How much for quality paint?

[jack67rs]

How much to paint 67 camaro? Car has been dissassembled, media blasted, rusted metal cut out and replaced, and filled with all-metal and poly fillers sanded with 150 grit. Car will be painted inside and out, bottom of car, inner fenders, frame, and brackets. The body is on a steel rolling cart. The paint is a 3 stage orange metallic pearl, wholesales for about $175-200 a gallon and will include black metallic rally stripes. All painted surfaces will need to be block sanded and buffed. One painter had bid the job at $5000, but cancelled at the last minute after being scheduled 2 months ago claiming personal reasons would'nt allow for such a big project. What should I expect to pay?? Will be shopping around this week.

[MuscleRodz]

TO do the level it sounds like you want done, it sounds like a $10K paint job labor and materials easy. I just recently finished painting a 71 Challenger in HOK pearl and all I did was final block, seal, and shoot. Painted inside and out and labor ran $3500 just to shoot it not including cut and buff. He spent another $2K on materials. And this was not a show finish, car will be driven daily.

Mike

[awr68]

WOW!!! I guess I'm in total denial of what it truely costs!! I sure hope my painter/body man friend doesn't bail on me or the car will never get finished!!!

[Andrew McBride]

well from what I have learned. 1. it is your quality of a job. 2. paint cost. 3.extra designs in your paint-stripes, airbrush. 4. where you are located. There was a post awhile back about paint and a guy said in Calif. you would look at around 9-10K, here in Oklahoma you can get a show quality paint job for around 4K-5k. that is what I was quoted for a grey met. with black met. stripes. interior shot as well.

[StRacerDuke]

It's pricey to get a really good paint job. Ask around your area and see if you can find anyone you know, or a friend of a friend who will cut you a brake on the price. Make sure they are reputable before you start though.

Just my 2 cents.

[MuscleRodz]

Andrew,
where in OK can you get a paint job inside and out, top and bottom show quality for $4k-$5K??? I know most the top painters in OKC and they won't talk to you for less than $10K. Now you might get a show on the outside for $4K-$5K around here but you wouldn't get much quality anywhere else on the car.

Mike

[Steve1968LS2]

At the shop my car is at there is a 50's truck getting painted in a candy pearl.. I was told that just the basic blocking, painting and colorsand/buff was $15,000.. that included materials..

That did not include taking the truck apart and putting it back together..

Then again, SoCal is expensive for any car work

[RobM]

i payed about 7500 for mine but i did the underside and interiour my self it wasnt that hard to do and to have a pro do it would not be worth it in my opinion, just make sure you mask every thing off well

[Andrew McBride]

muscle rodz:

e-mail me if you are interested in a couple names of painters. I have lived in OK all my life and don't miss any shows. Who are all the top painters in the big OKC man? lol.
Steve Cook Creations is shooting my car, but it is going to be a little more than 4-5K, but I can find good show quality painters for that range, it's all in your prep work, that saves you money. [email protected]

so are u at Tinker? or Vance? AFB

Andrew

[jack67rs]

thanks guys, I found a painter Tuesday. Found a very clean, professional, and experienced shop in Phx. These guys have won best paint at many shows including the Oakland roadster show. They said paint would run $6500-7500 with colorsanding and buffing.

[MuscleRodz]

Jack, glad you found a shop with show history to give you a fair price to do your car.

Andrew, I just sent you an email. I talked with Steve about a year ago right after he finished the sick yellow and white 55, and at that time he did not seem that interested in doing my car, and I bet your paint is probably well north of $4k-$5K from him, and you won't be disappointed. What car do you got there, I might take a look at it.

Mike

[mikes69z]

I just had my '69 Z/28 competely stripped, bodywork done, blocked and smoothed and then color coated and clear coated followed by a wet sand, buff and glazing. They also put the factory white stripes. Total: about $14K with very little body repair needed.
Don't kid yourself, good work doesn't come cheap.

[Jagarang]

Don't even get me started on the cruel beating I was taking on my body and paint work! It's embarrasing and I was a "car guy" while I was getting taken for a ride! Live and Learn I suppose!

[jack67rs]

Well my car is now coming up on seven months at the paint shop and the price has gone up to 10 or 11 grand with no changes on my end!!! This really sucks! Thought I would be assembling in nice cool weather, but here comes that Ariz. heat.

[mikes69z]

Jack,

These restoration body shops really low-ball the work!! My estimate was $8-9K if only small amount of body work was needed. Well, after they stripped it, it was confirmed that the car was really in excellent condition - no panels needed, just a patch on the front fender and some fiberglass filler. Followed then by 3 weeks of "smoothing" it out.

The plus side was that they finished the entire job in 8 weeks - in time for me to have the car back on the road this summer. And they are also giving me a "free touchup" after the car gets re-assembled. Well, yea.. they better at that price!

[ProdigyCustoms]

Well my car is now coming up on seven months at the paint shop and the price has gone up to 10 or 11 grand with no changes on my end!!! This really sucks! Thought I would be assembling in nice cool weather, but here comes that Ariz. heat.

Man I have to learn how to do this. I just never have been able to figure out how to bump someone for my mistake. Seriously, it is a all too familiar story. I just never had the gut's to tell someone it was more then I said because I miss diagnosed.

[coolclassiccars]

guys, i live in southern pa and i just had my 69 pace car painted,installed new trunk floor, both quarters ,outer wheel houses,lower rear panel,paint quality as good as it gets,20 dollars an hour,paid 1500 materials,3000 labor had the car for 16 months.i wasn't in a hurry, i'm talking spot welds in all the right places,top notch quality.if you want a quality job it takes time and money,a good body man is very hard to find.

[mikes69z]

Cool,

And for $20 an hour!!?? Are you kidding me?

[WELTERRACER]

I know a guy who does complete paint for under $5000

But he lives in Wisconson..

[JoshStratton]

How do you know you are not getting 'reamed'? I mean, a body shop can tell you one thing...8-9 grand, but when you get the bill and they say it took an extra 100 hours and they charge you for it, how do you know it REALLY took an extra 100 hours and they weren't just playing pingpong in the corner? I have only taken my car to one body shop, but each time I have gotten a written estimate and paid for it up front. When I hear the stories of guys being charged more money upon completion, I wonder why they just didn't get it in writing before agreeing on the contract. Then they cannot be charged the extra amount. For anyone in Columbus, Ohio, this is where I go (well...until I started trying it myself). Nice people, quality work:

http://www.autometalmasters.com/

With any body shop, you can choose 2 out of 3 possible options with your project :

1. Cheap
2. Fast
3. Good Quality

Don't expect to get all 3.