Paint - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

TransAm · 05-09-2011, 10:22 PM

Im looking to get a good paintjob but im really not trying to pay ungodly prices. Im gutting the interior and pulling the motor to remove some labor but why is paint still like 7000 dollars. Is there anyone one out there that can do a good job with reasonable price. The car is great shape no rust and the most minor dents that i can only notice because im looking for it just the paint is old and losing shine finally. I love my car more then anything but i just dont understand why paint is worth more then the car it self. am i cheap to look at a 3000 paintjob

sweetbmxrider · 05-09-2011, 10:26 PM

You get what you pay for man, its a good amount of labor and prepping plus good paint isn't cheap. If you are doing a full paint job plus jams and underhood, might as well shell out now.

TransAm · 05-09-2011, 10:36 PM

yea i no you get what you pay for i did a macco job on a old car i had just to freshen and boy was that dumb yea im doing a full spray jambs and all and the material is around 1700 or so from the one shop at 60 hr on labor and with the total price he would actually put 89 hrs of work into it. It sounds crazy but hey im not a body man so i guess it does

sweetbmxrider · 05-09-2011, 10:53 PM

It doesn't sound unreasonable to me but I'm not super familiar with pricing paint. I would look at some examples of their work first, look at the actual body for orange peel, waves, etc. That is where the price comes in IMO.

TransAm · 05-09-2011, 11:05 PM

he did my uncles car and it is amazing i mean drop dead gorgeous but thats a grand national worth a bunch of money not a 84 trans am. the paint is worth more then my car to anyone else but me lol

sweetbmxrider · 05-09-2011, 11:08 PM

Yeah well there you go. I'm sure you could find other places for cheaper but its really what you want to spend and what you want out of it

HardcoreZ28 · 05-10-2011, 08:00 PM

Just like the other guys said it's all about the details and overall quality of the job. Be wary of shops that are willing to come down to your price range after they've given you a much higher estimate. They may be skimping on a lot of important steps. Any reputable shop will most likely stick to their price as it's their business name on the line and they want to do the job properly.

SRC · 05-15-2011, 11:02 AM

There have been a few articles in Camaro Performer, Hot Rod etc all with great tips on DIY paint and prep. As you mentioned removing the interior is a good step. The more time you can put into the prep the more you can save. For example, all body trim, lights, emblems; however to continue the savings you must also be willing to reinstall these parts. Also deciding if your estimate will cover the door jams and other concealed areas will be a factor in pricing, again if the car is gutted its easier to prep and paint those areas, but still requires the time and material. Complete color changes and the actual color are also a factor.

I refuse to use cheaper paints and clear simply because it requires more work to get the results of a higher quality product that is typically what most people set their expectation to when they set out to paint their car. The cost difference in materials is negligible once you weigh the labor costs against the savings, not to mention the longevity of the re-spray and what it will look like in a year from now.

With that being said a typical breakdown is as follows:

Materials costs: Between $2-2500. Included in that are primers, sealers, sand paper, body fillers, color and clear.
This is based on a 4 coat factory base color and 3 coats of clear.

Disassembly - Depends on the complexity of the car

Prep: With 0 rust or panel replacement most shells require 40-80 hours (or more) of prep time, all depending on panel damage and alignment. Could it take less, yes, but it all depends on the condition of the shell and the clients expectations. Do they want all the paint removed? Or is the current base able to sustain new layers of materials if prepared correctly.

Paint prep: Once body work is completed at a minimum of two stages of complete body primer and blocking is needed in a high quality paint job. 24-32 hours. For a simple production style re-spray this step will likely be skipped all together and only the areas where body fillers have been applied will be primed and wet sanded in preparation of sealer and paint. Again if the current base is in good shape this is an area of time and materials that can be reduced.

Paint prep: Masking the body, application of sealers (often skipped in a lower quality job), base color and clear. 7-8 hours

Color sanding: Again assuming a quality job the entire car is wet sanded from 1000 through 2000 levels, and then buffed. 24-32 hours depending on the size of the car. I see cars leave body shops every day with no color sanding at all, again client expectations and knowing what to look for. This is also a step that can fall under DIY if your willing to take the time.

Reassembly - All depends on the complexity of the car.

A 3000 budget is nothing to shake a stick at. With regards to the cost vs value of the car, thats a real world factor that most never consider. If this is a car that you have spent many hours on and will keep for the next ten years then aim for a higher budget and level of work. If its a car you will have for the next 2-3 years I would forgo the paint job altogether and do your best to keep it rust free as that will be an important selling factor for these cars. A cheap re-spray will most certainly damage resale value.

Hope that helps in your decision making.

redsoxsstink · 05-15-2011, 05:52 PM

maybe you can talk to the body shop guy and see if the paint is salvageable. you would be surprised what a wet sand and buff/polish would do to a paint. obv it wont be as good as fresh paint but it would look a heck of alot better.

TransAm · 05-16-2011, 11:19 PM

well so far i ripped the car apart fenders bumper ground effects everything off and everything out and took me a whole 3 hours to strip taking my time. no bs just as much as i work on this car i can do it blind folded. im up to $250 in material so far in bondo, sand paper, primer, glaze, acetone (great deal through votech school). The whole rear of the car is done and bumpers and effects are prepped. this weekend is fenders and doors then primer and sand primer and more sanding. so far no regrets for $250 bucks and its turning out great so far. It helps i have a good body guy helping me out at a price for food.

I took it to good shops and they agree on the condition of the car is great and minimal work is needed its just i dont feel like paying for something i can do at home like all the prep work. Kinda like why have someone build my motor for 8000 when i can do it in the garage for 3500 for the same motor.

Northstar01 · 05-28-2011, 11:59 PM

I'm a little confused. 3000.00 is alot more than a Macco spray would cost yet it seems like some of the folks who replied think 3000.00 doesn't get you a decent repaint.

V · 05-29-2011, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northstar01

I'
m a little confused. 3000.00 is alot more than a Macco spray would cost yet it seems like some of the folks who replied think 3000.00 doesn't get you a decent repaint.

Because macco is low quality and more quantity