Any pictures of these Maaco jobs? I've paid good money for paint jobs w/ first class facilities, and it looked like krap. I'd take mine to Maaco if I had done all of the prep and they would use the good quality paint that I would provide. It's not only the prep, but the wet sanding and polish after the paint is applied too.

 

My son and I are trying to get a MAACO paint job off of his 69 Mustang fastback right now. Believe me, that stuff is stuck on good and hard. Even the chemical stripper is having a hard time lifting it. I agree with the "do your own prep" position, although we didn't ten years ago when he had them paint the car. It still came out beautiful. His was the $800 single stage acrylic enamel paint job. After they painted my son's car, I had them paint my 83 Bronco in dark blue metallic and it also looked great and held up beautifully.

 

$5K might get you a decent job....show quality, trailer queen....I don't think so...at least not in my part of the country. The post sequences / applications to the paint are critical, but it has to be able to withstand the wet sanding and the polishing, time and again... until its right.

Okay, we have a car worth 2K from the OP....SOOOOOOOO, $300 sound's about right to me. Poor car!!!!!!!!!!!! I say that with compassion, for just the car.... of course.

 

To show my ignorance.. Who's Earl Sheib?

My project is nowhere near the paint stage yet but I read threads like this with great interest. I'm *probably* going to do it myself in a makeshift booth made of strapping and plastic dropcloth. I participated in it's paintjob 25 years ago - but forgot all the details. I'm sure with the right book and lots of help from the paint board here, I can muddle through it.

-W

 

Hi,
I think Steve (HALFMOONTRAIL) makes a good point in this discussion.
Sometimes the amount of $$ you can put into a paint job is really limited by the value of the car before and after the paint job.
If a $40,000 car deserves a $10,000 paint job then a $3,000 car gets about $750 for paint. That sounds reasonable.
Regards,
Alan

 

Earl "The Brush" Scheib. Nationwide chain of paint shops. He could paint anything for $49.99. Talk about looking good at 20ft. Overspray on everything, even the tires.
Bee Jay

 

It's all about what you are trying to paint.

 

I think the actual paint job is the easy part by comparison. All the real work is in the prep. If you are going to take the time to prep it yourself...you may as well spray the car too. Seems like I spend way more money on the supplies and way way way more time in the prep of the car than I do on the painting.

 

Prep is the key, and therefore higher cost of of good paint job, athough a professional wet sanding sure makes a difference.

 

Now you're being a jerk, and I wasn't the original poster. I hope you actually did leave.

Steve

 

Macco isnt all bad,
They have different levels of quality and then it is based on the amount of prep and who is gonna shoot the car,
I know a long time operator of a "Macco" type paint place, he has managed Maccos before and here are a few tips for getting the most bang for your buck from a cheap paint job,

Don't go in expecting the 198.99 special to look as good as your buddies 5K paint job,
Do as much serious prep as you can, then don't be cheap on the extra costs for better prep, much of the finished result is in the prep,

Meet the fellows who prep and will shoot your car, he/they has a lot of gun time and can paint good or he wouldn't have a job there,
Let him know you are no cheap skate and will take care of him after the job,
"Tipping" is not a city in China

Many times if you strike it up with the manager and workers they will take extra care to do a better than average job on a vette just because.

 

Why not see if the painter does side work that way you can pay him
and then you will be in control of the workmanship.

 

There was a guy who two months ago had a thread on here showing how he got screwed on a 20k paint job. Many people cannot imagine what a 20k paint job is supposed to look like......anything short of perfect is a reasonable guess. Well, he did not get that from the pictures he posted.

Of course for 20k I would be picky as heck....two sides to every story...etc

I went and looked at a 75 Convertible that has a "10k" paint job. The hood was misaligned, the driver door did not close all the way....along with the 10k motor and the Grapefruit size hole in the frame where I usually set my lift pads....I felt bad for the guy.

I met Earl Shibe many years ago in St. Louis when I worked at a Chevrolet dealership. His 19.95 paint jobs were worthy of daily drivers covered in pitted rock dents from driving up and down the highway. You could also squeeze an additional grand for any car when the paint matches front to back and shines.

Same thing for MAACO, if your still in love with your daily driver, you hate seeing the wax build up in the pitted marks from driving behind dump trucks and mini-vans? They serve the purpose.

Every MAACO has the possibility of employing a painter who would Love to work on something meaningful. The bottom line, is make sure before you paint, that both you and the painter envision the same outcome.......

Perfection achieved in a paint job, is finding the 1 out of 4 painters that think they are good, actually are good, and making sure he knows what outcome you wish to achieve. You both should have a long discussion of how you perceive the outcome. Bottom line is if your standards scare him, he will probably turn you down. Bring a friend, have a witness.

Going back 30 years I know I could have asked Earl for a list of who I should go to and who I should not that could paint a car beyond the 19.95 special and not disappoint.. Just cause a guy is working at MAACO does not mean he does not have talent. Everyone starts somewhere......

Good Luck!!!!

Rd

 

I would argue that if you had "a trailer queen" kept in "a garage under a car cover and three layers of padding," that $5000 isn't enough.

 

next time mine needs painted which will be years and years since it was painted in 05 I'll paint it myself.

I plan on painting a jeep soon will be my first, I have access to a booth and all the equipment I just have to buy the paint.

I've painted a fender or too before nothing to it....mine turned out just as good as a guy that had done it all his life.

which is why like I said next time I'm doing my own...then rub her down with 1200 grit..then a bit higher, buff it out and call it a day..

I think I can do just as good as most who are getting 5k for it..most everybody posting on here can just give it a try.

 

Doesnt Macco also do insurance work and or paint newer cars...?
Seems to me if they can match the paint and quality on a 35,000 dollar vehicle, they should be able to paint a 5,000 dollar vehicle , thats preped correctly, to look as good...
or are you saying Macco will only paint old used cars.

 

It's definitely the prep that makes the difference in most "good" quality paint jobs. The really top notch jobs have a TON of hours in the prep getting everything perfectly straight and true...that's where the real cost comes from. once the prep and primer are on, and everything is blocked down, the color and clear are easy(unless your getting wild graphics) most vettes are one solid color, so the painting portion is by far the easiest part of the job. If using a good quality paint I don't see why Macco couldn't get good results on a properly prepped car.

 

I just paid $3000 to repair this:

The original estimate was only $2,000, but then they discovered that the fender had unbonded. So, they work it out with the insurance company for an additioanl $1000. It's amazing because most of it was labor. $160 and hour for "paint labor". I had the entire car painted back in 86 for $3500. I'll have it painted again someday nose to tail, but I will do a lions share of the labor. Maybe I can get a Maaco veteran to spray it. Here in Cali., just having a licensed paint booth is a very good thing.
Bee Jay

 

If you live in SF Bay area look up K&J Autobody in Oakland, they did my 70 Vette for a resonable price and finished the work quickly. K&J does a lot of Street Rod, Custom and muscle car work and their paint jobs regularly take home prizes at Good Guys events.
K&J's Autobody (tell Kenny Eric with the Blue Vette sent you.)
(510) 567-4234
8921 San Leandro St
Oakland, CA 94621 37.7449 -122.1866