ghoastrider1

This shop does great work. They do it right. Dell (owner) looked over the 86. I said same color, they only made 770 or so in this color. (gold) Said I wanted a high metallic paint (same as factory). My paint clear coat is peeling like a sunburnt redhead step child. I don't believe the last owner ever put it in a garage as the paint is burnt rhru is a few places.It is really in poor pain condition. Dell said he would take off the trim and he would have to take it down to bare glass. primer, then shoot color and clear. Said 6 grand would be the price, 3g up front. Its a good price and Dell is a vette head (has a 76) , but wow, that's more than I paid for the car. Heck, I can buy another Vette for that. I think I am gonna do it knowing I will never get any bucks back.

zr1fred

Sounds like a fair price for the work involved. You normally don't need to strip to bare fiberglass (SMC actually). You can sand and catalyze prime the problem areas, if its the original paint, it makes a good base.

corvetteronw

Do you have a garage? Just watch this set of videos by a Forum member. You can get a nice air compressor at a flea market or Harbor Freight along with a HVLP gun and sandpaper.
All it takes is a bit of practice and patience.
Also study the info videos from Eastwood.
Good luck!

jv9999

I painted mine and didn't take it down to the base. Just through the clear and then a good epoxy sealer over it. The whole job cost me <$300 but I already had the equipment and have done a few in my garage before. Each one better than the last. That said, it's not for everyone as you need to be prepared to sand it all down and try again.

Silver85

Gotta decide what you will be happy with in the long run IMHO. Would you be content with a paint job that looks good from a distance but has one or two spots that aren't perfect or are you going to want a paint job that looks better than factory?

It can be done DIY with a ton of patience and willingness to try, try again. A good paint job is part art form and requires practice. Setup is critical. The clear coat will draw dust and dirt in what you thought was a perfectly clean room. Clean and ventilated are key!!! For the car and for your health.....

Brian Felts

WOW I paint and have done complete high end in my garage, send me a friend request on Facebook and you can look at the pics. I will paint any Corvette for $3000.00 or less depending on the price of the paint. There is little to no surface area to a vette, its not my living so I can do it cheaper. I use Lesenol or Wanda base and clears.

Sorry about the hazy pic but my phone lens is scratched a little.

Renfield

Harbor Freight is having a "Huge Compressor Sale" according to their latest email. They also list an HVLP gun for $49.

QCVette

I am cheap.

For that much money I would be considering other options unless I had some personal attachment to the car and a reason to restore it.

The two options that come to mind are a DIY paint job. I have done quite a few in my garage. Although they were not show quality, they came out quite good and better than a daily driver car needed.

The other option is to consider selling the car and with the money from the sale plus $6k put it to another car. At that price you can find some nearly perfect ones. When I was looking at doing upgrades to my '85, I started looking at what all I was going to upgrade and costs compared to selling and buying another one with some of the upgrades done. I wound up selling the low mile '85 4+3 and got an almost as low mileage '96 LT4. It was only a couple hundred dollars to trade cars. I like the trade and the '96 doesn't need many of the upgrades and I can put much less into it to make it the car I want.

Just a couple of options and my $0.02.

Good luck.

CCRed

ghlkal

That seems like a fair price, unless you take Brian up on his offer.

And, you're right, you'll spend the money because YOU want the Vette to look great for YOURSELF. You won't recoup the money you spend.

corvetteronw

Here is the vid: I think the guy's forum name is Flyboy1:

ghoastrider1

I have the tools. problem is, my open heart surg. recovery went bad. I walk with two canes cause I am in need of a hip replacement . Heart may not be strong enough to live thru a replacement oper, say the doc at VA, here in Indy..Says 50-50 chance of dying on the table. Don't know if I can paint with one cane, much less sand the darn thing. Yes, I have an air sander. Kinda hate to sell it, wife named the car and I lost the wife to cancer last year. This memory makes me smile,.... she never understood why I wanted a vette..then she drove it home when we bought it.. never said another word about it and loved driving/riding in it,

zr1fred

All things considered, you probably should enjoy it as it is.

jv9999

Very sorry to hear that. I'd help you out if you were closer.

aklim

Those are SUPER IMPORTANT things.

You know anything you do at this point is going to be that way.

BLUDICE

Have you thought about MAACO - I know, but if you pay extra for prep (95% of successful paint jobs depends on prep work) get the upgrade package - AND have if stuff & buffed after it's good and dried - keep it in the garage as all Vettes should - I think you will be pleased.

Renfield

A h.s. friend had his first car painted by Earl.

The bad old days.

856SPEED

i hope the best for you more than the Vette. I love my C4 too, but golly...if I was in your shoes, enjoy life and keep the 6 grand for your body, not the Vettes body.....🍻👍

RUU

In that case, it's a bargain at twice the price.
Sorry for your loss and your struggles.

Richard Raichert

Yours has a lot of sentimental value and memories attached to it. If that is the most important thing and the cost to repaint it is doable I would do it! I am facing a lung transplant, (pulmonary fibrosis), and would sell mine if I needed the money, but I want to enjoy the car while I can. It was on my "bucket list"! Little did I know that 6 months after paying top dollar for a vette with 23000 miles on it that I would have this incurable disease. Some things are worth more to an individual than the money. (within reason). May God help us both.