[Elevinpointsixtoone]

I know this will be a bit "Out There" but I need to start a budget for my paint project and would like some ball park figures if possible.
This will be for my 57 BelAir. Lets just asume for the sake of argument that the body will have little to no rust or damage. I painted the car myself back in 1980 and pretty much know whats under the current paint. The two mild bondo patches that I did are not showing any deterioration so I don't know if the paint guys will want to replace it or just re-paint over them. It does have at least 3 paint jobs that were not been completely removed (hey I was 16) so it will need some serious sanding/stripping to get back to metal. I did completely strip both doors and the quarter panels back then and the hood is a recent custom job along with one door that I had properly repaired recently so they will prep quite easy. I will be painting all the interior pieces along with the trunk and engine compartment myself. Other than that I will be seeking a qualified paint shop to finish her off.
Scheme: 2 stage PPG that I am custom mixing and will supply. I also will be adding a classic shaped flame job for the hood/fender area but no further back. That will consist of some ghosting graduating into some final solid tips with outlining (deep metalic plum base with blue flames outlined in silver).
I am not looking to win the Grand Nationals but I would like something that is extremely "wet" looking. I also want it straight but it does not have to be perfectly flat. I will remove all the chrome/trim/old seals/mouldings etc. I will also have all the glass out since I will be painting the dash myself.
My ballpark is 4-6k but I don't know what a flame job will add.
Product cost will be an additonal $850 or so.

What do you guys think?

Would I save much if I did some chem stripping or sanding on my own first? Remember the engine compartment, hood and inteiror will be done.

[sicksixseven]

i had my 1967 chevelle 300 painted last winter, and it cost me $4000, but i had lots of metal replaced. Thats what happens in New England. The $4000 covered everything, bodywork, paint and any prep. It came out great and i had it done at a car shop that specializes in old cars. They did my 64 bel air like 12 years ago and it still looks great. If I were you, I would keep my ears open at local shows and things of that matter for places that enjoy painting old cars.

[Elevinpointsixtoone]

I'd be real happy if it was 4K including the materials. I'm not sure what a fair price would be for the flames.
The word on the street around here (Carson City NV) is that there are plenty of shops who will say they can do it but won't really have the skills to pull if off or the well known shops around here that take on rods regularily over charge. To of the best collectors in the area told me they take thier tin down to AZ. That's not really an option for me. I don't own a car carrier nor do I have the time to drive one down and then go pick it up. I want the work being done close enough I can drop in whenever.

[Randy Ferguson]

There's no possible way to say for sure.
As car OWNERS, we always think our car is in much better shape than it really is, or so we like to let on.
On the other hand, as a SHOP OWNER, we tend to see it in a different light!!
No way can any of us here tell you what it;s going to cost without having the car in the shop, stripped and evaluated very closely. Even then, we could only get close.
Having not seen the car and going by what you have told us, my answer would be get it stripped, removing all paint, body filler, etc. (I prefer Redi-Strip) and then we'll see what you have to work with. Some shops use body filler. I don't, so maybe my prices are higher, but you get the real deal.
My best GUESS would $10,000+ if you're really looking for a NICE paint job. Quality craftsmanship comes with a price!!

If you wnat one of the best that's close to home, get ahold of Carl Brunson in Vegas


Randy Ferguson
Ferguson Coachbuilding
www.metalmeet.com

[MARTINSR]

Here? In the San Francisco bay area $4000.00 would barely get you a paint job alone on a cherry body. For your typical restoration, $10,000 to $20,000 with $50,000 to a $100,000 common place.

[Chopper64]

Here? In the San Francisco bay area $4000.00 would barely get you a paint job alone on a cherry body. For your typical restoration, $10,000 to $20,000 with $50,000 to a $100,000 common place.

Man I'm glad I don't live in the state with the big fault line in it.

[GMW]

Originally posted by MARTINSR
Here? In the San Francisco bay area $4000.00 would barely get you a paint job alone on a cherry body. For your typical restoration, $10,000 to $20,000 with $50,000 to a $100,000 common place.

Are you serious...$100,000 paint job is common place? Do you get the car back before you die of old age?

[mrcleanr6]

Originally posted by GMW
Are you serious...$100,000 paint job is common place? Do you get the car back before you die of old age?

on one of the other recent threads here we went over the fact that its all about what you are looking for. you dont think that some of the 3,4, and $500,000 cars that win the big shows actually got there or are worth that kind of money with a $5000 paintjob on them do you? its about the level of perfection you are looking for. to bring a car to that level takes hours beyond belief. can you get a nice paintjob that the average person will look at the car and say "wow thats nice".....yes, no problem but win a show where trained judges inspect every nook and cranney and your car is up against others in competition....no

[BarryK]

Martin and Mrclean are Right GMW, the job on your Chevelle would be $75,000 on a cheap day and more in line of $100,000.

We just showed at a private show and top 3 cars- all 69 camaros
two were done by shops one at $175,000 and the other at $130,000.(on top of the cost of car) we had $25,000 in ours but did our own work and won including cost of car.


Dupont sponsored the $175,000 one.
Dupont did win best engine award.
To do it right is expensive and not for the faint hearted!

[MARTINSR]

First off, I didn't say a "$100,000 paint job", I said "For your typical restoration" $50,000 to $100,000 is common. I am talking restoration where the car is disassembled, body panels replaced, chroming done, etc. That kind of money is common. The paint jobs Barry is talking about aren't too common, but do exist, you bet your life.

The car that won top honors in the first show my brother showed his Roadster had a $65,000 paint job, just the paint, sixty five thousand dollars. Heck, he had more in the display his car sat in than my brother had in his whole car! That was ten years ago.

[Blackdog]

$4,000 will get you a nice paint job in this hick town. If your making more than $10 an hour around here your doing good. I've had several of my Seattle friends bring their cars out here for paint.

[Elevinpointsixtoone]

I knew this question would get me chewed on a bit but that's why I prefaced the question with "I know this is a bit out there...." And I also expected the pro's to say there is no way they could make a best guess without seeing the car (I did post a link /photo). Maybe I should just drag my heap down to the "Over Haulin" set and hope for some sloppy seconds.
Anyway, there must be some ryhme or reason for something like what it costs on average to shoot a flame job. Anyone want to take a stab at that one?
20 years ago California would have been the place to get the best custom paint but they have lost the ability to use the good chemistry and have maybe the strictest EPA codes to deal with. I would expect nothing less than an over priced average paint job. And don't forget to add the "California Surcharge" .....you know they charge you for their attitude over there.....hey I can say these thing because I was born and raised in the bay area and saw the place go right into the crapper. I left after 29 years.
But that is another story. It would appear that researching some of the smaller towns may reveal the diamond in the rough; the small custom shop that does superb work at small town prices.
It will get done and it will be done well. I would just prefer not to cash out my kids college funds.....comments?

[MARTINSR]

It isn't a "California attitude", it is simple economics. Where there is money, you get paid more, things cost more, nothing strange.

Back 150 years ago during the gold rush, here in California a hot meal cost fifty bucks or something. Three or four hundred miles north and that same meal would have been $1.00. It happens over and over throughout history all over the world. In California (at least this part) there is a rich economy with lots of money, things cost more.

That is why it is so hard to say how much something will cost. Someone from here who lives in a little two bedroom 55 year old house that is worth $475,000 can't possibly know what it would cost in your area to do that work.

Heck, I have kept an eye on where you live and from the looks of it the Reno area isn't too far behind this insanity.

Take a ride out to Winnemucca or somewhere like that and the prices should start coming down.

[GMW]

Originally posted by mrcleanr6
on one of the other recent threads here we went over the fact that its all about what you are looking for. you dont think that some of the 3,4, and $500,000 cars that win the big shows actually got there or are worth that kind of money with a $5000 paintjob on them do you? its about the level of perfection you are looking for. to bring a car to that level takes hours beyond belief. can you get a nice paintjob that the average person will look at the car and say "wow thats nice".....yes, no problem but win a show where trained judges inspect every nook and cranney and your car is up against others in competition....no

Well...thats why I could care less about shows. I want my car to look good enough for me. I live in the midwest and here a little 2 bedroom 55 year old house is worth $47,500, not $475,000. Plus theres no way my car is going to sit in the garage under a blanket. Its going to get driven and driven hard.

However, for all you guys doing $30, $50, or $80 thousand dollar paint jobs, if someones got the cash and wants to part with it, I say good for you take it with a smile.

[mrcleanr6]

exactly. everyone wants something different. myself, i think you should be able to drive the car too and if i wasn't a painter i wouldn't be putting a $20,000 paintjob on a car either. but there are people out there that winning shows is thier passion and if they say they want to win then thats what i'll give them.