Customs Need custom painter referral(s)

Hey all, I have a drag car (72 Camaro, 496/871 blower) that needs the custom paint redone. It was painted this summer but botched really bad. I have to redo it now after the $15,000 paint job turned out to be awful. Looking for custom airbrush work and full rework of the art that should have been on the car. It came back with just stenciled decals and not airbrushed, crooked, etc. I need the whole car redone now.

Any suggestions or referrals? The theme of the car is WWII B-17 (dedicated to the owners father's B17 group, the 351st BG(H) in England during 42-45).

 

A location would probably help narrow things down a bit.

 

Sorry. I am in Seattle area. But I am not opposed to sending the car out of state for the right job/painter. The car got messed up really bad this last go'round so I really want it done right this time.

 

Do you have any pictures of what the car looks like now, and what you would like it to look like?

 

Yea pics will help to keep the thread from getting shut down.

 

I have photos and so forth yes.
Why would the thread be shut down? Am I missing something? Did I do something wrong with the thread?

 

Your car is two new for the board. our focus is traditional rods and customs. With a tentative cutoff date of '64 or 5.

You can read here is you are confused:

http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-h-a-m-b-rules-guidelines.44274/

Anyway your question/inquiry is not off topic but the car in question would be.

 

OK, sorry about that. I figured that if anyone knew some awesome painters to recommend that many folks here would know due to some of the great cars and builds. That was my intent anyway. Many other places don't have the same participation and credibility as here.

But for photos and such, yes I have a website just for potential painters/artists to view the car and what's wrong with it (rather than repetitive posts of random photos). http://ruinedcarpaint.com

Before someone nukes my thread maybe I can get a few good referrals?

 

You're ding fine, you didn't post pics and painters in a specific region is a good thing for everyone to know.

In general if I am looking for a spiffy paint job I usually go find a Mexican. The Latino district is always a good place to look for some one who can squirt paint and handle an air brush. But that is just me I think.

 

I hear that. My previous race car was done by a young Mexican-American. It was a superb job and excellent skills. He was originally my first choice because he did such a fine job before. Unfortunately he no longer does airbrush work (got into collision repair because the money was better he said).

 

I know one guy really good out of Atlanta Mike from Uptown Grafx www.uptowngrafx.com he is probably one of the best as far as detail with airbrushing, and I am real good friends with Ron "Flea" Fleanor he actually is over a lot of r and d for HOK and Matrix FX and he could probably let me know some high end guys in your area or he might would fly up to your area. Let me know if you are interested and I will give you some phone numbers.

 

Yes I'm interested. Any contact info or referrals you can PM would be much appreciated.

 

That's an amateur paint job....It's barely above brush paint.....Feel for you....Good luck in court....

 

While I agree that there are problems with the job, your level of expectation may greatly exceed your $15,000 price tag. You seem to be expecting an absolutely flawless paint job...( I'm not sure that has ever been done) Hope your pockets are deep enough to get what you want...Good Luck

 

Thanks Irish Mike. I agree as does everyone that has seen the car. I do have some awesome offers in the que from some very talented people.

Abomb, as for expecting flawless, no. Maybe you only viewed the tip of the iceberg. Take a closer look. No one I know would be happy with that work even at half the price.

What do I expect? Stick to a written agreement? Yes. Not throw on decals when it is supposed to be airbrushed (illustrated), yeah. Have the car put back together when done and not plastered in overspray? Yup. Not clearcoat an entire car before the customer sees or approves what was put on the car? And more. Those things are not exclusive to super deep pocket paint jobs. Those are basic expectations. And a $15K paint job (or even less) will most always includes those basic expectations. Every professional upper end painter and illustrator I have talked with agrees that those are pretty basic expectations and the job is inferior. Hard to believe anyone could look at this and not consider it terrible.

 

Newstalgia is a shop in fort collins co. Killer flake, kandy, pattern and such work. Give Adam a call, tell him I sent you. Great guy and work, cant say anything for pricining or time frame, but hes knocking it out around here

 

I'm not a professional airbrusher, but I have done it. I consider some of your expectations unrealistic. An awful lot of your requested art work cannot be done without stencil work, and you seem to be wanting all free hand work. I agree with you that the overspray, blowouts and the like are unacceptable, And, no, I wouldn't be thrilled with the outcome either...but these days, a full repaint/reassemble without any artwork at all can be 15K. I'm not sure of the services offered at Killer paint, but I would most likely have the car painted, and a midcoat put on it at a professional bodyshop, then have the artist do the art work, to my approval, and return it to the bodyshop for final clear / buffing / reassembly. Not all artist are bodymen and vice versa...

 

For a killer paint job go to 'Tuki', Travis Hess. He is in Martinsburg WVa. Lots of his work showcased here on the HAMB, a current one is that 55-56 chevie gasser from Texas? Its a current thread with lots of views.

 

The issue isn't all about freehand VS stencil. I never stated I wanted it all freehand. But I never expected to pay for just decals. Nor for it being dumped onto the car without discussion prior (per the written contract that required that). Plus, to place things on the car without approval of the owner, then to go even further and clearcoat the whole car prior to the customer seeing it, well, no professional paint shop I spoke to would do that. To agree to a contract then disregard it entirely is not being reputable or even honest.
When a place gives a quote and agrees to a written contract that is what I expect (what is in writing and to the price quoted).

OJ, thanks I will take a look!

 

Ouch.

I'm far from an expert in high end custom paint, but two big red warning signs stand out in your description (maybe three).

1. The deal changed when you delivered the car. So he quoted a job on a car he had never seen? Maybe for an Earl Schieb paint job a shop can do that, but for a very particular customer wanting custom high end paint? No way.

2. Cash only, no receipts? As you noted, that smacks of somebody doing something dishonest. If a guy will cheat one way, he'll cheat in others.

Either of those is enough for me to say "run away from this deal". Both? Do not walk, run from this.

3. You paid for this work up front? It sounds like it. I'll put up earnest money / deposit, but no way I'm paying for the whole thing up front. That's another deal killer in my mind. I can work with a pay schedule, major phase approval arrangement, that's reasonable too on a big job. But not up front. Too many things go wrong when money changes hands before the work is done.

It sounds like you've now met a bunch of local artists and painters. Can they not take on the job of redoing this mess?

Good luck.

 

Knowing who that guy is, I'm confused. That's unbelievable really. My expectations would meet his reputation. I can't say that it did. Makes me want to change the TV channel on him ... next time I see him.

I've happily pushed 3 clean/disassembled cars thru Maaco paint booths ... with results that I am still happy with (long board, wet sand, and buff on me of course). The job you got, for that kind of scratch .... wow. Devastating.

Your dad of course ... rules by the way. Your next private moment, tell him thanks from the red, white, and blue. God speed ... and good luck.

 

David,

It went a little differently but no one wants to read a novel on how this all transpired. And yes, in hindsight I would have pulled the car. But we have all had 20-20 hindsight before.

Yes, he quoted on a car he had never seen. He said he was experienced enough to go off photos and also said if he was wrong he would eat the loss. Yeah, talk is cheap right?

As for cash only, that was brought up and I declined that offer and insisted on above board. I paid by check(s) and got a receipt(s) for the 15K.

I paid a deposit upfront (5k) not the full amount. I paid for the balance so I could get my property out of his shop and is what my attorney advised to do. I also wasn't going to leave a $90,000 car (that's about what I have invested in the car already) in his shop by not paying the bill. He wanted to hold the car hostage. It went south and I wanted my property out of there before it got further damage.

So that's the short version of what happened.

I have met several local illustrators and airbrush artists yes. They all have a little different style (but they all agree what is on there now is terrible and unprofessional). I am not rushing into the fix because I have already lost the 2015 season now. So I have until next spring to decide and get it all fixed. I have gotten some great referrals here via PM and it has been very helpful.

 

Thank you very much. I appreciate the thought.

 

pro painter V. artist with air brush in hand ...
i for one am NOT an artist... so that leaves me to work WITH those people who
have that talent ... thats probably why it got stickers...(stenciled decals )
glad you got your property out...
if it was me helping you ya wouldn't like the/MY- S L O W N E S S and the approval needed
from you to complete the job... i'm analretentive idiot savant addd OCD and oh so much more
hope you get this worked out...


And have A GOOD THANKS GIVING...

 

Yeah, I know hindsight is always great. Doesn't help at the time though. Just things to keep in mind. The cheapest lessons I've ever learned were from seeing somebody else's mistakes.

 

PM sent

 

Danny Taylor (taylorautomotiveart.com)Ky.
Counts Customs(Las Vegas, Nv.) you probably seen them on tv
Scott Sullivan (Cheezwiz on here) in Ohio.

 

You sound REALLY picky .. I do agree with you on some of the screw ups, but just to state obvious WW2 planes were hand painted some stencil work but inevitably was all done with a paint brush

If you wanted it really legit someone should have body worked the car and painted the base, an airbrush artist do all the fake rivits , bullet holes and what not with the car assembled ....and a sign painter do the nose art

 

It is not picky at all when you have a contract with the painter and then end up with things like 37 crumby and fake looking bullet holes that were never wanted, approved, or part of the job. So please don't be mistaken that somehow the bulletholes were my idea or supposed to be part of the design. They were not.

Crooked and spattered overspray, sagging clearcoat all over everything and almost dripping. Orange peeled paint. Things painted over while still assembled. Then the car is cleared without items stated in the contract and a bunch of crap not even supposed to be on the car. Or the overspray so bad the windows were opaque and locks jammed. I could go on but won't. It's all there in photos.

xhotrodder, thanks for those, appreciate the info. I will check those out.

 

$15,000 for a fully body worked and custom painted car sight unseen and " I will ea any differences" should have set off alarm bells right from the start but I guess that's in the past. Best of luck getting it redone hope it turns out better. And just an FYI I see you are freaking out about the fact that the paint was bought from NAPA they are one of the biggest automotive paint distributors in North America and the products they carry are just as good as any other paint jobber out there.