want to paint car...have a few ?s.

[grabbergreenboy]

I have a few questions for you svo gurus... I purchased my svo a few months back. I would like to get the car painted and have been pondering a few different ways to get it painted. I think I'm going to go with urethane paint single stage. Its a 4E car, so I really want a decent paint job. What do you guys think this should cost? I don't mind if its not perfect... I just want a paint job that will last. She has a small dent near the cowl, and the driver rear quarter has a dent in it. I thought about taking it to a national chain to get it painted, and they quoted me about $800 to fix the dings, dent near cowl, and rear quarter...plus remove the front fenders, hood, and bumper to paint them (they're currently in primer) - plus stripping the car to the bear metal before painting it. It seems like an okay deal...I've just heard horror stories regarding...yes... maaco paint. Everyone says a good paint job is all in prep work. I'd do it myself, but I don't know how to fix dents. Do any of you guys know someone close to charlotte, NC that is reasonable that does good body, paint work? After talking with a few stangers they all say to save my bucks til I can get a really nice paint job. What do you guys think? I think Bud had the 4e he used to own painted somewhere in the southeast...but i'm not sure where...but it looked like a fairly pricy paint job? The Mustang Monthly write up and pics on his car got me hooked on the 4e's...and i was lucky enough for Don to sell me his. Any help or comments would be great. (sorry if longwinded).

[90lx86svo]

Look at it this way, quality materials alone (PPG, DuPont) will be $4-500. $800 for everything? You get what you pay for.

Bud

[johnbasler]

Re: want to paint car...have a few ?s.

Originally posted by grabbergreenboy
It seems like an okay deal...I've just heard horror stories regarding...yes... maaco paint. I think Bud had the 4e he used to own painted somewhere in the southeast...but i'm not sure where...but it looked like a fairly pricy paint job?

Listen to the people that are telling you to wait...

To do a job like is on my 4E (Bud's former car) costs in the thousands of dollars.

Really, it is a question of what you plan on doing with the car. If it is going to be a daily driver, then maybe the cheap way is acceptable to you and will not cause you to blow a gasket when you get rock chips or door dings. However, if it is to be a show car, then as was mentioned above, you get what you pay for. But I am incredibly sceptical what $800 will buy you, especially with the bodywork required.

Good luck...

[grabbergreenboy]

paint

I'd like a show quality job of course...just don't have the funds. she looks fairly rough right now, due to being 1/2 in 1/2 primer and 20 year old dark green I'm going to be driving it a decent amount and first...then a lot less later. I'd like a decent paint job for now...then later when I have money go back (5 to 10 years) and resto the car from the ground up. The write up went fairly fast there, and he kind of yessed me on all my questions, but was really nice and acted like they'd handle it with kid gloves. So if i'm going to drive the car, and less than perfect paint job may be the way to go? I know if I drive it she'll get some chips here and there. I already co own a semi show car (70 vert with my dad). I am way anal when it comes to paint. i found a chip in the 70 and nearly blew my top. I dont want to be in the same situation with my svo. As long as it looks pretty good, it doesn't have to be perfect. JohnBasler, thats one sweet hertz you have. I figured the paint was in the thousands range. I haven't seen your car in person but the mustang monthly pics had me droolin for days. thanks for the luck, its needed.

[Ken Potter]

The guy I bought my GT vert from had just put a Maaco special on it before I bought it. He even gave me the receipt so it wasn't like I was fooled into thinking it was anything special. It's a daily driver and like John said I don't worry about chips or door nicks. I do wish they had done more prep before letting them paint it. The paint is backing off in a few places. They also painted EVERYTHING from the trim around the convert top to the mirrors, emblems, door handles / locks, wipers, cowl... They also got overspray on the front turn signals, tailights, and windows. The car looks ok after it's been washed from about 25 feet. Since we're talking about a 4E car you need to wait and do it right the first ( and hopefully last ) time.

[grabbergreenboy]

paint

overspray on the lights for an svo could run you $500 or more to replace, plus a beatin delivered to the painter I understand what you're saying. I know a few fellas back home in the mountains below asheville, that resto fox bodies. I think I'm going to talk with them and see what kind of deal they could give me. I've seen a 92 gt they restored for this chick back home...it was nice! really nice. Do you think $1500 could get you a nice paint job with a little bit of body work to boot?

[Ken Potter]

I may be able to hook you up with the guy who painted my Frankencar for me. I'll send you a PM with details. I got a very good deal. I let him have it for 3 months or so. He lives right down the street from Road Atlanta and paints several race teams cars from Lanier Raceway. His brother is president ( or at least was at the time ) of the local MCA / Mustang club in that area. He has a shop in his back yard with a down draft booth etc. Pretty good set up. He also stores all his brothers show cars at his house. Several low mileage Cobras, Saleens, etc.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

That appears to be a lot of work to get done for $800, even if it it is from one of the "high volume" paint shops. I doubt that they'll remove/paint/reinstall the panels and do body work for that little amount. They use less expensive paint but many offer guarantees up to 5 years for a little more money (there's no difference in the paint and prep, you're just paying more for the warranty).

Stop by there and other candidates with your dad and look at their work before, during, and after the job is done on some of their customers' cars. If you see them slapping bondo on a quarter panel rather than pulling the interior panels and working the metal, that's likely the treatment you'll be getting as well.

Consider stopping by a local glass shop and ask them what they'd want to remove all the window & rocker trim before painting. They have experience with trim and will likely be able to do it in no time with no bent or broken parts. This minimizes the chance of the body shop messing up the tape job around the windows as well

[grabbergreenboy]

paint

i definitely want to check out a some different places and see what kind of work they do. according to the shop i went to...they said they didn't use bondo....its more of a fiberglass/bondo mix, or fiberglass. I hate the word bondo...gives me chills just thinking about it actually removing the trim, moldings, wing, etc is the only way to go. i won't let somebody paint it with those pieces on. I never really got into that with him...which is a good question to ask. that would likely drive the price up there too. the molding on the cars in good shape. i need 2 pieces of the thin molding (2 small ones). I was actually thinking about painting the trim myself, as well as the wing, by getting some of the paint from svpu or somewhere. i've heard its a good way to go. i wish i knew someone here close(near charlotte) with an svo in stock form that i could take some pics of and stuff to make sure i get it painted right. i want to avoid a half done job, and incorrect colors.

[svoman2300]

Like everyone else said. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. You might save some money now. But it might cost you more in the long run to fix what they screw up. Just like Bud said, just the cost of quality materials will cost a body shop a few hundred bucks. In a low cost paint job you get inferior products and labor. Later when you decide to do a real paint job you will have to strip all of the inferior products off to insure a long life of the new paint.Don't get me wrong those low cost places don't pretend too do the best jobs, they fill a much needed niche. I have also seen cars that people brag about paying alot of money for their paint job and they probably would have been better off going to Maaco. The best way to find a good paint shop is word of mouth. You have to see their work before you have them paint it. It will be hard to find a great paint job at a low price. Any shop that does good work is usually slammed with business. With the work that needs to be done to my car I fiqure on spending close to $4000 on my paint work. If I can come up with the money I won't have a problem with the price for the right job. I know how labor intensive a good paint job is, and the experience required to do a great job. If your lucky you might be able to find a guy who works for a paint shop that has a warehouse or large garage that does side work. But that will usually take longer since it is done on evenings and weekends.

[grabbergreenboy]

paint

i had a chance to look over the cars that had been painted at the local maaco. the paint had some orange peel, but looked pretty good. they are painting a ton of those dhl vans right now (new shipping co) bright knock you down yellow. I did notice a stang that had been painted...it still had some door dings in it but i'm not sure if they'd requested the dings fixed or not. 4g's is a chunk for a paint job...but i'm sure it looks perfect! i'm going to check out some locals and see what i can find out regarding a price. My cousin did our 70 vert, but he spent about 2 years doing it....and it needed everything. its perfect, but he doesn't do much body work these days. he charges about 2g's for a paint job, and he's anal as heck...which is a fine trait in a body man. when i had an 88 gt painted the ppg materials ran me about 300. the dude charged around 300, but the paint job was god awful (cracked like a egg, and looked like an orange on wheels). the paint on my svo is cracking pretty badly in areas, so it has to be taken down to the bare medal to be painted. thanks for all your suggestions and insight. I'll check back home and see. The prices tend to be better there than here in the city. i just figured that if i went to a chain...if the paint went bad they'd have to fix it under warranty.

[Spencer]

I would save your money until you can afford to get a good quality job done, you may end up spending that $800 after you get the first so called job done, for the person that will do a good job to fix everything the first shop screwed up. If you want a good job done, materials would run up near a grand or more depending if you had jambs, etc. done. Save your money til you have at least $3000 or more and have it done once and a job that will last a liftime. PPG rules by the way. Its what I've used for the whole time I've done body & paint.

[grabbergreenboy]

paint

i hear ya guys. I'm going to talk with some guys back home and go from there. sounds like 2 to 4 grand is the going rate for a solid paint job with the right prep n paint. Once again thanks everybody.

[bob tweedy]

paint.

let me say this most clearly:YOU GET WHT YOU PAY FOR!!!
i have had both of me svos repainted in the last 3 years. i knew the body man and the painter so i figure that i got a deal on each for that reason. both were over 2K each. if you want the best reference ask to see some of the work they have done. ask the people who have had work done there. ask to nose around their shop(without causing havoc). also do your homework on the different paints available(believe it or not-not all paints are created equal). look at the condition of the shop and the condition of their equipment. do they have a seperate paint booth(epa regulations require specific equipment in paint booths to capture the paint /air residue). needless to say if he has a leanto out back in which he paints-walk away.
been there/done that too many times.
bob

99 svt-electric green
86 svo comp prep-1C
86 svo straight run-2A
78 king cobra-tangerine
26 model T doctors coupe
95 geo tracker
03 dodge 2500/cummins-my daily driver
78 merc bobcat with svo drive line/c4/8"(4.62 rgear) -almost done

you cant run with the big dogs if you pee like a puppy

[grabbergreenboy]

thanks

i'm hoping one of the fellas back home will be willing to do a good paint job, at a price I can afford. If not, I'll hold off for a while. I really want to get it painted though, especially since its doing the daily duties right now. Ive got a few mechanical problems that need to be fixed that I might tackle first. I figured for the sake of the body panels, and looks of course a cheaper one might get the job done for a few years, until I can do better. I don't want to restrict this car to show duty or anything. I like a car I can drive and not worry about getting a scratch or something. Heck, if I had a Shelby I'd drive it all the time, like I stole it I do understand where you guys are coming from though.