# 8419 - Leaves the garage and now I think that I may have lost it..........

[Hotyacht]

I am about ready to strip everything down and start my paint prep, so as it was a fine winter's morning here in Auckland I thought I would drive it out of the garage to get some photos before it looses that pink hue and turns Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White Stripes........with a danger of meatballs. But then these girls just jumped in and now I think I may need to build another one!

After getting several estimates for paint from local car painters at around $25,000 I have decided to do it myself............How hard can it be? I have read the various threads and responses from the Jeffs.........I have several boxes of beer to deal with the dust, and a case of Sailor Jerry's spiced Rum as per da Bat.........

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https://youtu.be/osJNSIIwnG8 .....Those hill starts straight out of the garage are a bit unfair! I guess I will get used to it.

[SerpantFL]

Very nice job. Question about the tail lamps... Need amber for the turn indicator? Otherwise so interesting to see RHD. Best of luck with the paint. Anthony

[KenWilkinson]

There is something wrong with these pictures, but I just can't put my finger on it.

[GoDadGo]

I Think You Can Pull It Off & Will Be Surprised As To How Good It Will Look Upon Completion!

[Hotyacht]

Very nice job. Question about the tail lamps... Need amber for the turn indicator? Otherwise so interesting to see RHD. Best of luck with the paint. Anthony

Amber turn indicators not a requirement here. All rear facing lights either red or amber.............for'd facing white or amber

[mburger]

I want to see under the hood! "427W with Inglese 8 Stack injection - 560hp".....
Nice build.

[Hotyacht]

I want to see under the hood! "427W with Inglese 8 Stack injection - 560hp".....
Nice build.

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Dart block built up by "The Engine Factory"

[SSNK4US]

There is something wrong with these pictures, but I just can't put my finger on it.

Along the lines of their toilets spinning the wrong way too? LOL!!!!

Looks really good! Can’t wait to see it in real color. Good luck!
Oh man!!! gotta love that engine too.

Kurt

[GoDadGo]

Along the lines of their toilets spinning the wrong way too? LOL!!!!

Looks really good! Can’t wait to see it in real color. Good luck!
Oh man!!! gotta love that engine too.

Kurt

Kurt,

He should have Put A Chevy In It to make the transformation complete!
All kidding aside, I think we'd all have a tough time driving on the right side of the car.

STeve

[mburger]

Nothing beats an 8 stack. Looks great.

[CraigS]

I agree, those stacks are beautiful.

[WIS89]

She looks beautiful; really nice job! I agree with the others on the eight stack -- they are awesome, and look perfect in our engine bay!!

Those vintage wheels look terrific also. Are they fully polished? Did you do that yourself, or order them that way? I really like the look, and it really stands out.

I think your paint lubrication (the beer and Sailor Jerry) will be just the trick you need to make the DIY paint job work! The great thing, is that there are pros here that have demonstrated their willingness to help the rest of us with painting their cars. It has always amazed me just how much help they are willing to give, and they can be counted on to give great counsel. And in Jeff Miller's case, some fume induced rants! HA

Good luck with the paint job, and please keep us updated. I look forward to seeing how it turns out!

Regards,

Steve

[Avalanche325]

$25,000 sounds like the "I don't want to do it, but if your dumb enough to pay...." price. Most panel beaters just don't want to do a job that is this involved, they are into quick turnover work. You need a place that does restorations and show car work, or DIY. Can you get away with spraying a car in your garage or rent a booth?

I painted my own, first car ever for me. If you take your time, and follow the advice of the pros here, you will get show quality paint job. It will just take you longer. Get the right equipment, don't go cheap on any of the supplies including sanding blocks, tape and sandpaper, unless the pros say otherwise. Get a decent gun and the PROPER respirator and you will do just fine.

I just spent 6 weeks in Christchurch and Akaroa. I saw two Cobras while I was there.

[Hotyacht]

$25,000 sounds like the "I don't want to do it, but if your dumb enough to pay...." price. Most panel beaters just don't want to do a job that is this involved, they are into quick turnover work. You need a place that does restorations and show car work, or DIY. Can you get away with spraying a car in your garage or rent a booth?

I painted my own, first car ever for me. If you take your time, and follow the advice of the pros here, you will get show quality paint job. It will just take you longer. Get the right equipment, don't go cheap on any of the supplies including sanding blocks, tape and sandpaper, unless the pros say otherwise. Get a decent gun and the PROPER respirator and you will do just fine.

I just spent 6 weeks in Christchurch and Akaroa. I saw two Cobras while I was there.

You have to remember that I am talking NZ$ so we are talking US$15,500 and the quotes are from guys who have painted Cobra's before and or Hotrods, Corvettes etc. All excellent painters but I simply don't have that sort of money to spend - and that price is with me doing all the prep work.

I work in the Marine industry as a Yacht designer and I am old enough that when I was young you had to sand and paint your own boats rather than today's plastic finishes so i am very comfortable with the idea of doing all the prep, fitting doors, filling and fairing etc. and happy to do all the block sanding. So I have done a deal with my favourite boatbuilder who has a pretty good paint booth and all of the spray gear, so once I have stripped the car down, filled, and faired, it will be body off and deliver it to his shed where i will be spending a few weekends squirting paint.

I figure if there is enough Rum flowing it will look pretty good regardless.............

Quite a number of Cobras and GT40s in the Christchurch area and they have a very active Owners Club there.

[Jdav]

You have to remember that I am talking NZ$ so we are talking US$15,500 and the quotes are from guys who have painted Cobra's before and or Hotrods, Corvettes etc. All excellent painters but I simply don't have that sort of money to spend - and that price is with me doing all the prep work.

I work in the Marine industry as a Yacht designer and I am old enough that when I was young you had to sand and paint your own boats rather than today's plastic finishes so i am very comfortable with the idea of doing all the prep, fitting doors, filling and fairing etc. and happy to do all the block sanding. So I have done a deal with my favourite boatbuilder who has a pretty good paint booth and all of the spray gear, so once I have stripped the car down, filled, and faired, it will be body off and deliver it to his shed where i will be spending a few weekends squirting paint.

I figure if there is enough Rum flowing it will look pretty good regardless.............

Quite a number of Cobras and GT40s in the Christchurch area and they have a very active Owners Club there.

Off subject, but are you familiar with https://octenders.co.nz/?

[Hotyacht]

She looks beautiful; really nice job! I agree with the others on the eight stack -- they are awesome, and look perfect in our engine bay!!

Those vintage wheels look terrific also. Are they fully polished? Did you do that yourself, or order them that way? I really like the look, and it really stands out.

I think your paint lubrication (the beer and Sailor Jerry) will be just the trick you need to make the DIY paint job work! The great thing, is that there are pros here that have demonstrated their willingness to help the rest of us with painting their cars. It has always amazed me just how much help they are willing to give, and they can be counted on to give great counsel. And in Jeff Miller's case, some fume induced rants! HA

Good luck with the paint job, and please keep us updated. I look forward to seeing how it turns out!

Regards,

Steve

The wheels are from Vintage Wheels in San Diego, they are beautifully made and Bob really knows his stuff (he sells lots of Cobra parts too, but I probably cant say that here). I ordered them polished but to be honest I'm not sure that I like the look of them? I will wait until I have final paint.......I may paint the centres?

[Itchief]

I’m not sure that building one more will be enough it looks like you may have to build three more to make everyone happy

Rick

[Hotyacht]

I’m not sure that building one more will be enough it looks like you may have to build three more to make everyone happy

Rick

65 Coupe next??

[Steve Koleszar]

Hey, new user here but I've been following FFR for years now. Saving up to buy my first Cobra. I saw your post and was curious to know if you've looked into getting your car wrapped? It's a temporary solution that's very reasonable compared to the $25,000 quote you were given. I think wrapping a cobra would cost anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000. They protect the car and can be removed when you're ready to paint in the future (that is if you're in a situation where you need to save money). I've attached a couple links of wrapped cobras. Let me know what you think. All the best - Steve

https://www.thevehiclelab.com/car-wrap-vs-paint/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCx_jX796v8

PS: After doing some research you may end up wanting the wrap job instead. With the wrap the car won't get scratched.

[Hotyacht]

Hey, new user here but I've been following FFR for years now. Saving up to buy my first Cobra. I saw your post and was curious to know if you've looked into getting your car wrapped? It's a temporary solution that's very reasonable compared to the $25,000 quote you were given. I think wrapping a cobra would cost anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000. They protect the car and can be removed when you're ready to paint in the future (that is if you're in a situation where you need to save money). I've attached a couple links of wrapped cobras. Let me know what you think. All the best - Steve

https://www.thevehiclelab.com/car-wrap-vs-paint/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCx_jX796v8

PS: After doing some research you may end up wanting the wrap job instead. With the wrap the car won't get scratched.

Hi Steve, yep I am very familiar with the wrapping process as we use it quite a bit on boats, but it isn't all that cheap. You still have to do all the prep work essentially up to finish coat level for paint before you can wrap otherwise all the blemishes show through so there is no saving to that point.

I have had a quote to wrap the car by a team who have recently wrapped an FFR MkIII Roadster and it came in at $8000, and at the end of the day it just isn't as good as a nice paint finish. AND it does scratch......in my experience more easily that paint does. The only advantage to wrapping is that you can change the colour easily by stripping and re-wrapping, which I have to say you are likely to want to do because the kind of funky schemes that people tend to have with vinyl jobs are going to date and go out of fashion.

So certainly an option, but not for me at this stage.

[Avalanche325]

You have to remember that I am talking NZ$ so we are talking US$15,500 and the quotes are from guys who have painted Cobra's before and or Hotrods, Corvettes etc. All excellent painters but I simply don't have that sort of money to spend - and that price is with me doing all the prep work..

I was aware that you are talking NZ$. I was hoping that you were just getting quotes from the wrong people. Have you tried a quote away from Auckland?

I know that some things pretty much follow the exchange rate, and some are way more expensive. But, OUCH! That is still easily $5000 over what it would cost here for the whole body / paint job (not to rub it in). When I lived there, I went to Repco to get a set of spark plugs for my Alfa 156 and was quoted over $200 for 6 plugs. I almost fainted. $9 a plug here for Bosch Iridium. I guess paint jobs are one of those things. A friend of mine owned a collision-work shop in Christchurch. No wonder he's loaded!

Having access to a booth means that you are WAY ahead of the game. Read the threads here and on the other forum by our pros and your paint job will stand up against the $25,000 one. And you will get a lot of satisfaction out of it. I may have to repaint mine before I move back down there, just so it's fresh.

Love those stacks!!!