How much does it usually cost to have a new headliner installed? Also, what am I looking at for replacing the T-Top seals because they leak near the back. What do you think a good paint job is worth, on the whole car? Finally, what would it cost to replace the clutch, with just a stock replacement for now?? I just checked out a car and want to know how much $$ it needs to fix everything up so I don't spend too much. Thanks...

 

Hmmm, I'm just going to guess a little cuase no one has answered your post, but I would say this:

headliner- $100-$150

t-tops- Depends, I think you can get a kit to redo all those seals for around $100

paint job- $1500-2500

clutch- $300 if you dont do it yourself, maybe around $100 if you do it but its a tough job because the transmission has to come out and these cars are low!! Not much fun to work on under there.

 

Paint job- $400 to $600 at Maaco, if you prep the car yourself. That requires using a "cleaner/stripper" on the paint to remove bird crap/tar/road slime/etc, repairing any areas where the paint is damaged, and scuffing the existing "good" paint with 320 grit paper. The 320 grit gives a good bite for the new paint, and when you're done, it should have the appearance of a faded paint job.

I can't wait for everyone to yell at me for saying Maaco, but I did all my own bodywork, and prepped my own car, and the paint came out damn good. I'd never spend that much $$ for a paint job, unless of course I hit the lottery- and still, I'd be leaving the car alone in parking lots with morons swinging doors open, or dragging bookbags, etc...


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards

 

I should add a note that the cleaner/stripper I mentioned is NOT a paint remover. The cleaner/stripper I used was called "Total Prep", by MarHyde, found in Pep Boys & K-mart. You spray it on the area to be worked on (in your case the area where you'll be sanding), then wipe it off with a rag. Wax & grease & tar & bird slime & etc will come off on the rag. Repeat as many times as you want; then you can start sanding.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards

 

You don't want to strip your paint. You want to just prep the current paint to be painted over. New paint adheres better to old, baked on paint then it does to bare metal, even if the metal has been primered properly.

But, I'm of the crowd that hate's Maaco. If you prep the car yourself, a local body shop won't cost much more just to spray it, and the additional costs will be to pay for the better quality materials. My paint job was about a $4500 paint job (including body work). Tom's was a $600 paint job. Is mine better? Yeah. Is the difference in price worth it? To me, yes. To him, no. Obviously there is no need for everybody to have a paint job like mine, but to me it was worth it to have every single visible piece of car painted. That includes inside the doors, inside the hatch, under the hatch, etc. I was extremely **** about the body work too. Of course, I didn't have $4500, but since my father owns a body shop, I sorta got a really good deal . But, even still, buying just the painting materials for my car cost more than Tom's whole paint job.

If you aren't able to do your own body work, plan on $1500-$2000 for quality body work and a quality paint job.

T-top seals will run you about $300 for the seals and the installation charges. Just the seals will be about $150-200 depending on brand. The Sof Seal kit is $300.

The headliner is $350 from www.classicindustries.com, but can be reupholstered for less. I tried doing mine and it sucked. The non t-top ones are cake, but the t-top ones suck.

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The IROC Homepage
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"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

I'm glad you (TomP) had a good experience at Maaco. But, body work/paint is VERY finicky, and you have to be quite meticulous about your work if you want the paint to come out nicely. This especially holds true for Maaco, whose pot-smoking dropout employees couldn't care less about how the paint goes on your car and how it looks afterwards.

P.S. No offense to any Maaco employees here...I have several pot smoking dropout friends that used to work at Maaco, so I know from experience...

 

ha, pot smoking dropouts.

seriouslt tho, i painted my car this summer and found that sanding is the best way to go. like jim85 said, paint adheres better to primer or faded paint. i would reccomend taking a saturday and sanding the paint down with 80 or 100 grit (80 has more scratches but takes less time) and then have them spray it. if you have some more money buy a clear coat. they really make a difference, i know cuz my paint has the clear coat built in and unless it has just been waxed it looks faded. the only hard (and hard meens boring) job is wet sanding, when u use 1200 or 1500 grit sandpaper to finish it off. it makes a world of differnece but takes time. and thats where the paint job costs 4g's and above.

hope this helps. if u want more info try the board for "appereance tips" on this site.

daniel

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86 camaro cpe(dont laugh)has 92z28 body kit with GTS covers and a killer stereo. 2 amps, 8 speakers, disc changer, custom install with subs coming by the end of the summer. sawpped (or in the process of) 305lg4 for brand new 350. TES headers, flowmaster cat back, performer manifold, TCI converter, jet chip, kn with dual snorkel cleaner. and she still passed the sniffer!

"Cal Poly SLO is the shi#"