Budget for paint and body?

[caesarmascetti]

hi guys and happy new year, I'm starting to save up for paint and body work. I have a complete MkIV driving running etc....with a mediocre paint job. I'd like to get a nice professional job done in the current color (Portifino Blue) and delete the stripes, also align the body panels a little better etc.... Any advise on a ballpark to have this done by one of the more reputable painters ? I'd probably just end up shipping the car out to someone familiar with these. I'm in Pa here r a few pics:

https://i.imgur.com/6eMoTl9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/feBIXUT.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9ETxRg3.jpg

[John Dol]

Depending on the paint you choose count on spending $5-10K

It would pay to let people know where you are located. I ended up getting my car painted at a place that had already done a Coupe.
Finding a recommended painter in your area that has seen an FFR before will get you a much better estimate.
People here will share about anything but their social security number...

HTH,

John

[Papa]

Recommend you contact either of the Jeffs via PM and they can give you their best estimates.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Ceasar,
I'll reply to your PM this evening.

Jeff

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Whitby in NC is a quality east coast shop. Budget $10K & you will most likely get some change back.

[caesarmascetti]

Thanks Jeff

[bgeddes]

Where in PA? (Potential builder looking for completed cars to gain knowledge)

[caesarmascetti]

Hi West Chester Pa

[Joe Beach]

Whitby in NC is a quality east coast shop. Budget $10K & you will most likely get some change back.

If you want a great job I believe Whitby is an excellent choice. You not only have to budget money but time. There is no question about their wormanship
but don't expect a quick turnaround. I felt like my Cobra was in the area of 75% done excluding paint but it has been there now for a year and four months. The car has been done other than paint now for over 6 months. I don't have a clue how much longer I'll be in line waiting for paint since I can't get anyone to return my phone calls or emails. Good luck

[DadofThree]

but don't expect a quick turnaround. I felt like my Cobra was in the area of 75% done excluding paint but it has been there now for a year and four months. The car has been done other than paint now for over 6 months. I don't have a clue how much longer I'll be in line waiting for paint since I can't get anyone to return my phone calls or emails. Good luck

This is unfortunate. I'm consistently shocked by the Whitby lead times.

[cgundermann]

This is unfortunate. I'm consistently shocked by the Whitby lead times.

I’ve heard tell that several times. In terms of quality, fitment and overall value, either of the Jeffs are my vote. I got a number of estimates in WA State, but none of them had worked on a FFR. It was less expensive to ship my Cobra to SoCal, and there is no replacement for experience. DaBat’s fit & finish was outstanding. As an added plus, DaBat is cheaper and more entertaining than pay per view...

Kleiner’s work speaks for itself.

Chris

[Driver_WT]

If you want a great job I believe Whitby is an excellent choice. You not only have to budget money but time. There is no question about their wormanship
but don't expect a quick turnaround. I felt like my Cobra was in the area of 75% done excluding paint but it has been there now for a year and four months. The car has been done other than paint now for over 6 months. I don't have a clue how much longer I'll be in line waiting for paint since I can't get anyone to return my phone calls or emails. Good luck

I would not send my car to a shop that had a completion time of 16 +/- months. My car was in and out of the body shop in less than two months. Total price about $8000.

[caesarmascetti]

If you want a great job I believe Whitby is an excellent choice. You not only have to budget money but time. There is no question about their wormanship
but don't expect a quick turnaround. I felt like my Cobra was in the area of 75% done excluding paint but it has been there now for a year and four months. The car has been done other than paint now for over 6 months. I don't have a clue how much longer I'll be in line waiting for paint since I can't get anyone to return my phone calls or emails. Good luck

Hi Joe, I'm sorry to hear that. I had the same experience with an Alfa Spider at a different painter/body shop 3 mos became 6 and then 9. I finally showed up at the guys door and threatened legal action to get it done. Unfortunately, this kind of situation isn't that unusual

[BEAR-AvHistory]

If you want a great job I believe Whitby is an excellent choice. You not only have to budget money but time. There is no question about their wormanship
but don't expect a quick turnaround. I felt like my Cobra was in the area of 75% done excluding paint but it has been there now for a year and four months. The car has been done other than paint now for over 6 months. I don't have a clue how much longer I'll be in line waiting for paint since I can't get anyone to return my phone calls or emails. Good luck

Brought my body down in July while I was building the chassis & was ready in late Nov. Brought the chassis down in December car was ready for pickup in early January.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=14742&pictureid=66137

Bad weather that year & an open trailer held pickup off till Feb. Car was titled & registered in March. Maybe things have changed but I was happy with the timing & the quality of the work. Body was ready a little before I had the chassis finished.

Think its a good plan to give the painter the body as soon as you can & build the chassis while they are doing the body. Some shops like Whitbys have metal chassis simulators that they do the work on & don't need the chassis for painting.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=14742&pictureid=60681
Sprayed with the stripe color then the finish coat.
https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=14742&pictureid=60689

[Lucky's]

I sent you a PM also

[caesarmascetti]

Thanks Lucky got it time to start saving $$$

[KDubU]

16mths is nuts. Something wrong there.

[rychi1]

Different spin on the question. If you do your own bodywork, and take it to the painter ready for prime, seal, base, and clear. How would the cost be different? I assume the body work is what takes the majority of the time, but also realize quality paint isn't cheap.

[Joel Hauser]

I will echo what rychi1 says about paint; quality paint is not cheap. I painted my roadster myself - I'm not a perfectionist, and the results are far far far from perfect - and dropped about $600 on primer, one base coat color, clear coat, and reducers. I could have gotten by on less than a gallon, but I don't think I would have saved that much.
As for the quality of a do-it-yourself paint job, I would not be surprised to find that many of the people who have built FF cars would do exceptional work themselves. I think the key components to a good paint job, after good paint, are good prep work, some practice, patience, paying attention, staying calm, and good lighting, qualities so many of our fellow builders have. Unfortunately for me, the only component I had was good paint. I got nervous, went too fast, and this is seen in the results. On the other hand, with 65 year old eyes, and a poorly lighted garage, it looks ok to me; and good friends and family are always forgiving.

[Driver_WT]

Different spin on the question. If you do your own bodywork, and take it to the painter ready for prime, seal, base, and clear. How would the cost be different? I assume the body work is what takes the majority of the time, but also realize quality paint isn't cheap.

Body work was probably 75% of the labour cost for my car. Materials were around $1000. Total cost for everything was $8000.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Different spin on the question. If you do your own bodywork, and take it to the painter ready for prime, seal, base, and clear. How would the cost be different? I assume the body work is what takes the majority of the time, but also realize quality paint isn't cheap.

Guess the pro's should answer this but think any rework they will have to do will cut some of the savings. If it was my shop I would want the body work to my standards before I painted it.

[Bob-STL]

Recommend you contact either of the Jeffs via PM and they can give you their best estimates.

2X

Bob

[j.miller]

Amen Bear Av.... I have pretty much done P&B my whole life (If you exclude logging, underground mining, foundry man and heavy equipment operator ) (had to find a job I could "drink " on) 40 years of this stuff. "HOW MUCH IF I BRING IT TO YOU READY TO PAINT"....."ALL'S YOU HAVE TO DO IS MASK IT AND SHOOT IT".... gotta tell ya, when I was a younger man I didn't clue up that anyone who asked that didn't know didn't know what "ready to paint " meant....but I learned. I have been asked maybe 10 times in the past 20 years of doing FFR's and only 1 time have I done it and it was NO PROBLEM because he was a 30 year veteran bodyman who wasn't thrilled with the painter at the shop he worked at. Nobody worth their salt wants to work on top of someone else's work when the someone else is just "giving it a try". 4 times I have had cars come in with bodywork "done".....4 times I have stripped it all off and was glad I did....jus sayin....da Bat

[Driver_WT]

I did not do my own body work because my body work does not my standards :)

[Jeff Kleiner]

Guess the pro's should answer this but think any rework they will have to do will cut some of the savings. If it was my shop I would want the body work to my standards before I painted it.

You are exactly right Bear, and I concur with Miller... Caesar and I talked about this and I told him the same as I have told others who have wanted me to do a repaint. I would start the cost estimate the same as if the body was untouched---if the previous work was done to my standards the cost could go down, if it wasn't the cost could go up...or you might be told to take it somewhere else.

Jeff

[Jetfuel]

As discussed above paint work starts with patience of the surface preparation, the quality of the products you buy and finally the equipment you use to lay down a show quality job.
Cleaners, sand paper, fillers, degreasers,tag rags,primers, primer sealer, top coat, hardener, reducers and clear coat can add up in a hurry, a good clear runs about $300 a gallon
The air compressor, dehumidifier and filtration used to spray your paint has a lot to do with the final result
You're not going to get that look by using a Harbor Freight gun and always keep a log of what the conditions are, temperature and humidity will affect the product as much as gun pressure, a change of gun tip pressure of +\- one psi will make the color darker or lighter.
And then there's the area where the job will take place cause the secret to clear coats is baking the clear.
In a way I can say that I've been blessed or lucky or both that I have access to good supplies and equipment for my projects.
Getting the job done is not hard but getting all the other stuff is what makes painting a car a pain in the....

[rychi1]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and I 100% get the reasoning behind Kleiner and Millers feedback. I think my real curiosity is that in my research on the topic is the people that have taken it to a local Maaco or something similar just to have it sprayed.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Thanks for the feedback guys, and I 100% get the reasoning behind Kleiner and Millers feedback. I think my real curiosity is that in my research on the topic is the people that have taken it to a local Maaco or something similar just to have it sprayed.

Yeah no real problem personally on how people choose to handle body work & paint on one of these car. I my case it was no matter how much work I put into the actual construction, 12/13 months, all anybody "sees" is the paint.

Standing next to all your had work they will only see Maaco, PlastiDip etc. IMHO its worth driving in gelcoat till you have the cash for a pro-paint job.

Then recognize among the pro painters there are only a few who handle the vinylester the car is manufactured which its not the same as the Corvette polyester SMC

[caesarmascetti]

You are exactly right Bear, and I concur with Miller... Caesar and I talked about this and I told him the same as I have told others who have wanted me to do a repaint. I would start the cost estimate the same as if the body was untouched---if the previous work was done to my standards the cost could go down, if it wasn't the cost could go up...or you might be told to take it somewhere else.

Jeff

Jeff, I appreciate the honest feedback, as much as many would want a price estimate aka number, I'd rather have the honest response that says until you tear into it there is no way to give and accurate estimate. As I said to you I think I'll save my pennies budget about $7k or so and contact you once I'm ready. In the mean time I'll drive the sh*t out of it and not stress over paint chips and such I pick up along the way (the up side to having a mediocre paint job)

thanks again

[Zuchegno567]

Jeff can you give me a call. MK4 ready for body shop 330-861-9866