What do you guys pay for body work where you live?

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DarrenM

DarrenM

Diggin' holes is fun
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Winnipeg, Manitoba
Hey guys,
I've been considering an E body project, but before I jump into it, I'm verifying the cost for body work.

Two years ago I had a "reputable" shop quote on my 73 Barracuda project. It already had quarter panels done, but not to my liking. It also needed door work, and repro fenders fit and finished. Lots of work. While they don't really "quote" body work, he did say they take $2000 at a time, use it up and ask for more until it's done. I hear this is common. I ask him to ball park for me based on what he's done. $10,000. This was using a rotissorie, complete strip of the paint and underside, paint, assemble panels only and return. I would do all mechanical and interior/trim.

Forward now to today. I had sent a group of photos to another recommended shop in Illinois (high end, I suspect). Same question on a basically rust free car, but a few holes here and there. Price? $30,000. This was without rust repair too. Obviously different classes of companies.

Here's my question - I'm after a nice driver quality paint job with nice panel gaps. Driver quality in my mind is paint like a new production car. Base/clear finish, maybe add a nice polish at the end.

What do you guys pay to paint a rust free shell that needs smoothing etc, body panel alignment, maybe a bit of surface rust and a couple of small patches, with the above specs? Let's not nit-pick. I know paint is expensive and different types cost different amounts, but let's say +/-10% type of costing.

Thanks
DM
 
if looking for a time capsole, the sky is the limit, but i just got a awesome base-clear with some metal weled in the car for 950.00 out the door. now i just brought my scamop by there, with more rust issues than the duaster, but price went up to 1,000. but i have made a full shell out of it. so that did not included pulling the car apart, and re-assembling of it
 
Quality paint and materials can run well over $3,000. Your idea of rust free and limited body work are not the same as what a trained eye will see.

Any body work already done will need to be redone if you expect a warranty.

Paint jobs are expensive because of material cost, labor (and many other associated costs).

With that said……. $30,000 is at least double what nice paint job should cost.

This is why your quote is $30,000…………. The shop does not want to paint your car. They give you a crazy high quote. If you foolish enough to take it they will laugh all the way to the bank.
 
Alot$$ unless you have a hook up or know someone..but you usually get what you pay for..and my advise do it right that first time around..
 
340plot said:
if looking for a time capsole, the sky is the limit, but i just got a awesome base-clear with some metal weled in the car for 950.00 out the door. now i just brought my scamop by there, with more rust issues than the duaster, but price went up to 1,000. but i have made a full shell out of it. so that did not included pulling the car apart, and re-assembling of it
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What paint product did he use how many coats ? Wow that's smoking cheap none of my buddies who paint for a living can touch that at even there cost for a quality paint.
 
This is the first thing my wife said to me when I told her. And she's never painted a car in her life.

It was a shock, to put it mildly.

1968FormulaS340 said:
This is why your quote is $30,000…………. The shop does not want to paint your car. They give you a crazy high quote. If you foolish enough to take it they will laugh all the way to the bank.
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340plot said:
if looking for a time capsole, the sky is the limit, but i just got a awesome base-clear with some metal weled in the car for 950.00 out the door. now i just brought my scamop by there, with more rust issues than the duaster, but price went up to 1,000. but i have made a full shell out of it. so that did not included pulling the car apart, and re-assembling of it
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You can not even buy quality materials for that price.
 
I would agree here - this is the exception. Post some photos of that paint job please!

megajoltman said:
What paint product did he use how many coats ? Wow that's smoking cheap none of my buddies who paint for a living can touch that at even there cost for a quality paint.
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I paid $3500 for a two tone paint job on my truck about 6 months ago, and that was with zero body work. I paid $1000 up front for materials, Dupont Imron with Dupont Imron clear on top.
 
7 years ago I paid approx. $4k to have new quarters, trunk floor, extensions installed and paint (B/C). It was a backyard job and needed 40 hours of wet sanding and polishing to look right but was nice in the end. I know a backyard guy (pro body man) that wants $5k to paint with no bodywork. It wouldn't surprise me if the shops around here start at $100/hr. I've heard of guys walking in and paying by the month only to find out they've spent $20k and the car is half done!
 
Wow $1000.00 for a complete job i'd deffinately be scrutinizing the work and finish..a nice paint job alone runs $5k around here..
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
Quality paint and materials can run well over $3,000. Your idea of rust free and limited body work are not the same as what a trained eye will see.

Any body work already done will need to be redone if you expect a warranty.

Paint jobs are expensive because of material cost, labor (and many other associated costs).

With that said……. $30,000 is at least double what nice paint job should cost.

This is why your quote is $30,000…………. The shop does not want to paint your car. They give you a crazy high quote. If you foolish enough to take it they will laugh all the way to the bank.
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Pretty much a bullseye!

One of my best friends owns a body shop and we've discussed this subject many times.

I'll repeat one of the better stories he was involved in. Business partner of another friend came by with his newly aquired '70 Cuda convertible. Car looked good, but he did not like the color. Car had recently been restored and converted from a 318 to a 340 by a self proclaimed professional restorer and the price was high. New owner was a discerning buyer and had bags of money, but he was not knowledgable in the sense that he had rolled up his sleeves and aquired the experience for himself. Perfect Barrett Jackson material. My friend has a good reputation for quality work and he does not like to cut corners and he was not known for being the low bidder on his services. A price was agreed on and work started. The car did look good and as the teardown progressed, it became apparant that the restoration consisted of very well hidden patches on a very rusty shell. The news pretty much got worse with every bolt removed. Now, the owner thought that he had purchased a fully restored car and the shop owner took great pains to explain all the problems he was finding. This backfired. Initially, the Cuda owner went along with repairing the flaws, but as the price tripled from the original estimate, he became belligerant. Soon work on the car stopped and legal battles began. It was ugly and it lasted for a couple years. In the end, no one won. This was maybe 15 years ago and even in those days, the bill was around $20K.

Another time, same shop agreed to a quick respray for cheap on a car that was already in for an insurance claim. I know the paint had to be sprayed twice because of adverse reaction on the initial respray, but the shop owner made good on it. The customer didn't agree. He was expecting a show quality paint job for daily driver prices, so once again the legal battles began.

The price of materials has skyrocketed. Enamels gave way to urethanes which gave way to base/clear which gave way to water based. Fillers and primers must be compatible, or reactions result. Enviromental and health issues add to the cost of handling and spraying these paints. Labour alone will be a significant component. With wages in the $25/hr range and shop rates in the $75/hr range, 40 hours of shop time will run you $3000.00. Show quality paint jobs can run into the hundreds of hours and body work will add up as well. I'd expect $5K minimum for a basic respray these days. Add $2K for color changes/door jambs. $10K or $20K is not unheard of and may very well be a realistic price.

By the way, OP DarrenM, this happened in Winnipeg!
 
Wow thats why im happy I have friends who know how to do this stuff. I keep the fridge full of cold beers and pay for materials. My paint job is no flawless piece of art but its my car and it keeps me happy. Thats what matters most.
 
When talking body work/restoration on 40 year old vehicles, estimating is very difficult if not impossible. A guy I worked with loved to say "Once you start taking apart the car, it's never better than you expected!
 
LOL Now thats what matters!!! Thats how my Barracuda is getting done. A Buddy took it down to the metal fixed 2 little rust spots. Oh and get this, once paint was gone you could see where somebody had put 1/2 a quarter on the left rear.. Anyway he had to use a come along to get the door jam up to match the rest of the body line. Then we found out I actually had a left fender from a 68 barracuda. Whoever done it before just filled in the side marker light. I have been weighing in on trying to find one in good shape that I can afford or getting mine fixed. All my door jams are painted, the trunk and engine bay is painted. All mine needs is the outside work done witch is hand work. You know low spots and of course my fenders. I have pics of the work so there is no suprizes. And I'm still trying to find someone to do it. Insurance work is to easy of a money maker for Body shops nowadays. most don't wanna mess with actual hand work on an old car. Even with everything else done and pics to show it.
 
67mopr said:
LOL Now thats what matters!!! Thats how my Barracuda is getting done. A Buddy took it down to the metal fixed 2 little rust spots. Oh and get this, once paint was gone you could see where somebody had put 1/2 a quarter on the left rear.. Anyway he had to use a come along to get the door jam up to match the rest of the body line. Then we found out I actually had a left fender from a 68 barracuda. Whoever done it before just filled in the side marker light. I have been weighing in on trying to find one in good shape that I can afford or getting mine fixed. All my door jams are painted, the trunk and engine bay is painted. All mine needs is the outside work done witch is hand work. You know low spots and of course my fenders. I have pics of the work so there is no suprizes. And I'm still trying to find someone to do it. Insurance work is to easy of a money maker for Body shops nowadays. most don't wanna mess with actual hand work on an old car. Even with everything else done and pics to show it.
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Oh if you look at the pic on my profile u can see where the driver side door is lower than the back edge. Thats from that 1/2 quarter. The car is gonna be Mopar deep Water blue and thats what the door jams engine bay and trunk are painted.
 
This is exactly why I've decided to do it myself. I was taught quite a few years ago by a great bodyman and I'm refreshing myself now. I will take my time and since my goal is to drive the car (a lot), it makes no sense to pay someone a fortune to do it, and if I take my time I'm sure it will be fine and I'll save a lot of $$.
 
i've been thinking of taking a class at the community college, and then doing it myself. i know in the Chicago area they are going to want 20K or more.
 
i had a friend do the paint and body work on my 68 dart and paint it turbine bronze, he did it at his own house and took his time. 2 years later it was painted and home. the cost was 10.000 $ but it is perfect. it was done on a rotisery painted inside and out underneath then buffed out. not a flaw.
 
Im lucky,i worked for a body shop for 3 years.
Learned the basics.
Now i do all my own work.

It all depends on how far you want to go ,and how smooth you want it to be.

This 70 fj6 340 swinger cost over 700.00 for materials alone.
Ppg concept single stage.

My 69 n96 rr is next.
 

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A word of advise for you guys that talk up your wet sanded and buffed clears.

I hope they shot a bunch of clear on. That clear is the UV protection for your paint job. Once that clear gets thin the paint job is time bomb waiting to explode.

One day in the future you will walk outside and all your clear will be blowing down the street like leaves off a tree.
 
DarrenM said:
Hey guys,
Here's my question - I'm after a nice driver quality paint job with nice panel gaps. Driver quality in my mind is paint like a new production car. Base/clear finish, maybe add a nice polish at the end.

What do you guys pay to paint a rust free shell that needs smoothing etc, body panel alignment, maybe a bit of surface rust and a couple of small patches, with the above specs? Let's not nit-pick. I know paint is expensive and different types cost different amounts, but let's say +/-10% type of costing.
DM
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I would recommend paying as you go......a week labor at a time, be involved and drop in often. Those small patches you refer to will probably be panel replacement with patches on the inner structures after the current patina gets stripped off most likely. My brother has been a pro painter for 10+years and that's his advice

I would guess your looking at a minimum 4 weeks labor, plus materials.
 
DarrenM said:
"What do you guys pay to paint a rust free shell that needs smoothing etc, body panel alignment, maybe a bit of surface rust and a couple of small patches, with the above specs? Let's not nit-pick. I know paint is expensive and different types cost different amounts, but let's say +/-10% type of costing."

Thanks
DM
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The auto-body repair shop I use charges $50 per hour labor plus shop supplies/welding-fabrication for body work on older cars. (I supply all sheet metal parts) and getting the car structurally ready for the paint shop. Paint shop fees are separate. Their paint shop fees (including paint materials) on a 70 R/T Charger ran about $3800 for a base-coat/clear-coat spray of burnt orange metallic (FE5) They had about 150 man-hours in the body work, plus the paint job, and the work was absolutely high quality.
They make it absolutely clear, however, that any old car project goes on the back burner if the shop begins to fill up with insurance work.
 
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