Almost ready for paint!!!!!!!

I had my 40 ready for the "final bodywork" meaning a little filler, priming, blocking and cleaning. I did all of the fab/rust repair and panel alignment myself. Then I blew it apart and did all the priming and blocking and delivered all the panels and the cab to the shop. I got an awesome paint job for a little over 5k and I know there was about 2 gallons of base at over $400 a gallon, 3 coats of clear, reducers, activators, solvents, tape and paper, abrasives and lots of time, so I'm guessing a little over 3 grand in labor. The guys at the shop told me that If I had delivered the assembled truck to them needing all the stuff I did myself, the project would have been in the 16K area. Do what you can yourself and find a guy who will take it the rest of the way and save bundles on cost without reducing quality.

 

what he says!!!

 

Thanks for all the complements and comments guys. I'm a self employed finish carpenter by trade so I know what it takes to make something nice its just a different medium. I do nice work at a fair price, thats all i expect with my paint. The last guy I talked with was expecting he would have 400 hrs to do the Job. Damn the car is nice, I just dont see that many hrs. I guess I need to learn a little on the paint side. I envy all of you that can do this.

 

Small world! I'm a self employed carpenter too. I was talking to the guy who did the paint on my 40 the other day and he said he was into the project for 130 hours. You got to remember that I delivered the truck to him in pieces all primed and block sanded. So If your painter is going to do all the priming and blocking, I don't think his 400 hour estimate is out of line. As an example, if this guy spends 400 hours on it and gets paid 20 bucks an hour, there's 8K right there and there's no materials in it yet. Unfortunately, this paint stuff is getting out of hand and it's not necessarily the labor either!

 

I work in a full service hot rod shop and we can't do a complete paint job on a car like that for under 10,000 labor and materials if we have to take it apart. Those ready to paint cars usually aren't and we end up doing the final fit before blowing it apart for paint. If you bring a car to us already primed we usually don't guarantee it because we don't know what is under your primer.

 

I agree with the painting it yourself idea.. i was in your position a few months ago.. checking out some shops to do the body and paint on my chevy. I finally decided to do it myself and it turned out great.. a couple little flaws.. but the money i saved and satisfaction i get telling people i did it myself..was WAY worth it. It was a great learning experience too.heres a link if you're interested.. great looking car, good luck!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=706075

 

To thine on self be true. If you're not comfortable doing it, don't. Don't be one of those guys that says, "Yea, I painted it myself. This patch orange peeled, but I'm okay with it." That would be a lie. You wouldn't be okay with it.

It's a nice car. Make the investment and take it to the next level.

 

I paint all my own stuff in my driveway...and it usually comes out better than the local guys charging 6500 and up.

 

People that say 12-22k for a paint job don't really want to paint your car. They say those big numbers to scare you away.Maybe they don't have the talent at the shop. But,, if your going to pay 15k then...hey,it's worth their time. I agree with Fringe 5k-8k for good paint job from ground up. Just remember your reserve the right to kick nit pickers in the balls.

 

Did you ever paint this rig?

 

Life has got in the way. But shes getting ready to be blown apart. Picked a color that I could match powder coat to so in the next few weeks the rear end and quite a few chassis parts are going to the coater.

 

Hey,

Over time, you paint job won't match the powder coat finish You mentioned "Washington Blue'' as a match to the Datsun colour, so why not go with Washington Blue? If you do choose WB, be forwarned* there are two very different shades of that colour, one a redish cast, and one a greenish. Which one you select may best be chosen by looking at a vehicle that was painted lately, I wouldn't go just off a colour chip!

You've had some suggestions 'bout hiring an '' out of work/down on his luck'' painter................ya gotta ask yourself, why's he outa work? This is spring heading into summer, most of the painters I know are busy as a one legged man at an ass kickin' contest! I'd also suggest reading that post 'bout "Body Shop Prison"

Good luck on gettin some colour on that killer '32

 

Not doing the washington blue anymore. Im doing a blue that is a ral color that matches the powder coat almost perfect. If it is a bit off its going to be on the suspention and will not be butted up to any painted parts, plus being under the car there will be enough shadows that a guy will not notice a slight color differents.