ChevyRacer

I had my car painted last year at an elcheapo(maaco) place, the car came out looking great as they all do, but soon afterwards the paint just started to fall apart.

This time I want to do it right. Aside from removing the engine to paint the bay, and the interior metal. I want the out side of the car to shine.

My list of questions.

1. On the metal panels, i.e. doors, fenders, 1/4 panels and hood, I was wondering if I can use that stuff called air craft remover to fully strip the paint, and make it easier to prepare the surface?

2. In order to fully get most cracks I understand removal of all body parts is required. Do I have to remove the door?

3. On the plastic panels (lord knows we only have really 2, the front and rear bumper besides GFX) can I fix chips in the actual plastic with bondo?

My front bumper was hit and the paint kind of spider webbed. And I think all those cracks are going to be a [female dog] to get off. What the quickest/best way to properly strip and paint the plastic panels?

4. When I do go about painting soon, I am to take all weather stripping off. Window, doors, t-tops, trunk seal. Won’t the adhesive from the seals hurt the paint when applying? As far as I know the paint is very sensitive for a month after painting.

5. Who makes good paint, not the most expensive/show quality paint, but a paint you can depend to last for 8+ years with a good wax, and not have to paint again? There is a local shop that the local GM dealerships get their paint from. From what they tell me they make their own paint in house. They don’t use PPG or DuPont paints. Yet everyone recommends them. They quoted me $300 for all the paint that I would need, primer/sealer, base coat (1 gallon) and clear coat (2 gallons), plus something called a thinner or whatever, and a flex agent. Is this a good deal?

6. with clear coats. I am told that people don’t clear coat 17 coats anymore (I guess they used to) what is the standard for clear coats now? I want a shine that will stun most people. MY current paint job had more flakes in it then a glitter cup. What the deal with clear coats?

7. Since I never had a clear coat done, I had to always live with orange peel. What is the proper way to remove this? I understand you sand with 2k grit, but what compounds do you use? Do some last longer then others?

8. When it comes to engine bay painting and what not, how do most of you guys go about it? My cars exterior color is going to be a very shiny silver color. I can’t really see spraying an engine bay down with that for it tob9e useless. Is it, conceivable to paint an engine bay a different color on purpose? Say a more purpose made color, like black or Chevy red? I'm about to undertake a engine swap and while its out I will be steam cleaning and now am pondering the idea of getting the hard to rear/see placer with rattle can paints, that way when I paint later those hard to see areas wont make that much of a difference.

9. Clean underbody, who here has cleaned up and painted their underbody. Kill me for saying this, but its the one aspect I liked, if you remember 2 fast 2 furious those old muscle cars had some very nice underbodies. How do you keep that area so clean?


Thanks, I know I asked a lot of questions but my car, like many here, is an expression of my personality. I want this car to be a 3rd gen stunner.

JeffW

wow

well way to long to answer em all at once for me.....

search project resurection 7 posts total that will answer 90% of them.

clear coats 3 coatrs wet sand and then 2 wet coats if you feel the need for the up to your elbow shine.

600 seems good price on paint but i would rather use a ppg hok dupont for the experiance they have with paint mixing and matching down the road if needed.

not sure about ac stripper on body panels i used a d/a

front and rear bumpers need to be stripped bare do not use regualr body fillers on them and get adhesion promoters. search for stripping front bumpers and you will find the steps. you have to strip it bare since you have spider webs or they will come back on you.

jeff

JB22

I just got quoted 3500 for a color change to Corvette Electron Blue. That is painting all door jambs, not including the engine bay. I have to supply new hood and all weatherstripping though.

StealthElephant

I'm paying 3200$ + cost of a couple parts I provided

That got me basecoat / clearcoat, colorsand/buff. Ground effects and bumpers removed. Door hinges redone to fix sag. A few dings here and there. Radio antenna shaved. Probably about 4000$ total when it's all said and done. I can't imagine anyone doing a "good job" for any less than 3000$...and thats being generous. Then again everyone else has a different definition of good.

ChevyRacer

well and you guys are also paying people todo these things for you.

The only reason body work is so expessive is the labor it takes to actually do the things. oyu pay then like $65 an hour times 5 days prepping the body and removing parts, then painting it with those materials it does come close to $4k.

but time is something i have i can prep the body and remove the panels, even have the car towed to a place to be painted. the only labor i am paying for is the painted spraying the car.


I'm thinking if i prep the car i can save close to $2500 is labor costs...

VILeninDM

Jeff is right, way to long to answer, or even read through the whole thing.

bodywork can also get expensive because of all the equipment you need to have and maintain as well as the building and utility bills. Although labor ain't cheap.

I've decided to take extra 2 years or so and do everything myself. It is really not that much cheaper than paying someone (nor is it more expensive) else but...
1) when it is done. you know it will be good for life of the car. Not the life of the check you write out to the body shop
2) for the second and subsequent car, or do other work, you would already have all the tools (compressor, good spray gun, fresh air system, air filter/drier...) to do it for next to nothing. It is funny how the cost difference in one paint job (shop vs. DYI) can actually pay for all the expensive equipment you would need to get.
3) You get experience which not a lot of people have and that's always nice.
4) What I don't like about shops is that for them time = money and you pay a flat sum up front. That means the faster the job is done, more profit they make. This equation is never going to benefit the customer because sometimes to do things right would take way longer than to make whole bunch of short cuts here and there


ChevyRacer, before you do anything with your car, find a shop that would agree to paint your car if you do all the prep yourself. I know there are shops that would not take a project like that and you wouldn't want to get stuck with half finished car. Reasons I've heard:
1) they make way more profit if they do the prep work because lots more labor and not a lot of material to invest. Without prep it is not profitable for them to even touch your car
2) If you screw up the prep, they paint the car and a month later paint start peeling, they don't want you coming back telling them they did a bad job. So to be sure, some shops like doing prep themselves so they know it is done right.