$200 paint

Welcome to the '000s! Sounds a little high, I though paint was going for about $125/gal, but it's been a couple of months since I last priced paint so it may have gone up that much. Thank your local EPA for the uncontrolled spiraling cost of paint. The Ferderal Government's goal is to eliminate car painting by anyone but government controlled shops. The way they are doing it is forcing constant reformulation of the product forcing the paint manufacturers to drive the price out of the range of the common ward of the state. This is the new Amerika. We won the cold war and are losing the peace to our own government!

Average base/clear with graphics runs about $400 at your local NAPA jobber... then go to PPG or even House of Kolor and see what you have to pay...!!! Base usually has activator, clear has reducer- these thin and 'activate' the paint so it can cure. Be sure to read all the tech sheets so you understand how these work- right reduction rates, times, PSI, etc- you'll like it better if you don't have to buy them again!!

I payed 250 a gallon for base without reducer and 100 for clear for my S-10. With reducer and activator it was over 400 with tax. This was NAPA also.

Chris

and guess what else is expensive, i had the body work priced yesterday, "at my own job" and it cam up to 2,000 dollars give or take. that does NOT include the paint, and the new fenders, and the new doors, and the new tailgate. that is just taking the bottom trim off, and fixing all the holes from bolts. i have a question, if you cover up rust real good, will it come back.

Bodywork IS expensive- that is why many of us on this site choose to learn to do it ourselves. If rust is not completetly removed- it can and eventually will come back. Sand, sandblast, cut out and replace or use a neutralizer, but get rid of as much as possible or you will do the job again.

[ May 07, 2003: Message edited by: Dragon J ]</p>

here is what i have in mind, ill wait untill i go to butler technical institute, so i can learn bbody work, then i can do it myself, but know what should i work on, interior, engine, suspension, sound system. its a hard desision.

I just bought a quart of acrylic enamel for my engine, trimming door jams, etc. With activator, qt. of thinner, qt of paint, 97 bucks.I'm going to use my touch up gun so I don't waste any, at these prices who can afford to waste any? Dan

My opinion chevyman- but go suspension first, then engine so you can drive it, bodywork as you tinker with tunage/stereo, then paint and lastly interior. Plan and draw and get ideas from this site and magazines so you have a well thought out idea of EXACTLY what it is you're going for. Then it's just like a big model kit! Enjoy!

Can those of you with experience give me some general guidelines on estimating paint (material only) cost for a given car?

How many coats of primer should I figure to get all the waves out? How do I calculate the coverage of primer, paint, clear, etc.?

(BTW, I'm looking at painting a Cadillac Allante (including the hardtop), so I guess I'm talking about a "modern"-size coupe...)

[ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: babyface ]

[ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: babyface ]</p>

I always end up using at least a gallon of sandable primer, 1/2 - 3/4 gallon of color, 3/4 - 1 gallon of clear on a full size car.

Works out pretty well 'cause you can repack the color in pint cans, available at the paint dealer, for touchup and the left over clear is great for lots of uses so doesn't go to waste. My experience is that color will go bad over time so keep cans full (no air) and in refrigerator but the clear seems to last forever on the shop shelf.

[ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: [email protected] ]</p>

Thanks Willys36.

I should have thought of this before, but does that include painting just the outside, or doing all the door jams, engine compartment, underside of trunk and hood, etc.?

That's everything. Jambs don't take much.