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Ask your painter. There's some "blue sky" even in a $4K job. The job will look nicer the farther you take the car apart, but your painter might not be able to prep and paint each piece individually (space in booth) or might have more labor in a piece by piece job than he quoted. Getting work done is much like being married... the more you talk things out, the easier and better things become since you're always on the same page.
I think if you are going to spend 4 thousand dollars and go through this process, you should remove everything you possibly can, including the bumpers.
i went through allot of of trouble to mount my two new fiberglass poly replacement bumpers to my 79. Just to get an idea of the perfect fit after paint. Then removed them so i can paint the mounting lip gap seam what ever you want to call that spot where they mate up together. If your not gonna fill the body line you almost have to remove the bumpers. To ensure the lack of new paint in that seem doesn't cause a bubbling, flaking or separation effect that requires attention later. I could be wrong but that is how i see it
just my opinion not saying anyone who did theirs differently doesn't have a great paint job
This may be obvious but remove door handles, locks, antenna, window trim, interior door panels and window felt, both bumpers, all the lights, gas cap and trim, all emblems, hood, t-tops, weather stripping, front grilles, mirrors.
I am in the middle of a repaint right now. The first pic shows how the car was delivered to body shop after media blasting. Gray primer pic is actually gelcoat. The car had a fair amount of bodywork so the gelcoat made sense. Yellow primer is put on after so when block sanding, imperfections can easily be seen. I didn't remove anything from the doors except the interior panel. Body shop removed doors and ALL hardware/windows/etc and reinstall and adjust properly with new weatherstrip. Door jambs will be painted. He is also going to refinish both sides of the hood. He is going to install the chrome bumpers in the rear and well as the truflex front bumper. That front bumper will be painted basecoat off the car, and then intalled before the clear is sprayed. I basically removed all the "easy" items before he took the car. Emblems, seats, rocker panels, headlights (buckets stayed in place), taill lights assemblies, etc.
$8000.
Hope this helps.
Dale in Badgerland
Just went through this recently and am wrapped up in exterior re-assembly. The parts I remember having removed were:
-side rocker panels/side pipe covers
-gas tank lid
-front/rear bumpers
-corner lamps
-headlight buckets
-hood
-weatherstripping
-t-top chrome trim at edges
-hockeysticks at front bumpers
-tail lamp housings
-rear vents
-door handles/window trim (if you want to get really ****)
-windshield wiper door
...How are you going to paint the rain channels on the inside of the fenders at the sides? Or the edges of the front and side of the hood itself?...
Prop the hood open; same as they did on the assembly line. Doors were also installed when the car was painted on the assembly lne. I can understand where a professioinal painter might prefer they be removed, but can also argue it is extra work (and charges) which may not be absolutely necessary.
I may have done it the hard way, but the hood and doors were on my car when I painted it.