Fellow TCer's help me out here. What have you paid for you paint jobs? I am in the middle of of a frame off resto and have a pretty good handle on all my expenses but the painting and reassembly. I am not asking to include any body work. I am talking just a top of the line, SS stripes paint and assembley. (nothing funky) Body off frame, paint, reassemble major body parts. (front clip, doors, hood, etc)
Just a budget number please. Thanks

$8-$10K

Might be able to get it done for $6K if no body work.

Really? That much? I would have thought you could get a good paint job for around 3 grand. Guess I was way off.

Remember you get what you pay for.

You did say top of the line, materials alone will run to $1,500, maybe more.

Yes, I did say top of the line and I understand you have to pay for that. I believe I'll have the 8-10k no problem. Since the car is apart and has been apart for 10 years (and I am not the guy who took it apart) I could have some major time into getting it properly alined.

hello 8-10 g's for a paint job??????
I gotta ask ya.... are you planing on driving this car or are you out for judge points???
if for driving downgrade your top of line paint job.. cause u'll never drive it,I might get a rock chip...or worse... unless you got tons of money...I don't(I know,ain't it sad) It's your car and your the only one that knows what use it's gonna get..but if your gonna drive the wheels off it(y own one if your not gonna)then a 5-6 tops should get you a really nice paint/alinement job...

The price for a "show paint" also depends on where you live and how much of a hurry your in. My 66 Chevelle will have the body stripped and blocked to perfection( no major bodywork involved). All the chrome and trim removed and reinstalled. Windsheild removed to paint the dash. Top of the line materials, "Show" paint job( no this car isn't a daily driver) all for "under" $6000, probably less!
But, I've had to wait almost 2 years to get this guy to work on my car! He's just getting started and my car should be done in 2-3 months. I know it will be worth the wait! It's getting harder to find guys that will work on our old cars( the good ones's here have at least a year wait), and even harder to get a "good deal". Good Luck!

I agree with Bowtie! graemlins/thumbsup.gif
It all depends on what your intentions are for your car and how desirable a model it is. Really, you've got to look at it from an investment stand point.

I had both my Chevelles painted last spring.

For the '67 Sedan, which is used as a cruise night car and casual driver, I hired a local painter (side job) to do the prep and lay down the paint. I supplied all needed materials. The car required NO rust repair, bodywork consisted of only a couple of small door ding type dents. I did all disassembly/assembly...basically gutted the car before hand.
Labor alone cost me $1500 and materials (Sikkens B/C) was another $1200.

The '70 Malibu was more involved...and was done at a different shop at the same time.
Again, disassembly/assembly was done by yours truly. But, the car required moderate body patch panel work (vinyl top car)around rear window, hidden undisclosed quarter panel damage, along with one fender replacement, glass cowl hood fitment, and painted black stripes. This is a 75/25 cruise/drag car.
Labor AND materials (not including the new fender & hood) again in Sikkens B/C including new windshield was $4500.

My point is...
Obviously, I would have never spent $8-10K on either of these "common" model Chevelles.

Top of the line products like PPG, dupont or S-W will set you back 1500 bucks period. Now if they use a high line product like standox, spies hecker then the price will be more like 2000+
Thats JUST the paint products alone!!

What do you mean by
"I am not asking to include any body work. I am talking just a top of the line, SS stripes paint and assembley"

You are crazy to think that a 40yr old car WONT need bodywork done. Thinking that a show quality job comes out in 2-3 months you are crazy again.

Without even seeing pics of your car I wouldnt touch it for 5 grand

If all you want is a sand and spray then expect a bill around 3grand

Originally posted by sevt_chevelle:

You are crazy to think that a 40yr old car WONT need bodywork done. Thinking that a show quality job comes out in 2-3 months you are crazy again.

It does need some body work...I'll just figure that on top. I knew nobody could tell me a thing on a body work number without seeing it. what do you mean about your 2-3 month comment? it will take longer? Thanks for the replies guys.

My '69 is currently going through the whole process - stripped to metal. I have figured about $1500.00 in materials. All labor including application of BC/CC will be mine [used to do this kind of work on the side years back - got through college actually doing this as a side job, then again that was the days of laquer and enamel]. Probably will take me 6 months at the rate I am going to get it right. Guessing up front about 100 - 120 hours. When it comes to painting a there are 2 ways to approach it. 1 - just make it look presentable and shoot some paint over it and drive it or 2 - make it right.

I mean is that making a car with a nice paint job takes longer then 2-3 months.
This isnt Overhaulen where it takes 1 week, sorry. But even then ever notice HOW MANY guys are doing the bodywork at once?

Just to give you quick idea of some of the labor involved in just PAINTING a car.
A few years I did complete paint job on my 2002 Chrylser 300M, the car had just over 2K miles on it.
Anyway it took me 1 day of sanding and masking to get it ready for paint. Then spent another day just appling the paint. Then spent another day sanding again and finally some buffing. So ive got 3 days and probably 30 hrs in just putting down paint!!

For a complete resto like yours plan out atleast 6months

Fershayr, I'm not sure who sevnt_ chevelle's comment on 2-3 months to get a Show Car paint job was directed at either? No one appreciates being called "crazy" for thinking they can have thier car done in 2-3 months. I'm not trying to start an arguement,but you might want to "tone down" your comments. I will have mine done in that amount of time(approx 150 hrs is less than 2 months) and it will be "show" quailty. Thanks Cary

Sevt, I misunderstood your comment. you are talking about the whole project, not just the paint. Actually I am figuring 18-36 months on mine. Depends on how the money comes and goes and how much I decide to push it.

the problem here is "show car idics"
where I guy goes to shows and sees a car that is a mirror and then looks at his and is like "mines not right!!!" :eek:
I blame some of this on the show judges... :mad:
your cars DIDN'T COME FROM THE FACTORY LOOKING LIKE THAT!!! graemlins/hurray.gif the panels didn't all line up there was orange peal etc... judges add points for chalk marks but subtract for "not perfect paint" graemlins/clonk.gif
I helped judge a show last year and they raised he!! because the guy that won car and runner up where perfect but the winners car had orange peel etc..(looked factory) other guys paint was flawless ..he was pissed.. the other judges and I talked about it (the reasoning) and they after the chat where like " you know he's right ,they didn't come factory that perfectly painted...
they went over to the guy with me that was boiling by now...(just spent 15g's+ on paint work) :confused: and we told him why... If it was a modif.. class he would have won hands down(there was a class there for that) but he was in stork class..
after 15 min. he cooled down and later came over and said we where right ..after the show we(judges talked for two hours about this)
It's just to bad that shows that have stock classes award the car with flawless paint... it's not stock and makes everyone that wants to show there car and have a chance to win.. go do a costly paint job that makes the car undrivable... if your showing in a modif. class knock yourselfs out...go nuts on it...
but for stock class shows the flawless paint should have points subtracted for it,just like a grant stearwheel would..... graemlins/thumbsup.gif
just my two cents... ;)

Bowtie...good points there. This car will be a driver! I guess when I said "top of the line" I mean a great paint job with everything done correctly....not some half baked quick job. I want a paint job I ccan be proud of but I don't plan on having it be a "show car" or "trailer queen"

The words perfect, showcar, flawless all mean extra time and money. To do a flawless showcar type job the car will need to be assembled for panel fitting and modifications to make the sheetmetal gaps perfect along with the panel contour modifications to make all panels flush fitting, these operations alone can take near 40 hours of work and this is prior to any blocking etc. As already said, these cars were far from perfect from the factory. One person's opinion on the definition of showcar or flawless can vary greatly from another's. Time is always money in this game. When my name is on the job it's gotta look good and far more perfect than factory average.

I stated this earlier, you have to determine up front what level of detail you want, then live by it. Because I am doing my own work, I will take my good ole time and get it as near perfect as I can. Looking down the side of the body is only part of it. It also means all weatherstrip has to come off, glass has to come out. Body work will include welding (patches if needed), hammer/dolly work, filler (sparingly), primer, 2K, blocking, then more blocking, BC/CC, reassemble, cutting/buffing. It's a lot of work, but then again, I really like this car. It started out as a rust free car and intend to keep it. If this is the detail level you want, expect to spend either the time and/or the money, most likely both.

Well, I will be paying $2000 + supplies this spring.....I get all ppg paint at cost(actually will below just because the supplier knows it is my car) and the bodyman is a former employee of my grandfathers body shop and a very god friend. So I should be looking at $2500ish!! graemlins/hurray.gif

Originally posted by baddbob71:
these operations alone can take near 40 hours of work and this is prior to any blocking etc. when you say "blocking" what are you referring to? Sorry, this is my first time. smile.gif

..what Bill said.
Those are prices from the world I operate in smile.gif
8-10K is for a show car that I wouldn't drive.