man and the rest of us gear-geeks to see what (extent) needs to be done?

TIA.

Let me get another shot here upclose

[Dpayner]

[Dpayner]

[WIUMP]

13 hours ago, dumbdumb said:

see above.

but 

never sell it, unless Ted Barrett asks to buy it, if he by chance ever gave away or sold his, and now has give away or sellers remorse.

Didn't he give his to the Hall of Fame? Maybe OP has a potential buyer.

[Dpayner]

Ted's is in the HOF. I was his batboy. These are 1st world local yocal problems fellas

[BLarson]

lol...we share the same color and wildness of hair.   I'm growing mine out...about half way to where yours is.

[wolfe_man]

Yes, that needs a full refurbishment - new straps, leather and rivets. It also needs a repair to the main plastic chest-piece with some resin.  This is going to take someone a good amount of time to do it right.  You may find the cost to repair/refurbish right up there with it's original price tag*. 

This is more of a refurbishment than I have time for personally.  I understand that @Razzer has done a few of the Carlucci refurbishments, but I can't say if he is still doing them or not, so I will tag him and see if he responds.  If he is still doing them, then he is most likely your best option due to his experience and commitment to quality and professionalism.  

Best of luck @Dpayner with your Calucci refurb!  She's a beautiful CP and it would be good to see her in pristine condition again!

*A side note, but comparable and on a parallel topic, Douglas wants to charge me upwards of $189 (before taxes and shipping to/from) to refurbish my 16" shins (replace rivets and Velcro) and then install new black padding.  The new cost was $239, so I'm going to hold off and maybe do some of the work myself or possibly part them out for other projects.

 

[Dpayner]

I am now considering taking a bullet proof vest and adding Carlucci components

[Dpayner]

contact me if this has previously been copywritten or you have bootleg ideas

[MadMax]

@Dpayner, you can essentially "rebuild" that Carlucci part for part, provided you are, or work with, a tailor / seamstress of some care and competency. 

Each of those worn out straps can be unstitched and replaced with new material, like-for-like. That material is easily found on Amazon. For example, you'd need 1.5" heavy-duty elastic to replace the straps on the harness. Personally, I would change the anchoring system from one metal-wire clasp to G-hooks; I could talk / describe you thru the steps involved. 
There are several leather tabs and loops that could use a replacement. That can be done, again, with proper stitching, some rivets, and some new leather. 
Best bet is to plastic-weld that crack on the chest plate. It's not critical, but it's not something to ignore. 
All the (rusted) rivets can be replaced, either with new stainless steel rivets or aluminum Chicago screws. 
It's a beautiful piece, and CeCe really was a master craftsman on it. 

Now, restoring it would take some work and effort, but it's straightforward. However, you're pondering about taking it apart and using components teamed with a bullet-proof vest? Ehhhh... 
The problem with a bulletproof vest is that you're decreasing the breathability factor. I can see wanting to replace / improve / augment the leather-encased pad vest on your Carlucci, but by what you're suggesting, you're only making it functionally worse. To keep the "heritage" and spirit of the Carlucci, but technically improve it, I would deconstruct the leather pad vest completely so I have the two leather panels alone to work with. I would then construct a new pad vest core from either homogenous TPU-EVA foam, or perhaps make my own "foam sandwich", or retrofit a pad vest from another CP (such as a Force3 UnEqual V1), and encase it with one (or both) of the leather panels from the original Carlucci. 

Make sense? It would be some work, surely, but this is more of a labor-of-love-and-respect than trying to rush and make a functional CP of it. 

[potter54904]

Hi all...I had a pair of 17" Carlucci shin guards up until a few years ago, when I retired after a 43 year (37 registered with my state HS association) career working 4 sports.  I responded to an ad from the HOF looking for equipment Cece made, so I contacted them, and to make a long story short, they now have the shin guards.  Worked like a charm for me and I hated giving them up, but my wife and I were downsizing, so off they went.   I remember the phone call when I ordered them from him through an ad in Referee magazine back in 1976.  He had me measure myself and I sent the check to him and I had them within a week.  He called 2 weeks after, and asked how they were.  i said everything was great, but they looked kind of plain (me showing my youth and lack of tact).  He laughed and said, "The hell with how they look.  How do they fit?"  No argument there, and I'd do it all over again, given the chance.  RIP Cece, you were a great guy!