ballpark figure for a paint job?

[cfour93]

Edmond

Myself i had my 93 repainted 1.5 years ago in Michigan. Now i did alot of research and looking at many different quality of workmanship. Took photo's and made notes. Also my daily driver during this research was hit. Though long thought and actually seeing there work i picked a place and took my daily driver to get repaired without telling them that i wanted my Vette done, Let them repair my daily. It came back perfect never can tell it was ever done and the match was perfect. Then i later brought my Vette and asked for a quote to restore complete. If you want i can send you photo's to your PM. The Vette was taken completely apart and eveything was painted off the car and reassembled. New seals and rockers and one fender replaced new. Cost $3600.00 with new emblems and trim. Add $400.00 for my rotors and caliper paint and you get what my Vette looks like now...I believe if you find some to paint for 2000.00 you get 2000.00 hence you get what you pay for but make sure you look at there workmanship before you decide..

 

[Chris Kennedy]

You're not going to get any better background, nor result, on quality painting a car than you would expect from reading a book on how to represent yourself in court. Good luck!

BTW, I have both books.

As with any smart shopping, the price ersus an examination of the provider's results is how I determine whether I am being fairly charged. Proper result demands proper research, before buying; MUCH easier than paying a high-priced lawyer to fight afterwards. >>Chris...you requently sound like UR looking for a fight. (offered as a 'friend)

No problem---Basically, you and I are approaching the question differently. You are choosing among various providers of paint jobs for Corvettes based upon quality of finished product, which is of course understandable, but you are not also investigating the underlying technical reasons people are charging these prices to begin with. You accept higher prices as part of the equation, and are just comparing who does the best job. As for me, I have heard/read that painting a Corvette is especially difficult and expensive compared to other cars, but I want to know why? I'll assume it's because of the materials of which the car is made, unique chemical properties of the paint etc. Again, the question is "why" do these materials cause the price to be more, especially if you don't do body repair work as part of the repaint? That's the question I am trying to get an answer to, and in fairness I am willing to do some research into it to find out why. Perhaps when that research into these technical questions is done I will agree that the cost should be more, but checking the facts, first, seems smarter than simply accepting the mantra and shelling out some of the money people are doing for paint jobs.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[GS977]

thats one good thing about being a painter. i only have to pay for the materials and do all the work myself

you can save money by taking the car apart yourself before you bring it to the shop. also you can buy all your own materials and save money....primer,paint,reducers,clear,hardners,etc.
you can even sand the whole car down yourself.

 

[Hrtbeat1]

thats one good thing about being a painter. i only have to pay for the materials and do all the work myself

you can save money by taking the car apart yourself before you bring it to the shop. also you can buy all your own materials and save money....primer,paint,reducers,clear,hardners,etc.
you can even sand the whole car down yourself.

Hey GS977 Do you do any work on the side? I will eventually need to get mine redone and Covington is just a hop away. What shop are you at?

 

[Vettelt193]

I remember reading somewhere there is a really good do-it-yourself video out there, that explains the whole process... anyone hear of this?

 

[Jeb]

Hey GS977 Do you do any work on the side? I will eventually need to get mine redone and Covington is just a hop away. What shop are you at?

You're second in line behind me. He lives right up the road from me.

 

[Hrtbeat1]

I remember reading somewhere there is a really good do-it-yourself video out there, that explains the whole process... anyone hear of this?

Larry Bud wa the one that posted about that. He repainted his Vette himself, painted it a "Porsche Yellow" IIRC.

You're second in line behind me. He lives right up the road from me.

It's all good man. I've got some time before I'm ready. Haven't even got the new front spoiler or the body kit yet. Lemme' know how it turns out.

 

[Edmond]

Chris,

I think your last post really hit the nail on the head. I think in some ways, I was trying to ask the questions that you just did.

I've been told so many things that I don't know what to believe. I've been told that fiberglass is hard to paint, that the clear coat is different, that this is different, that that is different.

Since I don't know diddly squat about painting or body work, I either believe everyone or no one.:L

 

[Moonunit 451]

I talked to a local body and paint shop that has done a large number of Vettes over the years about a complete repaint in the same color basecoat/clearcoat (gold) for my 87 coupe, and the owner said about $3000 would be a typical figure if there was no body work to do. This would cover prep sanding by both machine and hand, filling of rock chips and small dings and include painting of the front and rear bumper covers using the correct flex additives, and color sanding and buffing.

This place is very reputable and does a lot of work for insurance companies and show car people. I had my hardtop for my 92 done there and they did an excellent job of color matching the Polo Green and I got a near show-quality finish for $400.

There are places that will charge $5-6000 and more but for that amount of money, you should expect a level of quality approaching that of new cars. Maybe not a show car finish, but reasonably close to that.

Would you be kind enough to post the contact info for the shop or e-mail it to me. It's always good to know of craftsmen in the area who others respect and trust who won't gouge ya just cause you have a vette

 

[Evolution1980]

I had mine painted back in Aug 2001. Out the door was like $7500. Most of the effort comes from getting the car ready. With yours, you don't ahve to worry about as many sharp creases like the sharks have. But they are pretty much always blocked down by hand, fiberglass filled, feathered, touched up where needed. I had all visible painted surfaces done...door jambs, under the hood, gas lid, etc. It's quite labor intensive.

Think about the t-tops. They have to mask off the open t-top area and down to the doors so they don't shoot paint inside the car.
Just to do the doors on my car, they had to take off door panels, take out the glass, just so they could remove the mirrors. And THEN reassemble it all when done. To shoot the hood, they have to completely remove it and mask off the engine bay, and shoot the hood stand alone. Then put it back on and make sure it's aligned. They also have to either remove the front bumper or raise the car so they can shoot those lower fascias.
That's quite a bit more than just sanding down a car, and spraying it a couple of time... That's a lot of labor before the paint even gets sprayed!

I can send you pics of my car in it's various stages of undress if you are interested. Just know that there's probably more that has to be done just to prep the car than you are probably aware.
Also make sure that before they start, if there's any questionable areas once they are done, they will take of it to your satisfaction.

 

[Ken]

Most of the effort comes from getting the car ready. It's quite labor intensive.

As has been said many times in this thread, that's where most of the cost is. If you prepare the parts for the painter, the cost is usually much less.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Chris,

I think your last post really hit the nail on the head. I think in some ways, I was trying to ask the questions that you just did.

I've been told so many things that I don't know what to believe. I've been told that fiberglass is hard to paint, that the clear coat is different, that this is different, that that is different.

Since I don't know diddly squat about painting or body work, I either believe everyone or no one.:L

Thanks! What I have found is that people often won't ask basic questions for fear that others will think they are stupid. However, when pressed the people who won't ask the questions usually don't know the answers either, but don't have the guts to ask.

 

[GS977]

painting fiberglass is no different then painting steel and the clear is the same. dont believe its harder tp paint a vette then any other car. ive painted many many vettes before and it wasnt any different then any other car.
alot of the cost goes to the bodyman that has to disassemble the entire car before the painter even gets it. then he has to reassemble the car afterwards very carefully. thats where you can save some money at by doing that yourself if you can.

and yes i do paintwork on the side. i paint quite a few sportbikes on the side in my garage. i have a paintbooth in my garage. but for a car... like a vette i have a real shop in kenner that i use with a real spraybooth. thats where i will be painting my grand sport when the time comes for new paint.

just let me know when ya ready hrtbeat1 and we'll set something up.
jeb i sent ya a pm

 

[Edmond]

Chris,

I guess we just accept what someone tells us. Obviously, when the shops hear "Corvette", they think $$$

No one asks probably that's the way it's always been so that must be the way that it should be.

 

[paintdaddy]

As said before painting a corvette is not that much different from a steel car .It is the prep work before hand that is labor intensive.c2 and c3 cars are especially proned to stress cracks.Dissassembly and stripping is a good place to save money but when it comes to the fiberglass work ,bodywork and priming and blocking ,it isnt as cut and dry as it looks.Alot of shops pile on the primer and sand until it looks straight,not reallizing the film build of that primer is way out of limits,therefore asking for problems in the future.Also primer isnt just primer anymore.There are epoxy primers ,acid etch primers and urethane primers.Urethane primers generally arent supposed to be used over bare metal or fiberglass.The epoxy primer is supposed to be used first which is also reccommended to be used under body fillers now.All of this is why paint jobs have reached 10k.I personally dont like to do an overall without replacing of course weatherstriping and chrome,light lenses and emblems.This also adds to the price.Yes some owners like to do this part to save some but some have busy lives and would rather not be bothered with finishing it.

 

[67AirCoupe]

Well, after listening to all these people over the years claiming that the labor and materials required in re-painting a Corvette are the equivalent of that required to re-paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it WOULD be good to sit down and actually read a book about what's involved in repainting our cars, and why this is so different from other cars to justify these prices some people have paid (Egads---$10K!!).

/s/ Chris Kennedy

I think I've been in the wrong business for too many years!

Took my 67 to get an estimate to paint my never hit coupe and the guy quotes me $10,000.00 and says that's if he doesn't run into any unforeseen problems! Yikes!!

I think I'm going to sell my business and get into painting Corvettes.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

painting fiberglass is no different then painting steel and the clear is the same. dont believe its harder tp paint a vette then any other car. ive painted many many vettes before and it wasnt any different then any other car.
alot of the cost goes to the bodyman that has to disassemble the entire car before the painter even gets it. then he has to reassemble the car afterwards very carefully. thats where you can save some money at by doing that yourself if you can.

and yes i do paintwork on the side. i paint quite a few sportbikes on the side in my garage. i have a paintbooth in my garage. but for a car... like a vette i have a real shop in kenner that i use with a real spraybooth. thats where i will be painting my grand sport when the time comes for new paint.

just let me know when ya ready hrtbeat1 and we'll set something up.
jeb i sent ya a pm

Thanks for this reply. Well, now we seem to be getting somewhere, as you are the first person who has directly answered my original question.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[johnny80]

Chris,

Got mine painted in Jan of 04. Went to a local body shop with a reference from several Camaro and corvette owners and they did a great job for me for just over 3000.00 Took about two weeks to get it done but I was very impressed. I know I got a great deal without having to drop alot of $. She looks great. Its not a "10 footer". She is done right without any gliches for a C-4.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

I think I've been in the wrong business for too many years!

Took my 67 to get an estimate to paint my never hit coupe and the guy quotes me $10,000.00 and says that's if he doesn't run into any unforeseen problems! Yikes!!

I think I'm going to sell my business and get into painting Corvettes.

Thanks for info. I suspect that he would "run into unforeseen problems", too, as soon as the car is in parts. I got into a real debate with an auto repair/restoration operation on another forum when I suggested that businesses which specialize in certain facets of auto repair (e.g., businesses which specialize in Corvette body and paint work) should know what problems they could encounter and be able to build that risk into a firm quote---none of this "$10K unless I 'run into unforeseen problems'" excuse for raising the already inflated price. My guess is that this guy who gave you the quote billed his operation as an expert service with much experience. However, once he ran into an issue you would get a call at work with the suddenly "unforeseen" problem.

/s/ Chris Kennedy

 

[Edmond]

$10K is ridiculous. When you spend that much money for a paint job, at least for our C4's, you can sell the current car and with that money and the $10K, buy a newer car that doesn't need to be painted.

I'm sure his expert service gave him the right to charge the $10K and the other expenses for unforseen problems.