News: Gail's first week in the paint shop

[82ColEd]

Flannels eh? Very comfy

She's already looking much better then when i saw her last and you got roadwarrior status.. Maybe next time, it's Lady's choice for you..

 

[oceangal]

She is looking great and there is still a long season ahead for driving, esp in a nice warm climate

Thanks for sharing the photos. I too will probably be going your route with the bumpers on though i haven't asked the expert yet ;-)

 

[GerryLP]

Flannels eh? Very comfy

She's already looking much better then when i saw her last and you got roadwarrior status.. Maybe next time, it's Lady's choice for you..

Thanks Stefan! One could only hope. We have some outstanding specimens being maintained by dedicated and proud owners...it would be though indeed.

She is looking great and there is still a long season ahead for driving, esp in a nice warm climate

Thanks for sharing the photos. I too will probably be going your route with the bumpers on though i haven't asked the expert yet ;-)

Thanks Lori,

Oh yeah, we still have plenty of weather. Every now and then, you even get dry and warm (50'ish degrees) winter days.

Gail is never put-away for the winter...she just has to play inside the garage until a dry day shows up, and around here that is pretty certain to happen.

GerryLP:cool

 

[Peer81]

Hello Gerry,

Sorry for my late reaction, finding work takes up alot of time
Looks to me like you have made the right desition. This isn't a body off resto and for that price you will still get a good or maybe perfect paintjob. The important thing for me is that you looked at all the options and took the desition on your own, and not automaticly the painters idea.

Gail looks very different in white but will run out fine when the paint is on
And also if you have a $$ paintjob it still can go wrong. Mine has some spots where the didn't block the body perfect. And after 6 months when the paint is fully dry and flowed into the little grains now visible in the paint (not visible before 6 months). Well no problem, it can be wetsanded out (also the little orange peel). So keep a close look on the paint, even after 6 monts

Good luck and keep us updated!

Groeten Peter

 

[hotshotzny]

just out of curiosity..what are they charging you to paint her....im still hunting around for a shop who doesnt want to take me to the cleaners for a half ass job!

 

[Yoda]

just out of curiosity..what are they charging you to paint her....im still hunting around for a shop who doesnt want to take me to the cleaners for a half ass job!
Today 04:54 AM

And the answer is

...... . . . ...
It is true that one-gets-what-one-pays-for, and I am expecting to only pay $2,600 dollars for a paint job by someone who has tons of experience in Corvette painting, so I still believe that this is an awesome deal.

........ . . . ..The way I look at it is that I am already getting what normally is a $5,000 dollar paint job for $2,600 dollars. A "Barret-Jackson" paint job quality would have cost me up-wards of $12,000 dollars. So what I got is NOT a bad price indeed.

Besides, most everyone has seen Gail with her old clothes :ugh, and they were raggedy indeed, so the transformation in your eyes will be unbelievable. Trust me!

 

[GerryLP]

Hotshotzy,

The quote was $2,650.00 dollars. This includes getting the pin stripping re-done that she had when new (by the dealer).

That price was not without some costs, though. I probably spent 10 months visiting shops and asking around and trying not to faint when given $5k, $7k, $9k estimates...:ugh

My main interest was to find someone who has had reasonable experienced with Corvettes. Bill and his sons have had some pretty good experience.

Keep looking, and you should be able to find someone...it is a hope at least, just as I had.

GerryLP:cool

 

[hotshotzny]

Hotshotzy,

The quote was $2,650.00 dollars. This includes getting the pin stripping re-done that she had when new (by the dealer).

That price was not without some costs, though. I probably spent 10 months visiting shops an dasking around and trying not to faint when given $5k, $7k, $9k estimates...:ugh

My main interest was to find someone who has had reasonable experienced with Corvettes. Bill and his sons have had some pretty good experience.

Keep looking, and you should be able to find someone...it is a hope at least, just as I had.

GerryLP:cool

thats a great price from a shop that seems to know what is going on.... my cheapest quote has been $6k and the guy has expierience none with vettes.... seen some work he has done on a lot of other customs but he was workng with metal

cant wait to see your pics when shes done

 

[GerryLP]

Hello Gerry,

Sorry for my late reaction, finding work takes up a lot of time
Looks to me like you have made the right desition. This isn't a body off resto and for that price you will still get a good or maybe perfect paintjob. The important thing for me is that you looked at all the options and took the desition on your own, and not automaticly the painters idea.

Peter, that's what I also appreciate about Bill as well. He listens and addresses my concerns openly and without complaint.

Gail looks very different in white but will run out fine when the paint is on And also if you have a $$ paintjob it still can go wrong. Mine has some spots where the didn't block the body perfect. And after 6 months when the paint is fully dry and flowed into the little grains now visible in the paint (not visible before 6 months). Well no problem, it can be wetsanded out (also the little orange peel). So keep a close look on the paint, even after 6 monts

Good luck and keep us updated!

Groeten Peter

Peter,

I hear you......that is some of the pit falls we all face. But as we all know, even the factory finish had its share of orange peel and other defects. I have had Gail so long looking raggedy that she will look like a brand new penny...when she comes-out of the shop all clean and gleaming pretty soon.

p.s. good luck on your job hunt. You know, a lot of countries do streamline their immigration laws for individuals who have the skills needed in their particular society, so you could find yourself in the USA, Germany, Australia, or other country making a killing in your new profession and buying a new ZR-1 .

GerryLP:cool

 

[GerryLP]

And the answer is

Thanks Bud, that is genuine L81 backup.

GerryLP:cool

 

[twiget]

I was a little late finding this thread, but you've done such a good job, Gerry, of documenting Gail's new dress that I find my self comming back to it, wondering if there are more pics.

Sounds like you have found a good shop to get the work done at. I'm looking forward to seeing her new paint!

Jason

 

[GerryLP]

I was a little late finding this thread, but you've done such a good job, Gerry, of documenting Gail's new dress that I find my self comming back to it, wondering if there are more pics.

Sounds like you have found a good shop to get the work done at. I'm looking forward to seeing her new paint!

Jason

Jason! What is going on, pal? How have you been? I will stop by the shop tomorrow and snap some more pictures, but I am not sure if they had done anything... All it had left was finish sanding, prep, and paint. But I will swing by there just the same.

GerryLP:cool

 

[GerryLP]

The End is Near...

Well folks,

The end is near now. I should be getting Gail back by next week at the latest (one of his best painters is sick).

But he told me to come on by today, and look it over to see if I noticed any blemishes on her. And I got a treat today as well.......is kind of silly, but Bill tossed me the Vette keys, and he told me to drive her inside the shop....wow...it's been a long while since I have been inside the cabin, but I got to tell you that the engine started right away, and purred like it has since I did the rebuild on the Vette's engine.


One of the best ways to check the surface for ripples or other defects is to wet it down, and here are a couple of the images I took of the Vette under the spray of the garden hose...

When looking the surface at an angle, the water will highlight the blemishes and waves and other un-regular surface area...

By the time I got the camera to the other side it was beginning to dry, but I had already looked at the surface before it dawned on me to take photos.

Here is another Vette that just got finished. Bill told me that this one did not get as much sanding as Gail did in their shop (probably because the front fender repairs on Gail ).

It is hard to tell, but this Vette is actually dirty. It has some dust on the surface from the winds whipped-up by rain clouds, and it has the dried-up few rain drops that made it to the ground when it rained. And it is not looking bad at all.

One more image...

So perhaps, next time I should have pictures of Gail all prepped for the paint job, and lastly, with her new dress. Stay tuned...:L:eyerole.

GerryLP:cool

 

[twiget]

Congrats Gerry, she's looking good!

Jason

 

[jrose7004]

I'm looking forward to your finished shots!

 

[bill81vette]

LOOKING GOOD!!!!!!

 

[Tom Bryant]

This is going to be great. Can't wait to see her finished.

 

[turismo177]

I've enjoyed reading about "Gail". Luseel will be going in for her transformation next spring and I was also wondering what the cost was going to be. I had planned about $3K as I'm not looking for a 100 point paint job but want a good one so she's an up close beauty not the famous "She looks good from 20 feet" quote. Luseel is Dark Blue and I'm looking forward to seeing her in her new duds in about a year. She may not be the belle of the ball Gail is but she'll look pretty good.
Great pictures and great advice in this forum. Glad "Gail" wasn't shy about showing us her progress.

Thanks
Terry

 

[Peer81]

Can't wait to see the final product!
It's always great to see a fresh and new paintjob, so much pictures but never enough!
Keep them comming

Groeten Peter

 

[GerryLP]

We're at the eleventh hour and it is 4th down and inches,

Ok folks,

I am happy to report that Gail has been prepped for painting as of today at noon mountain time. She will be the last vehicle to go into the paint booth and paint-shot at the end of today (Friday). Bill will leave her nuzzled in the paint booth overnight, and invited me to either stop by tonight or go in tomorrow morning to see her....but a Friday afternoon in Duke City is the worst time to be among the traffic, and so I will stop by tomorrow promptly by 0900 (9:00 A.M. :L).

While admiring her on her silvery primer, I commented to Bill how I almost had decided sometime ago to paint her in Lexus' silver color, and he turned to me and said..."well, it is still not too late!", but I told him that since I had returned her original engine back in and since I have been striving to keep her 98% original, then the only color would be her original Charcoal gray.

Gail will probably not return home until Monday or Tuesday, I suspect. Since they would still have to install the trim, and let the paint somewhat cure before putting on the pin-striping.

I will post more images tomorrow with her new coat of paint!!!!

Woohoo!

GerryLP:cool