restoration cost????
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
restoration cost????
hello, ive had a 76 stingray for 2 years now, and i'm finally getting around to restoring the body, its in great shape except for a few bubbles in the paint, and fine cracks in the paint also. I plan to get it painted after i replace the rear bumper that is currently cracking 
. my question is, what does a decent paint job cost "base coat/clear coat" any ideas, i was thinking 3grand or less. thenks for your input.
. my question is, what does a decent paint job cost "base coat/clear coat" any ideas, i was thinking 3grand or less. thenks for your input.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
ok so the more you spend the better you get.... 
i see. now about the bumper. Who has used the trueflex bumpers? Price wise they are about the same as the factory urethane bumpers, but do they fit the same? thanks again.
i see. now about the bumper. Who has used the trueflex bumpers? Price wise they are about the same as the factory urethane bumpers, but do they fit the same? thanks again.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
My son just installed a trueflex front & rear on his 75 last weekend. We bought them at Carlisle last year for $300 each and the guy threw in the retainers for them for free. They're not painted yet but he did a nice job. The front fit better then the rear bumper. A lot depends on the car though, some fit poorly. Some guys had to cut and 'glass them to fit.
Gary
Gary
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,270
Likes: 4
From: Celeste Texas
None of the bumpers ever fit well. At the factory they did bondo and grinding on the line. When we pulled the front on off my 82 the brackets were covered in bondo that had to be broken before we could get the bumper off. I put a tru-flex on a 78 and fiberglass one on an 82. The fiberglass one looks much better but the tru-flex one was a lot easier to get on. Have some fairly aggressive sandpaper and a d/a sander then go VERY slowly so you don't take too much rubber off.
Bill
Bill
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,374
Likes: 788
From: Redondo Beach, California
Try the Corvetteforum search function. A lot of forum members have painted their own cars, including me. If you've never painted a car, like me, it's tedious and it means that everytime you make a mistake you have to wet sand and start all over. (I was painting in lacquer.) I ultimately had to buy professional quality spray guns/compressors/water traps, etc and as I said before, sand out my mistakes, but I ultimately ended up with a pretty presentable paint job. Plus when I finished, I only painted the paint! A lot of body shops will not only paint the exterior paint, they will also paint (overspray) a lot of stuff in the engine compartment, behind the front grills, the spare tire tube, etc. I don't know what your personal situation is with respect to garage area, personal interest in spending you own time painting, etc is. If you really just want a really good professional first class paint job done by someone else, some of the other threads that say you're going to pay in the high thousands are correct.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Northern Idaho
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
Try the Corvetteforum search function. A lot of forum members have painted their own cars, including me. If you've never painted a car, like me, it's tedious and it means that everytime you make a mistake you have to wet sand and start all over. (I was painting in lacquer.) I ultimately had to buy professional quality spray guns/compressors/water traps, etc and as I said before, sand out my mistakes, but I ultimately ended up with a pretty presentable paint job. Plus when I finished, I only painted the paint! A lot of body shops will not only paint the exterior paint, they will also paint (overspray) a lot of stuff in the engine compartment, behind the front grills, the spare tire tube, etc. I don't know what your personal situation is with respect to garage area, personal interest in spending you own time painting, etc is. If you really just want a really good professional first class paint job done by someone else, some of the other threads that say you're going to pay in the high thousands are correct.
not only do you have to deal with big money with body and paint shops,most of the time your dealing with their attitudes!hopefully you will find a shop with a good attitude that wants to do the job right! thats what the better business B. is for if you have a Q about a shop call them, or go to car shows,pick good body &paint jobs,ask them where they went ,how much?satisfied?ect,Darryl,Afordable Auto
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
i seriously thought about trying to do it myself, but then the thoughts of two cars i painted in my younger, poorer days came to me 
and i changed my mind. i have the garage, big compressor, guns etc. but dont really want to chance it. besides that ive never done any work on a fiberglass car. maybe ill take some advice and ask around at the shows. either way, i can stirp emblems off, and change my own bumpers and trim easly enough. thanks again.
and i changed my mind. i have the garage, big compressor, guns etc. but dont really want to chance it. besides that ive never done any work on a fiberglass car. maybe ill take some advice and ask around at the shows. either way, i can stirp emblems off, and change my own bumpers and trim easly enough. thanks again.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
$6,000, absolute minimum. Some 100 hours labour at a cheap $50/hr will ($5,000) get you started. IF you want a decent job.
There's a difference between a restoration (your question) and a paint job.
There's a difference between a restoration (your question) and a paint job.
Last edited by Paul L; Jul 9, 2005 at 07:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
^^^^^^^^ now that is a very nice looking car 
as for a full restoration, it really does not need that. what it does need is a paint job, and little things here and there, the paint thats on it has a few small bubbles, and paint cracks in it. My grandfather had this car before i did, and the last paint job was in the mid-early 80s. Again that is one beautiful car 
as for a full restoration, it really does not need that. what it does need is a paint job, and little things here and there, the paint thats on it has a few small bubbles, and paint cracks in it. My grandfather had this car before i did, and the last paint job was in the mid-early 80s. Again that is one beautiful car
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 32
From: Damascus MD
The best advice I ever got was to go to the local shows and ask around.
I was lucky enough to find a real car guy that is also a car painter at a local shop.
If you are willing to remove the interior, weatherstripping, emblem, lights, grills etc.. you should be able to get a next to show quality paint job for 4k - 5k. That includes removing all the door hardware yourself.
Almost any good shop will provide a paint job that will put the factory paint to shame.
Make sure you know what you want up front. If you want a body off show paint job plan on 10k - 15k if they are doing all the work.
Good Luck and have fun!
Bill
I was lucky enough to find a real car guy that is also a car painter at a local shop.
If you are willing to remove the interior, weatherstripping, emblem, lights, grills etc.. you should be able to get a next to show quality paint job for 4k - 5k. That includes removing all the door hardware yourself.
Almost any good shop will provide a paint job that will put the factory paint to shame.
Make sure you know what you want up front. If you want a body off show paint job plan on 10k - 15k if they are doing all the work.
Good Luck and have fun!
Bill
