For all you cheap paintjob guys

[HardcoreZ28]

Just a perfect example of the costs involved to paint a car the right way. While this may not be necessary on your beater or daily driver, this is an F-body site and I assume most owners want to take pride in the way their vehicles look.

I'm just about ready to paint this 68 Cuda that's been in the shop the last few months and I went to pick up the color and clear last night.

The color is a stock 1997 Ford color (customers choice). It has some pearl to it but other than that nothing exotic. My total price, wholesale, for 1 gallon of color, 1 gallon of clear, 1 gallon of reducer, and 1 bottle of hardener was $987. That is for top of the line PPG paint. Something of lesser quality would probably run around $600 but why skimp out a few hundred?

Beyond that almost $1,000 I've also got about $600 tied up in the car between epoxy primer and high build primer. Add in the $1,100 to have the car media blasted down to bare metal and another $200 for sand paper, masking supplies, body fillers, etc. The materials cost is now at just under $3,000. After that you still have to figure in the cost of wetsanding the clear, and polish and pads to buff it out.

As you can see....good paint materials are not cheap. I'm not saying there aren't deals out there to be had. And I'm not saying that all cars need the top shelf paints, but if you have a show car or high quality daily driver don't expect to be only paying a few hundred dollars for a good paint job.

Just thought I'd put this out there given the recent number of questions I've seen on here about cheap paint.

[Pampered-Z]

Paul,

You didn't mention YOUR LABOR!

I don't think allot of people realize how much time is spent doing the prep work. On just my hood alone I'm on the 3rd round of blocking it out and working on high/low spots, probably 15-20 hours of sanding/filling/test coats.

Just want to add, I've worked in Body shops over the years, more then just time materials is al the time and care to prep for a real quality paint process. Just making sure the surface is perfectly clean and the surrounding area takes more time then laying the paint. I think allot of people would be amazed at the time spent washing/cleaning the paint booth and chemical washing the car. The TV don't show the countless (and boring) hours getting the surface proper for a good paint job.

[HardcoreZ28]

Exactly. The day that I finally paint it takes me longer to mask off all the openings in the car and wipe it all down than it does to lay out each coat. I shoot all of my cars apart so I can hit every crevice, jamb, channel, etc. So I have to mask off where the doors were, front and rear windshileds, openings in the firewall into the car, light holes, etc. Plus the wheels and the underside to make sure no overspray gets onto the chassis. I easily have 200-300 hours into each paintjob I do. At $65/hr that adds up very fast.

[Crayface]

hey hardcore, how much would u charge for a flat black on my 87 camaro if i did all the prep work?

[HardcoreZ28]

hey hardcore, how much would u charge for a flat black on my 87 camaro if i did all the prep work?

PM me for info. Let me know if you're looking to go single stage or with a base/clear. Engine bay? Door jambs? Etc.

[Crayface]

thanks, pm sent

[sweetbmxrider]

with painting, you most certainly get what you pay for!

[ta350]

I was tempted to write up something similiar.... but I use sickens so add about 30-40% more to that price +/- 1400 for the same color and clear.

Are you using global?


Also when the East Coast catches up with the new standard are you going to be using Aquabase plus or Envirobase High Performance?

and PPG Vibrance Collection has some nice unique colors there too.

[madness410]

very valuable information thank you for posting. cudas are pretty sweet

[stoney2677]

I was tempted to write up something similiar.... but I use sickens so add about 30-40% more to that price +/- 1400 for the same color and clear.

Are you using global?


Also when the East Coast catches up with the new standard are you going to be using Aquabase plus or Envirobase High Performance?

and PPG Vibrance Collection has some nice unique colors there too.

does that mean you do body work/paint?

[HardcoreZ28]

I was tempted to write up something similiar.... but I use sickens so add about 30-40% more to that price +/- 1400 for the same color and clear.

Are you using global?


Also when the East Coast catches up with the new standard are you going to be using Aquabase plus or Envirobase High Performance?

and PPG Vibrance Collection has some nice unique colors there too.


I'm assuming Global is your supplier?? If so then no....I use L&S in Plainfield.

As for the left coast standards coming over here....I'm curious to try out some of the water based stuff. I know very little about it at this time but I know the move is coming so I might as well learn it and love it. From what I've heard the clears are not water based correct? They are by far more toxic than base with all the iso's and such. If they ever become completely waterbased I wonder how that will affect zoning requirements, licensing, and so forth.

[Scrat's_Camaro]

this is gonna be far in the furture cause i still need to do alot of work to my truck but i think i'll be hittin you up when its time to strip, primer and paint.

[PolarBear]

Yeah I paid $75 for just a pint of paint so I can figure out whether I like the color or not. So it cost me $100 to paint something that I dont even care about

[ta350]

does that mean you do body work/paint?

Yes I am a painter but have moved up in the world and working the office management and estimates. Im an all around guy. my bodywork is pretty good but paint is where my true talent is.

[ta350]

I'm assuming Global is your supplier?? If so then no....I use L&S in Plainfield.

As for the left coast standards coming over here....I'm curious to try out some of the water based stuff. I know very little about it at this time but I know the move is coming so I might as well learn it and love it. From what I've heard the clears are not water based correct? They are by far more toxic than base with all the iso's and such. If they ever become completely waterbased I wonder how that will affect zoning requirements, licensing, and so forth.

Clears are chemically going to be the same except for the hardener I believe. Also you have to get new guns! :( I had a chance to spray it and it sprays no different than it does now. That goes for metallic too.

I use Till (sikkens) Colours was our supplier at the old shop (PPG). If things became totally water based I dont think there would be a need for zoning! What really upsets me right now my old shop (collision max of marlton) is located directly next to a day care. I see over spray all the time going to the play areas when kids are out side. I brought it up and they turned the other cheek. It still bothers me because I pass it all the time.

[HardcoreZ28]

That sucks......that's blatant disregard for other people. Business is business but come on....that's ridiculous.

[Pampered-Z]

This is a bit off subject. I plan to do a cheap paint job on my car trailer (open trailer), will be a Driveway paint job ( I live in the country, no schools ). Anywho, I keep seeing on TV the Duplicolor ready mixed primer/paint/sealer. Which I figure is fine for what I need, and better then just grabbing a bunch of rattle cans.

But the odd thing is that it's Laquer? Last time I shot anything Laquer was 15 years ago? If I recall that was one of the worst paints for your health, yet people are going to be spraying this in their garages? This can't be the same stuff right???

[HardcoreZ28]

This is a bit off subject. I plan to do a cheap paint job on my car trailer (open trailer), will be a Driveway paint job ( I live in the country, no schools ). Anywho, I keep seeing on TV the Duplicolor ready mixed primer/paint/sealer. Which I figure is fine for what I need, and better then just grabbing a bunch of rattle cans.

But the odd thing is that it's Laquer? Last time I shot anything Laquer was 15 years ago? If I recall that was one of the worst paints for your health, yet people are going to be spraying this in their garages? This can't be the same stuff right???

Hmmmm interesting....I don't know to be honest if it would be the same as old school lacquer. That stuff was nasty for you.

What is the condition of your trailer? You may want to do a single stage black enamel instead. Or if you have a lot of rust and bare metal maybe POR it? You can reduce POR and spray it but it really has to go onto bare metal to adhere correctly so you'd have to strip the whole trailer. Probably more work and money than it's worth.

[WildBillyT]

Clears are chemically going to be the same except for the hardener I believe. Also you have to get new guns! :( I had a chance to spray it and it sprays no different than it does now. That goes for metallic too.

I use Till (sikkens) Colours was our supplier at the old shop (PPG). If things became totally water based I dont think there would be a need for zoning! What really upsets me right now my old shop (collision max of marlton) is located directly next to a day care. I see over spray all the time going to the play areas when kids are out side. I brought it up and they turned the other cheek. It still bothers me because I pass it all the time.

If it really digs at you you can call the EPA. But that will probably screw the shop so hard they will close.

[LTb1ow]

Yea, the NJ DEP is nuts.... call them.

[Pampered-Z]

Hmmmm interesting....I don't know to be honest if it would be the same as old school lacquer. That stuff was nasty for you.

What is the condition of your trailer?


Trailers not bad, a few light rust spots, no serious rot. mostly the paint is badly faded, and there are a bunch of old faded stickers on it that I'm going to have to sand off. I also want to make a change, a problem is my car sits low and the fenders are just high enough to hit when I open the door. (me squeezing through the opening and over the cage is like a drunk limbo contest.) So I'm going to cut off the fender and make it so it either swings up or just has some type of quick release.

I haven't even gotten to the point of pricing the ready mix stuff out, too many other projects have to be completed before this ( like getting the stroker motor back in the car, and getting the hood painted). But I figured I'd try it on the trailer and might be good enough to do a beater = My daughters want to race, and THEY AINT DRIVING MY CAR! I'm keeping an eye out for a near freebie 3rd gen. Drop something in it to run mid 13s, slap some kinda paint job on it and let them go play. I'm figuring one weekend of sitting in the staging lanes when it's 100 degrees out and they'll switch back to shoping in an air conditioned mall!

[ta350]

If it really digs at you you can call the EPA. But that will probably screw the shop so hard they will close.

I would but there are 12 great guys that work there in the shop end.... I could care less about the management they have there ass up there heads.... yes because they are backwards there lol

[ta350]

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/paintshop.html

its Paint Shop Finish System

Paint Shop Finish System gives you everything you need to create a high-quality DIY finish – primer, color and clear. It’s a high-quality lacquer system designed for automotive and motorcycle applications. Paint Shop is easy to apply, dries quickly and can be buffed to a brilliant smooth finish. Paint Shop is a ready-to-spray system, so no mixing or reducing is required. And with no re-coat window, additional coats can be applied at anytime.

I say as good as maaco if you can spray decent

[HardcoreZ28]

John.....another possible option for you is to sand the whole thing down and then epoxy prime it and then single stage black it. I always strip my cars down to bare metal but you may be able to use the epoxy over your scuffed paint that's on there already. Your jobber should be able to tell you that.