Paint job prices?

[1980corvettegibson]

Hey, i didnt know where to post this, cause its bout paint. but i have a 1980 Corvette that is custom painted, two tone red..and the paint is starting to peel so im thinkin of getting it painted some day. I would like to have it custom painted agin Red with Yellow flames down the front. i have a picture i scaned like i want it to look..but i cant get it to put it on this message..but i can e-mail it. my e-mail is danny_and_mandy@yahoo.com. I dont have that much money to spend, but i really would like to get it painted. Thanks for any info

 

[ruby76]

I've never priced it on a vette before, but a plain jane "regular" paint job will run you 1k-2k depending on paint products and what body work prep needs done. I would guess a custom paint with graphics (flames) would be 3-5k.

 

[craig32]

I asked a few places for an estimate to paint my Vette again, the first guy said 'anywhere from $1,500 to 9 or 10 thousand.' Another place said between 5-6 thousand. I know of a guy who paid $9000 to have his C2 painted, and won't get it out. I'm thinking that's an awful lot of money basically to paint the inside of your garage. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Craig

 

[1980corvettegibson]

Thanks guys. $3000 wouldnt be bad to have a custom paint job with flames. I did ask a guy the other day bout it and he said they work with any budget. and some paint jobs can but $20,000. but i just wanted to know the minimum price for flames I acually think that paying $10,000 or more to paint it is crazy too..cause thats more than what was paid for the whole car lol. Im not really tryin to make a show car, so i dont need a $20,000 paint job either. But i wouldnt mind paying $2000 for an awsome paint job.

 

[GS Diva]

When we repainted our '74 convertible, we wanted a first-rate, super quality paint job, and we paid $5,000 for it to be done in the same color. There is no question that it was perfect...and I do mean perfect!!

You can pay anything you want for a repaint...it all depends on what you're looking for and what part of the country you're from. I would imagine that custom flames on top of a good paint job is going to cost you plenty. We have a friend with a '69 white coupe that had blue flames painted on the hood...$2,500, I believe was the price, and that didn't include painting the car.

Look around, get estimates, and by all means, check out work done by each shop.

Good luck!

Elaine

 

[paintdaddy]

Doing the flames is a small part of the paint job.Like others have said a basic one color paint job can run anywhere up to 10,000.A 10,000 job is more like a cosmetic resto than a paint job.Most of the money is in disassembly,prep and reassembly,the flames are minor.

 

[1980corvettegibson]

Thanks. So most the money is for them taking the body apart and sand blasting it and repainting. I know ya get what you pay for too. thanks for all the replys.

 

[GS Diva]

Check this out if you're into flames!!

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60453

 

[1980corvettegibson]

thats a kewl paint job. I know this isnt on topic, but i just ordered a new Mahogany steering wheel for my 80 Vette..i cant wait till it gets here. I wished i could put that picture on here, i have a picture of exatly how i want it painted, but i dont know how to put it online. I would have to e-mail it.

 

[red70vette]

Thanks guys. $3000 wouldnt be bad to have a custom paint job with flames. But i wouldnt mind paying $2000 for an awsome paint job.

I wouldn't mind paying $10,000 for a 67 Big Block Convertible in great shape.
You get what you pay for.

Quality paint costs money, cheap paint is cheap for a reason, custom paint done right costs money, custom paint done cheap is cheap for a reason. You can buy a quality air brush kit for $300 and paint it yourself but unless you know what you are doing you will not get a quality paint job. Paint is probably not an area where you want to go cheap. Is a $2000 paint job that peels in 6 months a good buy.

There are ways you can reduce the cost of the repaint if your budget is a problem. Remove all the chrome and emblems yourself. You can strip the old paint and sand and prep the sufrace yourself. The paint is only as good as the surface that is painted. Prepping for paint is probably the most expensive part of painting cut corners there and pay later.

 

[1980corvettegibson]

I think i figured out how to put the picture of the flames i want on here..so here it goes. I sure hope it works.

YAY! this is what i want and i know its going to be pretty high $$$

 

[captras]

A reputable Corvette place here in Houston does a VERY good job for about $4000 or so. That is stripping it down to the fiberglass!

 

[GREG W.]

Bob,
How long is the warranty on that $4k paint job? All estimates I get(w/10year unconditional warranty) are $8k-$10k.... Stripped to the glass.
Greg

 

[kingman]

Too Much Dinero's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be a lot cheaper to sell what you have and then add some dinero's and buy another vette minus the flames.

Alan

 

[Barryki]

Repaint

A couple of things to consider:

*Rule of thumb (bible) is factory paint and a repaint than strip.
The above is a must on fiberglass or SMC due to expansion and contraction and the normal everyday flex.

*Because your vette came with factory lacquer it needs to be stripped no matter what if your planning basecoat/clearcoat over it as the urethanes will melt and re-flow the lacquer and soaking up or scratches or bubbling will show up down the road.

* Don't let just any painter do your car, painting a vette is not the same prep and precautions as painting a camaro. (let the guy learn on someone else's)

* Call your local auto paint jobbers and ask them for a painter that does this work at home, they will know the good ones and the ones to run from. This can save you a lot of money if you find a guy that will do it after work.

 

[KANE]

Doing the flames is a small part of the paint job.Like others have said a basic one color paint job can run anywhere up to 10,000.A 10,000 job is more like a cosmetic resto than a paint job.Most of the money is in disassembly,prep and reassembly,the flames are minor.

Sure- and if you have a shop you know, you can maybe re-apply some of that "saved" money from your own disassembly to a better finish. Seriously, if you have a shop that will shoot the car... bring it to them disassembled.

I had spent $2,500 on a Z28. It looked great. The guy shot 4/4 (base/clear) and when he shot the base he turned the pressure waaaaaaayyyyy down and stood the flake up. The car could be FILTHY and it still shined through the dirt. Best paint job I had ever seen (for the money!).

 

[SR'71]

Thanks guys. $3000 wouldnt be bad to have a custom paint job with flames. I did ask a guy the other day bout it and he said they work with any budget. and some paint jobs can but $20,000. but i just wanted to know the minimum price for flames I acually think that paying $10,000 or more to paint it is crazy too..cause thats more than what was paid for the whole car lol. Im not really tryin to make a show car, so i dont need a $20,000 paint job either. But i wouldnt mind paying $2000 for an awsome paint job.

2,000 won't get you an Earl Shibe/MAACO paint on a fiberglass body today. I spent 2,400 in 1983 to paint my '71. It would cost over 10,000 to paint it today.

 

[lnirenberg]

When we repainted our '74 convertible, we wanted a first-rate, super quality paint job, and we paid $5,000 for it to be done in the same color. There is no question that it was perfect...and I do mean perfect!!

You can pay anything you want for a repaint...it all depends on what you're looking for and what part of the country you're from. I would imagine that custom flames on top of a good paint job is going to cost you plenty. We have a friend with a '69 white coupe that had blue flames painted on the hood...$2,500, I believe was the price, and that didn't include painting the car.

Look around, get estimates, and by all means, check out work done by each shop.

Good luck!

Elaine

Where in the Boston area did you get a perfect paint job for $5000?

 

[Evolution1980]

$7500 for my job. Most of the money goes into the prep work though. Painting the car is the least intensive part of the entire project. For one, you can't (shouldn't) just take an air sander and sand it down. The car really should be blocked down by hand. Also, a good shop will excersize extreme care when working around the top of the fenders. A poor paint job/shop will show itself by how rounded the creases are on the top of the fenders. My shop took my car completely down to the base, filled in all the imperfections in the fiberglass (pits and whatnot), and then shot the entire car, including under the hood and door jambs.

And to do all this? (correctly)
To do the doors, they have to completely remove the mirror, which means taking the door panels off to remove the window glass so they can remove the mirror and shoot it separately.
To do the rear, they need to get under the car and remove the power antenna assm, and remove all the emblems
To do the hood, they need to remove it entirely.
To do the front bumper, they need to raise the car up off the ground.
To do the headlights, they have to remove the assembley to paint that inner shroud separately.
And then for the taillights, those come out and they mask off behind it.

So now, they have to mask off the entire engine bay, but under the lip where the hood sets, they have to mask off the T-top area and bring it down to the door's window sill (since there is no more glass in the doors), and let's not forget about

Doing all this AND correcting any fiberglass imperfections is what takes the time and labor. Plus, I figure my choice in paint wasn't all that cheap either.

I suppose my overall cost woulda been a bit cheaper if I just went a solid color with no paint fading.