How do-able is doing a repaint?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 431
Likes: 15
From: Las Vegas Nevada
How do-able is doing a repaint?
Hey guys; I'm still shopping and the best cars (Solid body without cracks, little rust, new engine/auto trans) in my budget always seem to have paint chipping off and would require new paint.
So my question is; if time isn't much of a restraint and my maximum budget is $2,000, how difficult might it be for me to repaint the car with minimal help (My father has experience, but won't be around extremely often to help)? I don't want show quality, because I want to build the car into being my daily, so I don't really give a crap about the paint being perfect as long as it's glossy and looks nice on the road. So what do you guys think?
So my question is; if time isn't much of a restraint and my maximum budget is $2,000, how difficult might it be for me to repaint the car with minimal help (My father has experience, but won't be around extremely often to help)? I don't want show quality, because I want to build the car into being my daily, so I don't really give a crap about the paint being perfect as long as it's glossy and looks nice on the road. So what do you guys think?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,420
Likes: 15
From: hot 'lanta suburbs Georgia
Do you have an air compressor big enough to paint with and a good paint gun and a booth or garage? I don't think $2k would cover the tools and the supplies to do a paint job.
Most people strip the car down to fiberglass with stripper or razor blades. Tedious and time consuming, but necessary if you don't want problems later.
Search for paint jobs on this forum and check out the paint/body section under general corvette topics.
When the time comes (when I have everything else fixed), I will be painting my car and doing all the work myself. No way am I spending 10 to 20k for a paint job.
Good luck.
Most people strip the car down to fiberglass with stripper or razor blades. Tedious and time consuming, but necessary if you don't want problems later.
Search for paint jobs on this forum and check out the paint/body section under general corvette topics.
When the time comes (when I have everything else fixed), I will be painting my car and doing all the work myself. No way am I spending 10 to 20k for a paint job.
Good luck.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 22
From: Oxford CT
Hey guys; I'm still shopping and the best cars (Solid body without cracks, little rust, new engine/auto trans) in my budget always seem to have paint chipping off and would require new paint.
So my question is; if time isn't much of a restraint and my maximum budget is $2,000, how difficult might it be for me to repaint the car with minimal help (My father has experience, but won't be around extremely often to help)? I don't want show quality, because I want to build the car into being my daily, so I don't really give a crap about the paint being perfect as long as it's glossy and looks nice on the road. So what do you guys think?
So my question is; if time isn't much of a restraint and my maximum budget is $2,000, how difficult might it be for me to repaint the car with minimal help (My father has experience, but won't be around extremely often to help)? I don't want show quality, because I want to build the car into being my daily, so I don't really give a crap about the paint being perfect as long as it's glossy and looks nice on the road. So what do you guys think?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 27
From: Eastern North Carolina
Like others have said, check out the paint and body forum. I started my own paint job just over a year ago and will probably have it completed this October. It is very time consuming and laborous. I am not using the best of everything and when finished I'll be under $2000 dollars for the whole job.
Good Luck Tim
Good Luck Tim
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
yes this has been talked about and talked about and http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ar-myself.html
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 415
From: N J
The answer is yes..if you have the equipment, time, room, and patience. I used all Dupont chemicals and was very happy with the results on 2 Vettes sprayed here at home.
Forget about the not caring if its not perfect. For the amount of hours it takes to actually prep these cars, you don't want to settle for anything less, or have to repair it in the near future. One panel at a time, it's a lot of work but very rewarding. Good luck.
Forget about the not caring if its not perfect. For the amount of hours it takes to actually prep these cars, you don't want to settle for anything less, or have to repair it in the near future. One panel at a time, it's a lot of work but very rewarding. Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,705
Likes: 983
From: Orlando FL
The answer is yes..if you have the equipment, time, room, and patience......
Forget about the not caring if its not perfect. For the amount of hours it takes to actually prep these cars, you don't want to settle for anything less..... it's a lot of work but very rewarding.
Forget about the not caring if its not perfect. For the amount of hours it takes to actually prep these cars, you don't want to settle for anything less..... it's a lot of work but very rewarding.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: San Diego California
Melting Slicks
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From: Bowtie, Pennsyltucky
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 88
From: Easton Pennsylvania
Yeah! What he said.
If you do most if not all the work, It can be done.
Last edited by persuader; Jul 30, 2014 at 02:20 AM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 8
You obviously have never sanded, prepped, high build primed, sprayed a guide coat, block sanded, another high build primer coat, another guide coat, more block sanding, filled, more high build primer, blocked, da sanded, regular primer, taped, and cut. All that before you paint. And have I mentioned the raw cost of decent paint? Not cheap. Primer? Not cheap. Sand paper, tack cloth, tape, paper? Not cheap. Not to mention, painting is a skill and an art in and of itself. I wouldn't pay someone 2000 either cause I'd get my car back looking worse than it did when it went in!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,136
Likes: 62
From: West Kingston RI
You obviously have never sanded, prepped, high build primed, sprayed a guide coat, block sanded, another high build primer coat, another guide coat, more block sanding, filled, more high build primer, blocked, da sanded, regular primer, taped, and cut. All that before you paint. And have I mentioned the raw cost of decent paint? Not cheap. Primer? Not cheap. Sand paper, tack cloth, tape, paper? Not cheap. Not to mention, painting is a skill and an art in and of itself. I wouldn't pay someone 2000 either cause I'd get my car back looking worse than it did when it went in!
Just one gallon of primer, base and clear and the activators for these is going to run me about $1250. Does not count sand paper fiberglass, resin and hundreds of hours in labor. Doing the work myself I see why the pros charge the prices they do, can't afford it but I completely understand.And to the original post yes you can do it if you take your time and have the equipment, some of which you can rent.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
You obviously have never sanded, prepped, high build primed, sprayed a guide coat, block sanded, another high build primer coat, another guide coat, more block sanding, filled, more high build primer, blocked, da sanded, regular primer, taped, and cut. All that before you paint. And have I mentioned the raw cost of decent paint? Not cheap. Primer? Not cheap. Sand paper, tack cloth, tape, paper? Not cheap. Not to mention, painting is a skill and an art in and of itself. I wouldn't pay someone 2000 either cause I'd get my car back looking worse than it did when it went in!
Last edited by Priya; Jul 30, 2014 at 01:04 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Spraying the car is the easy part if you have experience spraying and a proper spray booth. If its your first time you will almost certainly make a mess of it. I do all the prep work and then pay someone with experience to actually hold the gun and spray.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
If the OP wants a wide range of opinions he/she can find it here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ob-prices.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ob-prices.html