ColoradoSilver

Hey all,

I was just GIVEN a new unpainted RKSport High-Rise hood for a present and I need some advice. Is it better to take to a dealer for install and paint or to body shop? Is it easy to install it myself, then take it in for paint? What can I expect to pay for the job? It's 2000 Light Pewter Metallic paint job if that makes a difference. Thanks,

Matt

Flintstone

I have heard that Pewter is tough to match and often they have to blend the fenders and bumper cover to match. A good paint shop should ask for the hood and the car.

Test fit the hood before you commit. Mine fits like crap, but I heard they are better now.

Nice looking hood though :cheers:

Y2Kvert4me

Don't think you have to take it to a dealer to get good results. Although many dealers do have excellent body shop facilities and skilled workers, your chances are no better or worse than an independant body shop. Talk to a few shops, talk to anyone you know who's had body/paintowrk done for recommendations and see who seems the best qualified to you.

As stated above,, a blend job will yield the best paint match results. If you just take the hood to the shop, get it painted, then put it on, you will very likely notice the paint mismatch. There are so many variables in trying to match paint, especially with metallics, you cannot expect a perfect match by just painting one panel. By spreading it out over a larger area, slight mismatches are very hard to notice. Also, if the shop doesn't have your car, they have nothing to match it to, other than the paint code.

When you talk to shops about this, expect to hear all of what's been said here. If you don't, be very skeptical.

:cheers:

lawrencedhuber

Living in Parker, CO I can recommend Purifoy Chevrolet in Ft Lupton. They do a renowned job on stock colors (not custom paint) and are the sponsor for the Looking Glass Corvette Club. They have done several hoods, custom body panels, spoilers and collision work and matched colors succesfully.
They are very dedicated to supporting Corvette owners.

AnteVenom

I can offer several suggestions.

I have found that a dealership body/paint facility offers excellent painters and better satisfaction than that of an independent shop.

With the RK Sport High Rise hood (or any aftermarket hood for that matter) be on the lookout for rubbing issues UNDERneath rubbing on TB or supercharger etc.

The third suggestion I have comes from recent experience. Have the hood installed on your car unpainted and drive around with it on for a couple of weeks. No matter what anyone says I believe this is required to prevent cracking in the fiberglass underneath due to additional shrinkage of the fiberglass when exposed to the engine heat.

I did NOT do this at the suggestion of the hood vendor (said it was not necessary and I was in a hurry for the hood to be installed for an upcoming show) and gainst the advise of a friend who has successfully instaled these hoods with no later problems by following this advise and allowing to cure first.

My BPP hood now has a couple of areas where there are cracks underneath due to the fiberglass shrinking.

Just my .02, hope it helps!

:cheers:

DTSNGIT

The body shop will most likely have to blend your nose and fenders to match the hood depending on paint condition. Thus I would take the entire car and leave it with someone. You can probably expect to pay between $550-$650 depending on work and rates. At least that would be the range at my body shop for painting both sides, blending & install......

Mike

kromberg

I have a 2000 Pewter one also and Apex painted my hood. They matched the color perfectly and it cost about $600. Look them up, because I totally recommend them :)

Keith

Kenny94945

Any repair you can do yourself is typically higher quality IMHO.

Here's my 02.

Spray the underside of the hood the color you want (Pewter/ Flat Black/ Gloss Black other) yourself. Else have some body shop spray the bottom color and pick up the hood to install. Note the und3rside paint isn't that great and doesn't look cleared to me anyway.

Then swap parts/ fit and align the new hood yourself. You'll need an assistant maybe two.

Then take it to the best body shop you can find.

Blending the paint to the adjacent panels will not surprise me in this repair/ mod.

DSTURBD

I have to echo lawrencedhuber's recomendation!! Purifoy Chevrolet in Ft. Lupton is very dedicated to Corvettes and their owner's satisfaction. On just about any day you stop in and look out into the back service bays, about half of them have Vettes in them getting goodies. They are not that far away for you, just north of Denver, and Rollie Purifoy is a Vette freak like us. Check out his 50th anniversary GTR on their web site. They will be doing a number of things to my '99 coupe come January!!

I drive from Fort Collins to go to them exclusively. Just my opinion though.
Take a drive and check them out. The service staff is very friendly and knowlegeable, always willing to answer questions and make recomendations. :steering:

ColoradoSilver

Thanks for all of your responses. I think I will take it up to Purifoy in Ft Lupton. They seem like they do a really good job on things like this. Any idea on how long the painting process will take?

Matt

AnteVenom

If the hood you got has already been prepped it will just be a matter of sealing and spraying the hood, letting it dry out, clear coating and maybe some buffing. I would say about three days.

If it needs work that could add an additional couple of days to sand it down, especially if you want the underneath to be as good as you would expect the topside to be.

:cheers:

Vetteman Jack

I installed a Motor City Mold High Rise hood. Unless you are good at body work, have the pros do it. Lining up the hood with the other body panels can be a challenge. I had a local shop do it, and they charged me right at $800 for the install and paint. But, it sure looks nice.