Ouch! ten grand for bodywork & paint

[Varilux]

This was the course I took...
Step one was in my garage- removed the trim, bumpers, windows, interior, gauges, etc.

Step two was at a small shop who agreed to work my car in between their insurance work. They had the body media blasted, removed the dings and some hail damage, repaired a door skin and some other minor rust areas with metal, prepped and painted for $5,200. It took them 4 months, but she came out pretty nice. While they were busy with the body, I used the time to recover the seats, and restore the gauges and such.

Step three was reassembly in my garage (which took about seven 12 hour days).

I'm assuming you are going to use the car as a driver. In that case, figure out what you are willing to put into the project cash-wise and get comfortable with it. I have about $15k total into mine and take her to work several times a week. Yeah, I know a even a superb 6cyl hardtop is only worth maybe $10k to the right buyer, but that's still a LOT less depreciation than I'll have on a new car (and people don't give you smiles, waves, and thumbs up every day in a new car). Plus, you get to enjoy some car shows, and grin every time you take her out! Nope, its not a fastback or some other "investment quality" combination, but then again my 6cyl coupe doesn't have to have "Do Not Touch!" signs plastered all over it at shows! Cars are something to enjoy- not an investment (that's what 401k plans are for).

Just a personal rant, but Mustanging (to me) isn't about $50k cars that have to be pampered and preserved. Its about driving and enjoying an affordable car with awesome attitude (which was the original spirit of the car)! Long live the "average" Mustang!

[Snipe656]

Originally Posted by Varilux

Just a personal rant, but Mustanging (to me) isn't about $50k cars that have to be pampered and preserved. Its about driving and enjoying an affordable car with awesome attitude (which was the original spirit of the car)! Long live the "average" Mustang!

When I was shopping cars I would always say I want something I can take the kids out for ice cream and not be paranoid about them dropping a cone or even where I parked it beyond my normal paranoid parking actions for anything I consider "decent condition". I caught some crap from certain friends and family over the car I bought since it had been a show car years back. But the way I looked at it was that was years back and now it is more or less just a really nice weekend driver that falls into my price range.

[palerider]

Last car including paint $5500. Included new skins on both doors, lower qtr patches, bare metal and PPG epoxy and paint., cut and buff I provided sheet metal. Only downside took him over a year.

[dalorzof]

Just a personal rant, but Mustanging (to me) isn't about $50k cars that have to be pampered and preserved. Its about driving and enjoying an affordable car with awesome attitude (which was the original spirit of the car)!

Can't it be about both?

Restoring a big block or Boss or other Stang to a high level, which ain't a $10k effort, doesn't preclude driving and enjoying them.

Me, I sure love to see a nicely restored Shelby, Boss, or 428 Shaker Mach I, but I guess that's not "Mustanging"...

Room for all types in the hobby.

[mjb1032]

Originally Posted by Varilux

Just a personal rant, but Mustanging (to me) isn't about $50k cars that have to be pampered and preserved. Its about driving and enjoying an affordable car with awesome attitude (which was the original spirit of the car)! Long live the "average" Mustang!

Amen to that...nicely said!

[aslan]

Just to be clear. 1 month after finishing my FB, I drove it up to Bellevue WA Grand National MCA show and back (about 1,800 miles) and still drive it alot. I totally agree that Mustangs are for driving. I drove it for 6 years as a beater then took time off to fix it up.
Stan

[Blues Power]

im getting quotes now for my car to put it back to its original color.
most shops i spoke to that came rec from car buddies wont take the job if I roll it in stripped down. they wnat the whole job and they all agreed to take off what they need is only about 2 hrs for the 70 if that

I dont need any major body work. theyre going to slide some sheet metal arund to line up the gaps. the price i got included stirpping it down to metal, seal it, prime it some spot filler for a ding or 2 or 3 and shoot it basic paint style of the day.
Im not looking for a barret jackson PJ just soemthing thats going to be factory correct and last


Im going to drop ship them them new chrome direct from NPD

prices are around $3500
payments will be done in 4 equal stages

turn around time 3-4 weeks

thay all told me up front that the insurace jobs will take priority and they will get done in what they call fill time. I uderstand that I will have to wait and so long as they do what theyre supposed to I ok with it.

the 3 shops worked my buddies cars the same way and none went overtime with either of them

[datac]

Asking how much a paint job should cost is like asking how much a car should cost. Without talking about what you're getting for the money, any comparison is ridiculous.

$2500 can be a ripoff, and $15k can be a smokin' deal. Is your criteria for a paint job that the entire car end up basically the same color, or is your criteria that the reflections of the fluorescent lights in your shop be perfectly straight?

I've painted a few cars myself, farmed out a few, some cheap, some (the last one) not. Unless it was for a quick flip, I've never looked back and thought, gee, I wish I'd got a cheaper paint job, but there's been plenty of times I'd wished I'd spent a little more.

Looking for a bargain is a sure way to either an education or gaining skills in expectation management.

[22GT]

Originally Posted by datac

When you look at a $3500 job, $7500 job, and a $10k job, you don't have to ask which is which. With exceedingly few exceptions you get exactly what you pay for. The question shouldn't be how much does it cost, but how much does it cost to get a job that you're happy with? After five years of looking at a wavy panel or hiccups in the paint, is the fact that you saved some money going to be enough comfort to make you feel good about it?

Very, very true.

[Crash]

Having gone through this myself fairly recently (3 years ago), I can offer some insight.

I interviewed a number of shops, too, ranging from one-man operations to full-size, full-service restoration shops. I have found that as a rule, you don't want to take your car to the typical collision shop. You may never get it done and it will be quite frustrating.

There's a restoration (only) shop nearby who does absolutely top notch work, but they quoted me $10k "to start" if I bring in a mostly ready shell (no disassembly or assembly required). I took that estimate to really mean "closer to $20k", so I passed.

A coupla the other shops didn't convince me they would take the interest in my project I wanted them to, so I passed. I ended up going with a Chevy dealership's body shop. That's right. They willingly take on restoration work. They think it's good business. They don't make much off them, but it does fill in down time and provides good PR. They promised to schedule my job in and out just like any other car, but they might have to get off it now and again for "emergencies". They took great interest in my car and did a great job. The tab was $7k, and it looks better than most jobs costing $10k or more. Again, I had done most of the body work and all of the disassembly. They just had to do the finish "slicking" and shoot the color. I put countless hours into the body work myself. So, if you add anything for my labor, electricity (air conditioned garage, compressor, etc.), I'm WAY over $10k.

It's not quite as nice as the $20k job I could have gotten at the resto shop, but damn few would be able to point out the differences. For my driver/show car, it's great.

They only charged me $40/hr for shop labor since it was "fill" work. The resto shop was going to be more than double that.

Having seen mine, a friend (who's not at all automotively inclined) took his '67 Galaxie, with some kind of dent on every stinking panel, in to the same shop - fully assembled. For him, they did a complete color change including needed disassembly and reassembly, for a little over $12k. His was very nice. The car was way straighter than Ford ever put out, but the paint job wasn't quite the quality I got. But, he neither needed nor wanted the quality I got, and he was delighted.

Point is, $10k is a very good price for a truly good paint job. You can get a good one for less if you do ALL of the body work, disassembly, and reassembly. If you just drive it in and say, "Let me know when it's done.", It will cost you much more, and probably won't come out as well.

I believe that you repaint these cars not because of what you can get for them, but because of what you want them to be. You have to decide it's worth it to drive a really nice one versus a "cheap" one.

[Mtrain]

Originally Posted by Coach66

Too high. Im currently having a 68 Cougar done. Quarters, trunk, rocker panels, door corners, roof in spots under the vinyl top, hood and deck lips, all shot needing replace or repair. Many of the parts I need are not repopped like Mustang, so shop is fabbing them up. Once finished, new headliner, new vinyl top(I purchased), and back to factory Artic White. All in:$5,000.

Now is the car already finished, or is it supposed to be finished for that price? If it isn't finished yet, I would bet that price is going to be higher when you go to pick it up.

I have just finished for the day finishing up some body work, and let me tell you it is VERY labor intensive. I really hate it, but its a means to an end.

If I didn't already know how to paint, I would say 10k is about right. Like others have said, I wouldn't put that kind of money in a coupe.

If you don't care too much about a run here, and there, or one or two suicidal bugs trapped in the clear coat, and a couple of spots of over spray, then you might can get it painted for around 5k.

Also, and this is from years of experience, white is the easiest color to paint.

[Stevea]

If people are getting cars done for as low as some have talked about on here, then the guy is working for close to nothing. There is no way I would put quarters and floors in, do the bodywork and paint the car for 7K.

[imBOSSter]

Originally Posted by palerider

Last car including paint $5500. Included new skins on both doors, lower qtr patches, bare metal and PPG epoxy and paint., cut and buff I provided sheet metal. Only downside took him over a year.

Paint Shop Prison. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

Looks like it turned out nice though!

[ToneMT]

I disassembled to unibody, dragged out to a friends field and media blasted it myself, started the metal work and replaced: both front frame rails, radiator support, radiator cross member, battery apron, both cowl vents, both front floor pans, passenger toe board, outer driver firewall, both seat belt anchors, rear seat supports, both rear side braces, both ends of rocker panels, both rear wheel wells, and both lower rear quarter panels - did some of the welding myself - the tough stuff I paid a body shop guy to come by and do it. Replaced the entire suspension - including coils and leafs, new fuel, brake lines, new front and rear tranny seals, new engine mounts, power steering pulley, carb rebuild, rebuilt/restored the heater core, new vert boot top, new sound system (retro radio and speakers), restored rear end and drive train, bought new welder and compressor (rewired garage), any poor chrome replaced, new dash pad, new inner outer bumpers, all assorted "little things" need to but the old girl back together again in style (it master body kits and such) & bought all supplies (including paint).......

The body work is to be completed by this thurs (2 coats epoxy primer, 3 coats primer build - 3 wet hand sands, then sealed + all panels aligned) so ready for paint (PPG which I already bought)...

heres a shot right after the first primer build



Labor cost that I farmed out: 6800
New equipment and supplies: 5700

total to date w/o car being shot is 12,500... all work done in last 3 months...

Since all body work is done - local shops to shoot and cut (base coat, rally strips, 2 toned flattened interior and 6 coats clear) are asking from 1000 to 2500

I will reassemble myself....

So for 10K for just to shoot and fix a few small stuff - without any upgraded equipment? you might be able to find a better deal.....I dunno - but Im probably right at average for the pseudo DIY...

Best of luck....

tone

[Stevea]

We usually complain about shops screwing people over, but I know people who are not happy unless they are putting it to the shop. They will argue about cost and make the guy feel bad. They will know that the guy is doing the work for far less than he should be, but they brag about what a great deal they are getting.

It goes both ways.