Body Work and Paint Estimate

-
plumkrazee70 said:
I was planning on it originally, but now I am doubting my ability.
Click to expand...
Get a book on the subject,read it until you understand it completely ,then get yourself one of these HVLP turbine systems and start doing smaller stuff to get the feel for it.I started this way with my 65 Barracuda in the early 90's and this is the result.I didn't know **** about auto body work when I started and learned it.It's not brain surgery and remember that anything you screw up you can fix.We made a home made spray booth out of a rented detached garage .You just need to be confident in yourself

DSC03287a.jpg


DSC03289a.jpg


DSC03295a.jpg


DSC03298a.jpg


DSC00061.jpg
 
Educate yourself on the process involved, do what you can yourself. Be careful of body shop guys they are predators with limited skillset. I have
seen countless " high dollar paint jobs" that look great only for a few years.
There are lots of slick BS out there with body shops.
 
67Dart440GT said:
I'm wondering why he said he would not take it to bare steel but the price depends on what is underneath?

What paint system is he using? Is he billing you on time and materials? What is his labor rate and how many hours is his estimate for? Have you seen any of his work? What is his time line? Is he giving you anything in writing?

A good paint system is going to cost close to a grand for the color alone if he is using base clear. Materials add up fast....
Click to expand...
I do Restoration body work part time. Materials are outrageous these days. I bought a gallon of primer/hardener for a 55 Chevy the other day and it was $419.86. Liquid gold!
 
I can NEVER get too scared to drive it!

Maybe that's part of doing it myslelf but I have been through too much not to.

I am older, shoulda died from Cancer, shoulda died more times than I can count in the Marine Corps too. I am building a 512 cubic inch toy for me and the Old Lady. I will drive it everywhere. If I could launch a boat with it I'd put a trailer hitch on it too!
 
I know the cost of top shelf materials is outrageous. But I have SPI epoxy primer and that was $200 with the hardner. Their clear and 2k is very reasonably priced as well. I was planning on using all of their products and shopping around for the base. I have already confirmed that PPG and TCP global base is compatible with their primer and clear.

He won't use my products though, he wants everything to be from the same line, which is understandable. What really struck me was his process. He was worried about skim coating the quarters (due to the filler possibly cracking) that told me he probably doesn't know what he is doing on this type of work, also he said he would only do one round of blocking with the 2k. Which makes me feel like he wants to do the minimal amount of work. (He is a collision guy by trade)

I just didn't feel confident that my $6-8k would get me very much in body work. Especially with the cost of the materials he is probably going to use.

I am going to try and get a few more quotes and will probably end up doing it myself, like originally planned. I appreciate everyones support.
 
Probably better to learn yourself, it's not too bad to learn to do. Most expensive thing you'd need is a welder and good air compressor. I'd hate to know what mine would have been at a shop.

IMG_1161.JPG


IMG_5283.JPG
 
By the way folks, the internet is a wonderful tool.

I would suggest you read all the information you can.

Throw 90% of what you've read out, but make sure you understand how to use the products you have because THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME!
 
Ive been using PPG for a while. Materials, overhead, body abuse, coins out to around 5 grand give or take on vehicle size. I wont touch a restoration for less than 10 grand and that is a fairly clean A-body.
I just did an old pickup. I have over 800 hours in it. Rust up the ***. I charge 35 bucks an hour and I am skilled and well equiped. My stuff is a 2 incher if you get my drift. LOL. You do the math.

Do it yourself if you can. I'm thinking of trying SPI products. I have not heard anything bad about them.
Biggest problem is metal prep. You have to get that freshly abraded metal coated with a quality "direct to metal" product within 8 hours.
Just be careful, If he aint taking it to bare steel and properly coating that steel, your 2 incher can turn into a 20 footer in 1 year.
 
pauly said:
Sounds about right. Friend of mine had a first gen Camaro done by another friend’s body shop. One of the best guys I know. He paid around $8K all said and done. It’s laser straight and beautiful. Owner said he’s scared to drive it now because it’s too nice! So, depends on what you are after.
Click to expand...

Hence the two footer comments! He's gonna wish he had.
 
Bodyperson said:
Ive been using PPG for a while. Materials, overhead, body abuse, coins out to around 5 grand give or take on vehicle size. I wont touch a restoration for less than 10 grand and that is a fairly clean A-body.
I just did an old pickup. I have over 800 hours in it. Rust up the ***. I charge 35 bucks an hour and I am skilled and well equiped. My stuff is a 2 incher if you get my drift. LOL. You do the math.

Do it yourself if you can. I'm thinking of trying SPI products. I have not heard anything bad about them.
Biggest problem is metal prep. You have to get that freshly abraded metal coated with a quality "direct to metal" product within 8 hours.
Just be careful, If he aint taking it to bare steel and properly coating that steel, your 2 incher can turn into a 20 footer in 1 year.
Click to expand...
And $35/hour is cheap for a professional.
 
The paint job is only going to be as durable as what's underneath it. On an "unknown" I would take it down to metal which can expose a multitude of previous sins. Personally, I wouldn't do one unless they wanted it stripped. Too much can go wrong when painting over a previous job where you don't know what was used. Uncatalyzed enamel or old lacquer paint, underlying adhesion issues, what have you. I couldn't guarantee it.
 
I have had very good luck with summits paint line in both base/clear and single stage.
Very reasonable compared other products.
 
Mopar-Man said:
Hence the two footer comments! He's gonna wish he had.
Click to expand...
I do not know a professional that can knowingly do less than the best he can do and that is almost always better than the original equipment manufacturer.
 
plumkrazee70 said:
I know the cost of top shelf materials is outrageous. But I have SPI epoxy primer and that was $200 with the hardner. Their clear and 2k is very reasonably priced as well. I was planning on using all of their products and shopping around for the base. I have already confirmed that PPG and TCP global base is compatible with their primer and clear.

He won't use my products though, he wants everything to be from the same line, which is understandable. What really struck me was his process. He was worried about skim coating the quarters (due to the filler possibly cracking) that told me he probably doesn't know what he is doing on this type of work, also he said he would only do one round of blocking with the 2k. Which makes me feel like he wants to do the minimal amount of work. (He is a collision guy by trade)

I just didn't feel confident that my $6-8k would get me very much in body work. Especially with the cost of the materials he is probably going to use.

I am going to try and get a few more quotes and will probably end up doing it myself, like originally planned. I appreciate everyones support.
Click to expand...
Never used the stuff myself, but have heard several say their clear stays soft for extended periods and can be somewhat delicate.
 
I have an 80 gallon air compressor that spits out 15 scfm @90 and I have a mig welder. The lower quarter panel rust is done, so I am just looking at taking it down to bare metal, epoxy, skim coat, block, 2k, block. Repeat.

I am just not sure how confident I am in doing the blocking. I guess I just have to get in there and try it.
 
GeorgeH said:
Never used the stuff myself, but have heard several say their clear stays soft for extended periods and can be somewhat delicate.
Click to expand...

Huh. I know they have two clears. A universal and a euro. I have heard nothing but great things. Even from a few on this board.
 
Just food for thought. Iv been painting cars for many years & its expensive. You could get between 1,500 to 2,500 bucks just wrapped up in the paint material. Soon here I will be painting a duster for a family member. For 1 gallon of sassy grass green base coat was $900. Just the base. I always cut & buff my paint jobs. Unless the costumer wants that orange peel look. I wet sand & buff a car for no less than $800. So I would say depending on the amount of body work $6,000 to $8,000 doesn't sound to high.
 
$ 35 an hour is inexpensive. Now multiply that by 1000 back breaking ,mind bending, dust inhibiting hours and all of the sudden it seems expensive. You are correct again.
A collision repair professional can sometimes do in 2 hours what a laymen thinks is impossible and charge that person 4 hours of labor at $70 and everybody is happy. Do that over and over for 2080 hours a year x several professional employees and you have a a well equipped well trained collision repair facility.
Charging somebody $35,000 + to restore their "baby" does understandably seem like too much.
You now need to look at the perspective of the repair professional who knows he is doing the job correct and this person is not going to trade her Barracuda in for a new one in 4 years or is just a lease vehicle but something she cherishes and hope to hand down to her children.
All of the sudden $35 an hour is a bargain.
 
toolmanmike said:
And $35/hour is cheap for a professional.
Click to expand...

I will tell you what works for me. I barter. I know quite a few bodymen and painters and their work is FAR better than mine. I do what I can and let them do the finish work. I repair computers for them or help them tune their hotrods. We do not charge each other! Everyone is happy. They pay for parts, I pay for materials. That's it. They cannot afford my labor rate and I can't afford theirs. LOL.
 
cawley said:
Just food for thought. Iv been painting cars for many years & its expensive. You could get between 1,500 to 2,500 bucks just wrapped up in the paint material. Soon here I will be painting a duster for a family member. For 1 gallon of sassy grass green base coat was $900. Just the base. I always cut & buff my paint jobs. Unless the costumer wants that orange peel look. I wet sand & buff a car for no less than $800. So I would say depending on the amount of body work $6,000 to $8,000 doesn't sound to high.
Click to expand...

No cut and buff here because we use Sikkens clear. Man does this stuff lay down. NOT CHEAP AT ALL. The Duster in my avatar is Sikkens. Look at the gloss on that 20 year old paintjob and it has ALWAYS been outside. No wax on it ever!
 
Mopar-Man said:
No cut and buff here because we use Sikkens clear. Man does this stuff lay down. NOT CHEAP AT ALL. The Duster in my avatar is Sikkens. Look at the gloss on that 20 year old paintjob and it has ALWAYS been outside. No wax on it ever!
Click to expand...
Sikkens is the ****. Black Cadillac single stage Sikkens and flow coated. YAHOOO!
 
I have a 2 gal kit of Nason 491-16 2k epoxy primer (1:1mix) that I purchased here at a Finishmaster jobber in Winston Salem. I was told it's a Dupont product and their web site confirms that. I am sure local does not mean anything except local. Being a Novice I would thing that Dupont is a trustable name in body products. That 2 gal kit was right at $200. Saw it on-line for $150 too. I bought a bondo mixing pallet, 12 tack cloths, a gal of lacquer thinner, a gallon of FinalWipe, a bunch of 2" conditioning pads also for $337.

I was pleased!

Did I get boned?

KY jelly is still available!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top