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Varies widely depending on several factors. Same color or different color? Metallic paint or solid color? Decent job or top-of-the-line? A good shop in these parts, same color, solid paint would probably be $5-6K. A great shop, same color, several coats of clear with color sand and high end polish would be more like $8-9K. With COVID I think ballpark figures are not valid since many shops are short-staffed at the moment....
Varies widely depending on several factors. Same color or different color? Metallic paint or solid color? Decent job or top-of-the-line? A good shop in these parts, same color, solid paint would probably be $5-6K. A great shop, same color, several coats of clear with color sand and high end polish would be more like $8-9K. With COVID I think ballpark figures are not valid since many shops are short-staffed at the moment....
thanks for the response. So my 7k quote is not out of line
Not in my opinion no. But that would represent a good quality job IMO. Sharp paint separation line on the back edge of the hood near the windshield wipers. Color sand and high polish. No overspray on the bottom of the car, suspension, etc.... A good shop will remove the hood, front and rear bumpers, and paint those separately. Take a look at some other jobs in progress at the shop and see what you think.
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist- Modified
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C7 of the Year Winner -- Modified
2020 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
It also depends if your car can just be sanded and repainted or does it need to be striped.
If you are good with your hands and a sanding block, you could prep the car by removing the trim your self and wet sanding the car and have a paint shop paint it for you for about $2500.00 also and you put it back together
My wifes car we painted it in my buddies garage almost 20 years ago, the clearcoat was peeling on the roof and the original paint was faded to a pink. all we did was sand the car smooth and primed where we had to sand down to the primer, painted it then cut and buffed. we did not do the door jams
Why? The C4 was painted at Bowling Green with the hood and doors fully installed and adjusted for final fit. The body was then masked and blackout was applied to the under side of the hood, firewall, frame rails, and portions of the doors. If my C4's hood fit well, I wouldn't want it to be removed for paint. The hood is big, heavy and awkward to handle. The risk of damaging the brand new paint just getting it back on the car is high. If I were the manager or proprietor of a "good shop", I'd recognize this risk and leave the hood on the car for paint.
I get what you're saying. The hood has paint separation lines under the back hood lip, wheel wells, and headlight pods that are really difficult to mask well and get a clean job around to the black areas. You're right, in the factory they have total access. But it's up to the shop to figure out what they are comfortable with and work whatever way they see is best for them.
My main point is; don't let them just skim over the job and make sure they do a thorough job of it. $7K is a lot of jack.
I asked a friend for a SWAG on mine. He's s long-time Corvette guy but not on the forum, and is retired from a career running his own body/collision shop. He was not keen on trying to paint over what's there, suggested stripping it all the way down would be much better. He ballparked $10k. This was not HIS price, he's no longer doing work except on his own stuff. But around here, he said that's a number for planning.
It's going to be stripped. I have seen a lot of his work and it's beautiful. He owns a large shop but he himself does all the older cars and restorations. HIs work is beautiful. A lot of the collectors in Northeast Ohio take their cars to him for painting. Picked up weather stripping from a great place in Linesville, PA
Don't know if this forum is the place for recommendations but : Bair's - Home (bairscorvettes.com) Classic Car Restoration | Classic Car Repair (440.428.6259) (franksautobody.org)
I got a quote for at least 9k for mine. But he also doesn't really want deal with fiberglass. (Sorry sheet moulded glass fiber reinforced composite...) I've had him do a couple other projects and the work is well worth the price... just not on a car I paid 6 grand for. If you have a true attachment to the vehicle and can't part with it go for it... but having it be five figures for a top quality job isn't out of the question...
Why? The C4 was painted at Bowling Green with the hood and doors fully installed and adjusted for final fit. The body was then masked and blackout was applied to the under side of the hood, firewall, frame rails, and portions of the doors. That's why the door strikers have body-color on their bases and washers, the door latches show signs of masking, and over time, chips and nicks in the underhood areas of the frame and firewall show body color under the blackout.
If my C4's hood fit well, I wouldn't want it to be removed for paint. The hood is big, heavy and awkward to handle. The risk of damaging the brand new paint just getting it back on the car is high. If I were the manager or proprietor of a "good shop", I'd recognize this risk and leave the hood on the car for paint.
Can't forget the overspray on the underside of the floor. The only relay to remove the hood would be to paint the underside,reinstall it for paint.
How much do you plan on driving it. Then ask yourself how good is good enough. As soon as it hits the road your subject to road hazards, rock chips, weather and other drivers. Spend 8 to 10 thousand and youll be so worried its gonna get messed up you might start not wanting to take it out. Good friend of mine had a killer paint job done on a resto and he wound up selling it cause he couldnt stand to let people around it.
Not in my opinion no. But that would represent a good quality job IMO. Sharp paint separation line on the back edge of the hood near the windshield wipers. Color sand and high polish. No overspray on the bottom of the car, suspension, etc.... A good shop will remove the hood, front and rear bumpers, and paint those separately. Take a look at some other jobs in progress at the shop and see what you think.
I have had two quotes on repainting a 87 C4, Bright Red. "Red paint is expensive. $10-12k'.
Next bid: I don't think you need to strip the paint $4000-4500".
Some crazing, one fuel (?) spot near gas cap ...there when I bought the used car, a few scratches, not deep.
So do I need to ask for the paint to be stripped to get a great full repaint?
FWIW, I've painted both my '87 and my '90. They both had bad clearcoat fading and the '90 had a lot of pock marks from being left outside where water got into the SMC and froze. On both I sanded into the base coat, or close to it. You really don't want to completely strip an SMC car. Then I shot a good sandable epoxy primer/sealer, wet sanded down to 400, repriming as necessary, then base and top coat. All PPG products. One has withstood 8 years and the other 5 with no paint issues at all. If it was me, I'd run from the guy that wants to completely strip it.
Most shops don't really want to do resprays, and price them to chase you away. They make their money on quick and dirty insurance work. I'd find a local club or go to shows and ask who's done their work.
Many guys make the mistake of wanting a "deal" and saying "take your time"
-Get money ahead and work behind...change orders arent put in writing etc. DId that one and paid for it...ugh
Those are the cars that are half taken apart and covered in dust for 2 yrs.
Bairs has a good rep with the corvette crowd. You get what you pay for with paint.
Dont let what you paid for the car stop you from getting the paint job you really want. It is
SO worth it every time you look at it. If its a beater you dont care much about well maybe that 3500
job is up your alley. Cars like a corvette just dont look right with a real orange peely job on them.
thanks for the response. So my 7k quote is not out of line
I'm having my 85 painted this winter, by my neighbour, who is a line bodyman at Chrysler and routinely works on Corvettes and other classic cars at his home. He quoted me $7000 for repaint with 2022 GM Trucks Dynamic Blue Metallic. But I'm in Canada, where our dollar is worth 75 cents US. So, your $7000 quote looks very good to me!
