Maaco paint shops
Racer
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 328
Likes: 2
From: Mesa AZ
Prepping yourself can take a lot of time and devotion however 90% of a paint job is how well you prep it. It means sanding down the whole car and removing any chrome or other things you don't want painted. It's the sanding and using the proper grit that makes a difference. You will use probably 2-3 different grits, starting from a rough grit to a fine one in the end. Have someone who has done some paint work show you HOW to sand because you don't sand in just one direction. You do it in an X pattern with all the different grits. Take your time, don't hurry because what you may think is a small blemish in sanding will turn out 10x more noticeable when you are done with the paint. Good luck!
Tommy
Tommy
Racer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 321
Likes: 1
From: Princeton New Jersey
Since you are going back to original color, I would leave the bumper (minus tail lamps), mirrors, headlamps and possibly the molding on the car. They'll want extra (a lot) and you can have trouble reinstalling. If you are putting on new window weather strips take the old ones off (the ones you rest your arms on). As soon as you get the car home go over it with a rag and lacquer thinner (very carefully) to remove overspray before it really sets up, usually a week.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
Racer
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 325
Likes: 8
From: Princeton Jct. New Jersey
[QUOTE=SnAkeDr;1587414225]I got a question for you guys. Should I put in my new interior first or get it painted with it out of the car? I'm going to have it painted the exact OEM color on a Admiiral Blue 1994 LT1
I'd wait on the interior resto. Even if they do a good job masking and sealing the fine dust will find a way in. BTW, since I see you're in the area, I had my '84 done at Coleman Buick/Cadilac body shop down at Quakerbridge and they did a pretty decent job for ~5.3k$. Doors, Hood, front & rear bumpers, door panels, and mirrors came off. I supplied new weather stripping, mirrors, door handles, a new hood, new power antenna, and replacement tail light bulbs all of which they installed. The original paint was in terrible shape with clear coat peeling and oxidation and the original hood had some significant damage. They had to remove all of it including paint down to the jell coat, re-prime, sand, wet sand, etc. It took them several months (they get in a lot of insurance work) but it came out looking pretty good and they give a full warrantee on the work they do. The estimate I got from Maaco down in Trenton was 5k$.
I'd wait on the interior resto. Even if they do a good job masking and sealing the fine dust will find a way in. BTW, since I see you're in the area, I had my '84 done at Coleman Buick/Cadilac body shop down at Quakerbridge and they did a pretty decent job for ~5.3k$. Doors, Hood, front & rear bumpers, door panels, and mirrors came off. I supplied new weather stripping, mirrors, door handles, a new hood, new power antenna, and replacement tail light bulbs all of which they installed. The original paint was in terrible shape with clear coat peeling and oxidation and the original hood had some significant damage. They had to remove all of it including paint down to the jell coat, re-prime, sand, wet sand, etc. It took them several months (they get in a lot of insurance work) but it came out looking pretty good and they give a full warrantee on the work they do. The estimate I got from Maaco down in Trenton was 5k$.
Last edited by fredd1; Jul 22, 2014 at 01:34 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 28
From: San Dimas Ca.
Stay with the original color so they don't have to paint the jambs etc. Do as much prep as you can and mask or remove as much as you can. The guys who spray do it all day and should be pretty good painters. With a little work it could turn out pretty good.
Rick
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,822
Likes: 1,728
From: Summerville SC
My Maaco paint on the Z was their SIGNATURE service ( can't remember what it was except there was clear coat put down on top of the color) and it ran, including their VALUE PREP $1,000. This was also a color change from white, but I didn't have them do the door jams etc. I pulled the lights off etc, and when I picked up the car, only found noe run, no big deal for what I paid, and I had to clean the black undercoating off the chrome exhaust tips. I was and am very saticfied. Good luck
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
I had them repaint my top half of the rear bumper almost a year ago. The clear coat had faded badly on top and looked bad at the car shows. All the "good" shops said they would have to repaint the entire car at a price of $9-12,000. I finally decided to try Maaco just to see how it would turn out. Total cost, $360 and the results were great. Here is a thread on ACE that has pics and some discussion:
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
Pro
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 529
Likes: 57
From: Fort Myers FL
St. Jude Donor '14 thru '20, '23 thru '26
I spent the afternoon with the distributor in MN and that was one of the key things they nailed home - good maintenance is crucial. I finally decided to try Maaco just to see how it would turn out. Total cost, $360 and the results were great. Here is a thread on ACE that has pics and some discussion:
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
SATAs are great pieces of equipment. The RPS cups are a time saver, but I've found whatever time I've saved was spent on cleaning and lubing the gun at the end of the job.
I spent the afternoon with the distributor in MN and that was one of the key things they nailed home - good maintenance is crucial. Looks great! How has it been holding up?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 321
Likes: 1
From: Princeton New Jersey
I had them repaint my top half of the rear bumper almost a year ago. The clear coat had faded badly on top and looked bad at the car shows. All the "good" shops said they would have to repaint the entire car at a price of $9-12,000. I finally decided to try Maaco just to see how it would turn out. Total cost, $360 and the results were great. Here is a thread on ACE that has pics and some discussion:
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
http://www.arizonacorvetteenthusiast...rk-on-c4orce2/
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 196
Likes: 4
From: Keego Harbor MI
If you are going to go through the trouble to do all the prep, and buy the paint, you could prob have any local shop shoot it.
If you don't mind a wafer thin paint job with fish eyes, you will be fine, just don't even think about wet sanding and rubbing it out, you will burn right through the one coat they spray on. Good luck.
If you don't mind a wafer thin paint job with fish eyes, you will be fine, just don't even think about wet sanding and rubbing it out, you will burn right through the one coat they spray on. Good luck.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 700
Likes: 2
From: Spring Hill Florida
Great!
I got quotes all over the place from $6/k to $4/k. Didn't want to put that much into an "old" car. I've had my '86 since it was new but it was retired from the show circuit so opted to try Maaco. The manager was an old Vette nut and told me that he would oversee the job personally. When I picked it up on a Monday morning I couldn't believe my eyes. My old "yellow" looked brand new. They backed it out into the sun and I looked but couldn't find any flaws. After I got it home my wife said why don't you clean up the engine and lets take it to a local show on Saturday? Got second place!!! Did not do any prep only took off the emblems. Price $800!!! It's been 3 years and still looks good.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 7
Not all MACOO sux. The one in my area is owned by a guy who is a real car guy with some very nice cars and can give you a great job for a little more and he can spray with the best of them. You do only get what you pay for but to say that they "sux" that's not very 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
Racer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 321
Likes: 1
From: Princeton New Jersey
Really don't have the time to prep the car myself. Don't mind spending the extra couple of bucks to get the results I want. I'm going to drive the car to work tomorrow and stop by at least one or two shops.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 60
From: ft myers FL/Munising MI
just got an estimate for my 85....only one little crack to repair, but the paint is "checkered"...still shiney, but you can see all the little lines...paint guy says lots of prep to give it a "show car" paint job....which I requested....he had quite a few snappy cars around he did, so I believe he will do a bang up jog...price...4300 bucks......had another estimate from an old guy who only paints corvettes for 3500...apparently knows what he's doing but he was living in the storage unit he was working out of...too much "good ol boy" environment for me....going with the higher bid.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
just got an estimate for my 85....only one little crack to repair, but the paint is "checkered"...still shiney, but you can see all the little lines...paint guy says lots of prep to give it a "show car" paint job....which I requested....he had quite a few snappy cars around he did, so I believe he will do a bang up jog...price...4300 bucks......had another estimate from an old guy who only paints corvettes for 3500...apparently knows what he's doing but he was living in the storage unit he was working out of...too much "good ol boy" environment for me....going with the higher bid.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 178
Likes: 3
From: Pensacola FL
A cheap paint job can be made a really good paint job by wet sanding and buffing! Wet sand the car, 3M compound and a good buffer with a wool pad on it will bring it back slick as a baby's butt. Follow with a good quality wax. If the car is Black, you will play hell getting the swirl marks out, but there is stuff to use to do so. Go talk to a paint supply store and they will help you .