Cost of Purple Iridescent Paint Job?

[DustinSimmonds]

Hey, the ideal paint job for my '72 SE is a Purple Iridescent. With a ratio of about 70% Purple 30% Black. Does anyone have any sort of estimate on the cost of this? So I can start saving my pennies! 

[doctor4766]

I'm guessing by asking such a broad question all you need is the paint job right?
No bodywork to be done?

[DustinSimmonds]

I'm working on the body work right now. I just want to have an idea of what i'm looking at for the paint job so I can plan accordingly.

[twodko]

I suspect a good paint job will cost you $3-4k if not more. Materials alone, depending on the paint you use, will cost over $1000.

[hemi-hampton]

Hey, the ideal paint job for my '72 SE is a Purple Iridescent. With a ratio of about 70% Purple 30% Black. Does anyone have any sort of estimate on the cost of this? So I can start saving my pennies! 

What exactly do you mean by Iridescent? LEON.

[DustinSimmonds]

Maybe i'm calling it the wrong thing. I think its also called pearlescent paint, or two tone.

[hemi-hampton]

Cost will depend on if doing a 3 stage candy or pearl or 2 stage base coat clear coat or single stage? LEON.

[Cooter]

All I can say is you better be looking into Maaco, as MOST painters will NOT paint a vehicle YOU did all the "Bodywork" on...Reason being, they paint it, then "Sh*tty" bodywork just gets enhanced. Then, the inevidable happens at the first car show you take it to and someone walks by and asks "Who painted your car?" You reply "So and so did" they reply "Well, I wouldn't let 'em paint my lawnmower with all the waves in the body like that".....


I've had this very thing happen to me when I painted a guys '66 Chevy HE did all the bodywork on, and the first thing he did was throw ME under the bus because all I did was make his sh*tty bodywork gleam......Yep, blamed ME cause I didn't "Redo" his entire car for the price of a paint job....

I will NEVER paint another car without doing ALL the bodywork MYSELF.....With the "Pearl" color YOU have just chosen, you better get REAL aquainted with a block and sand paper...It will show EVERY single flaw. Those "Flip/Flop" paints show everything...

[hemi-hampton]

All I can say is you better be looking into Maaco, as MOST painters will NOT paint a vehicle YOU did all the "Bodywork" on...Reason being, they paint it, then "Sh*tty" bodywork just gets enhanced. Then, the inevidable happens at the first car show you take it to and someone walks by and asks "Who painted your car?" You reply "So and so did" they reply "Well, I wouldn't let 'em paint my lawnmower with all the waves in the body like that".....


I've had this very thing happen to me when I painted a guys '66 Chevy HE did all the bodywork on, and the first thing he did was throw ME under the bus because all I did was make his sh*tty bodywork gleam......Yep, blamed ME cause I didn't "Redo" his entire car for the price of a paint job....

I will NEVER paint another car without doing ALL the bodywork MYSELF.....With the "Pearl" color YOU have just chosen, you better get REAL aquainted with a block and sand paper...It will show EVERY single flaw. Those "Flip/Flop" paints show everything...

I'LL AGREE WITH COOTER 100%

[Troy]

By "body work", do you mean metal work (welding, hammer/dolly, etc.) or primer, filler, and block sanding? I haven't found a shop yet that refuses to do a "full" paint job over good metal work. However, many will balk at only spraying the paint but this has to do with profit margin almost as much as knowing what's underneath. No one wants to warranty work they didn't do in the first place.

Having said that, it's not hard to find a painter who will paint over your body work - as long as you have clear communication! There are several restoration shops (not body shops!) local to me who encourage hobbyists. They will give advice and recommendations on the proper materials and techniques. At least two drop by to check on my progress. The most important thing is to use a brand that the shop is familiar with! This way they can walk you through any trouble and won't have to deal with scary incompatibilities making a mess later on. PPG caries a slightly less expensive line of primers that works well with their more expensive paints. If you can't find a shop willing to help then take your business elsewhere.

What are your expectations for the finished car (mirror finish or driver)? In general, you'd (hopefully) want all cars to be perfectly flat and smooth but certain colors are less forgiving - especially darker ones! It is best to get the metal itself as straight as possible, use very little filler, and block everything several times. This is where you can save money but realize that if you don't get it perfect the paint doesn't hide anything (it will actually magnify your flaws). Perhaps you can do the initial straightening and blocking then pay the shop to do the final blocking and touch up before paint? It will cost more but your results will be more impressive.

If your goal is to save money, start looking for an alternative color. As mentioned above, there are a couple of ways to get the result you're looking for. The three-stage process costs more in materials and labor. The two-stage process may not get you the desired result and is also expensive. By far, the cheapest and least error-prone approach is with a light, non-metallic color. Metallics and pearls each take an experienced hand with the paint gun and can be dependent on many variables. Expect to pay more for labor due to the difficulty and time involved.

Your best bet on a cost estimate on materials is to visit your local paint store and ask. To paint a complete 68 Charger (for instance) you'll need at least 2 gallons of base (and hardener) as well as thinner and clear. The last paint I bought was yellow and it ran about $160 per quart ($640 per gallon) while the black I purchased earlier was about $400 per gallon. Neither were metallic. Clear thins more I believe so you'll need less than 2 gallons but, depending on the brand, it may be cheapest to purchase by the gallon. Again, make sure your materials are all compatible!

Troy

[tan top]

All I can say is you better be looking into Maaco, as MOST painters will NOT paint a vehicle YOU did all the "Bodywork" on...Reason being, they paint it, then "Sh*tty" bodywork just gets enhanced. Then, the inevidable happens at the first car show you take it to and someone walks by and asks "Who painted your car?" You reply "So and so did" they reply "Well, I wouldn't let 'em paint my lawnmower with all the waves in the body like that".....


I've had this very thing happen to me when I painted a guys '66 Chevy HE did all the bodywork on, and the first thing he did was throw ME under the bus because all I did was make his sh*tty bodywork gleam......Yep, blamed ME cause I didn't "Redo" his entire car for the price of a paint job....

I will NEVER paint another car without doing ALL the bodywork MYSELF.....With the "Pearl" color YOU have just chosen, you better get REAL aquainted with a block and sand paper...It will show EVERY single flaw. Those "Flip/Flop" paints show everything...

I'LL AGREE WITH COOTER 100%

yep that is soo true !!

[DustinSimmonds]

Thanks for the heads up guys! I'm getting to the body work soon so know body work is incredibly important is a big help! I'm glad that the outside of my Charger is pretty strait, minus some minor dents. Would you guys recommend having the money to get the paint job right away? Or would I be alright with putting the car in the garage till I can get the money?

[doctor4766]

Either way mate I'd be making sure you have at least most of the funds required(if not all) before you go putting you car in the shop.
If they finish the work ahead of schedule you won't want to be telling them you haven't got the money to pick it up.

Or you could always arrange progress payments with them.
That way they're obliged to be working on the car if they want to be getting paid.
A deposit first, then payments as they achieve certain stages that you both pre-agree on.
Whatever you do, don't pay all up front only to find they're barely doing anything.
There's a couple of threads on here telling how people have been burnt so go into this knowing exactly how it's going to work.

[DustinSimmonds]

Alright, thanks!! Any other advice you might have for me? Things to look out for.