Repainting a 73

[randy73]

Though I have not finished getting car ready to paint, I did start getting estimates.

Now I understand why so many paint their own car, lowest estimate I got was $8,000 and one said $10,000 and with absolutely no body work and me taking the car apart.

Question is, is this normal or am I just in a high end area (meaning few paint whole cars and charge whatever they want)?

[ODZKing]

Nope, that is about right.
Rediculous isn't it.     And at some point you'll have to argue to get them to finish it.   

[randy73]

Yeah I know, was told collision work would come before work on mine in all but one place.

[jaak]

I painted mine myself, but realize some folks don't have the space, tools, etc. to do there own. Another option is ask around and find someone that does it as a side job from there own shop. There are a lot of bodymen who work for someone, that does side work at home for a good price. There used to be a guy locally (moved away), that did very nice body and paint work in the 3-4k range.... just depended on the car, the more body work it needed the more it cost. Plus if you can help out with the disassembly, etc. you can probably save some more. I was reading a thread the other day where a guy found a guy local on CL, that painted his Roadrunner..black, the car was nice, and it cost him 2k. (I think it was labor, he picked up and supplied the materials). There are other options out there.

Good Luck,
Jason

[ODZKing]

Yeah I know, was told collision work would come before work on mine in all but one place.

Got the same story here and it took me 2 years to get it back.  He did a beautiful job but jeez! 

[Wicked72]

This might sound crazy but i would look into Mako for a paint job. At least the couple Mako shops around me do some fantastic work and wont break the bank. They can put a $500 paint job to a $10,000 paint job you just tell them what you want and they can make what ever color you want and do good body work too. I have a 99 ford f350 crew cab short bed, I am getting the entire truck repainted to get rid of the two tone and repair all the dents,chips and scratches etc completed for $1250 and they are going to use mid grade bc/cc.

[EccentricMagpies]

I painted mine myself, but realize some folks don't have the space, tools, etc. to do there own. Another option is ask around and find someone that does it as a side job from there own shop. There are a lot of bodymen who work for someone, that does side work at home for a good price. There used to be a guy locally (moved away), that did very nice body and paint work in the 3-4k range.... just depended on the car, the more body work it needed the more it cost. Plus if you can help out with the disassembly, etc. you can probably save some more. I was reading a thread the other day where a guy found a guy local on CL, that painted his Roadrunner..black, the car was nice, and it cost him 2k. (I think it was labor, he picked up and supplied the materials). There are other options out there.

Good Luck,
Jason

Keep looking and asking. 

I agree with Jason.  You really have to ask, a lot, of places.  The ones that do it on the side are obviously going to be cheaper.  I have had ranges between 18K to 4K when I was considering it.  Majority around 8k.  I'm not in a rush because I like the rough paint on my grey car.  Just needs minor patches.
The black car I am having my nephew work on and his buddy paints cars.  I had an estimate from him and he was around 4.5K 2 years ago for the grey car. I've seen his work.  For a young kid, he does great work.  The black car has a body in even better shape being from tx which helps.   with black, i'm just crossing my fingers he is a good body guy too. 

[workworkwork]

When repainting your car you want to find a place that is not just going to scuff, tape and spray. a good paint job would require the removal of all the the lights, trim, handles, bumpers etc. You would want the door jambs painted along with all the areas where trunk and hood etc close off. I would recommend you paint the underside of the hood and the underside of the trunk at the same time that you paint the rest of the car. The cheapest paint jobs are usually just a quick scuff, tape up all the stuff on the car you don't want painted then paint. Those paint jobs usually end up with issues along the edges where they were taped. Any 500 dollar paint job is going to be the minimum in preparation. Yes, they will paint the car. But, the prep they do will be the minimum prep. Depending on where you live you can find places that will take a car apart and paint it for 4 to 5 thousand dollars with the right amount of prep on the body to make the job look really nice. If you are in Maryland or anywhere near it I know a place that does great work and takes the car apart and puts it back together in that range. The shop looks old as the hills. But the work is nice.

[71charger_fan]

My '71 is in the body shop now getting a complete color change, including the engine bay (where I cheaped out before). Including some rust repair, it's going to cost me over $17K.

[RallyeMike]

If you go to a collision shop or restoration shop it will cost a fortune. If you ask around, search Craigslist, etc. you can find small shops or people who work out of their home shop for much less. You just have to be extra careful on who you pick. You are more likely to find bodymen who will work at their home on the side, and then you can take it to somewhere like Macco for color coat. I met a guy this year who had an interesting approach - he tipped the guys taping and painting his car before the job and promised and delivered more $ after... and they did a nice job.

[Mike DC]

 
When pricing paintjobs, keep in mind that it's probably $2k just in materials alone. 

[HANDM]

I agonized over this for YEARS before I finally decided that I absolutely wasn't going to spend 10,000 on a paintjob. I did the metal repair and all the bodywork then let my buddy lay down a single stage metallic which turned out absolutely beautiful all for under 3,000

I'm planning on the same for the Challenger

This might sound crazy but i would look into Mako for a paint job. At least the couple Mako shops around me do some fantastic work and wont break the bank. They can put a $500 paint job to a $10,000 paint job you just tell them what you want and they can make what ever color you want and do good body work too. I have a 99 ford f350 crew cab short bed, I am getting the entire truck repainted to get rid of the two tone and repair all the dents,chips and scratches etc completed for $1250 and they are going to use mid grade bc/cc.

I let them paint my Challenger 20 years ago and while the paint is still on the car, the elements haven't been all too kind. There are hundreds of little chips which are to the metal and rusting and the clear coat is crazed on the decklid and quarter tops. In their defense though, I took the car down to metal, didn't seal it, did the bodywork and sent it to them for the paint.
Overall it still looks better than some newer dodges with the paint falling off......

[EccentricMagpies]

 
When pricing paintjobs, keep in mind that it's probably $2k just in materials alone. 

I think that is about right.   The guy i'm having do the body work and painting my car black just told me that from 3 years ago, the price has tripled for paint alone.  Just sent him 2500 for materials alone.

[AZMoparboy]

Hi, I had lots of time on my hands and did the body work myself. I had and still do have a budget that I have to work with, $20,000 is just not going to happen, but that's OK. I bought the paint from a company in San Diego called TCP global. Bought the best two stage paint that they had cost me $275 and about $20 to ship, that kit includes base,clear coat, reduce, hardener and a flow additive. I'm not good with the spraygun but I had some other guy sprayed for me and it turned out really good, I had to wet sand and buff it out myself, and in the end I had about $3500 in the hole paint job. I have won a couple of awards here locally, and I don't think that's too bad for an amateur.

[CDN72SE]

I envy you guys who can do body work and paint, do you have some pictures somewhere AZ?

[EccentricMagpies]

My '71 is in the body shop now getting a complete color change, including the engine bay (where I cheaped out before). Including some rust repair, it's going to cost me over $17K.

17K?  That is too steep IMO.

My quote, which includes
- black primer after complete sandblasting (black to give final black paint more depth)
- body repairs (not a lot due to texas car),
    - rotted out corner on trunk lid (If too rough, I have 2 spares so i'll simply hand over one of those)
    - small patch work needed by lower rear window under old vinyl, both sides
    - small patch work needed lower rear quarters, both sides
- engine bay and underneath will be sprayed with a black undercoating to handle rock chipping better
- sanding and blocking
- paint and clearcoating  (i'm not sure on the number of coats this includes)

6K

[Bob]

Wow! I can't believe the prices now. In 2002 I had my 74 patched, soda blasted and painted for 2,350.00

[ODZKing]

Wow! I can't believe the prices now. In 2002 I had my 74 patched, soda blasted and painted for 2,350.00

Ha! Those days are LONG gone.
Mine was a similar experience as Mags. Since mine was a California car, there was little body work Just dings here and there. Sand prime and paint and it was $7500 I believe. It did include two hoods.

[1973rallye]

California car, no panel replacement, just dents and scratches..7100 taxes in.

[hemi-hampton]

AZMOPARBOY, What's a flow additive, Been painting for 30 years & never heard of it   LEON.