Respray questions

[Dazaa]

At some point i'll need to get my c3 painted and was wondering if anyone could give a rough estimate on how much a good paint job will cost? I could probably strip most of the paint off myself but a lot of the panels have been skimmed with filler which is cracking so will need sanding right down. Any good bodyshops near London?

 

[Redlevel]

£10k..
Most bodyshops will want to do the prep themselves to guarantee a good finish as there reputation is at stake.
However, if you can prep the car yourself, I'm sure you will find someone who can spray it for mates rates.
Took me two months of blocking with 600 and filling to get it primer ready. A rattle can of matt black helps to show up the low areas. A mate primered it then it was more blocking with 800, then 1000grit wet and dry before I thought it was paint ready, it wasnt!
My mate took over and finished it in three coats of VW Tornado red and three of lacquer. In places its a bit orange peely due to air drying and need colour sanding but maybe I'll do it later with a buffer.
Cost me £50 plus £500 for my mate to finish it.

 

[Dazaa]

£10k..
Most bodyshops will want to do the prep themselves to guarantee a good finish as there reputation is at stake.
However, if you can prep the car yourself, I'm sure you will find someone who can spray it for mates rates.
Took me two months of blocking with 600 and filling to get it primer ready. A rattle can of matt black helps to show up the low areas. A mate primered it then it was more blocking with 800, then 1000grit wet and dry before I thought it was paint ready, it wasnt!
My mate took over and finished it in three coats of VW Tornado red and three of lacquer. In places its a bit orange peely due to air drying and need colour sanding but maybe I'll do it later with a buffer.
Cost me £50 plus £500 for my mate to finish it. View attachment 5546View attachment 5547View attachment 5548

Bloody hell, 10k is more than I paid for my entire car + shipping! Since i'm going to be using it as a daily driver an expensive paint job makes no sense, i'd be very happy if I could end up looking half as good as yours. Are those BBS RS wheels? How wide are they and what size tires are you running? Having trouble souring 255/55/16 rears for mine

 

[johng]

Dazaa, I've certainly heard of paint jobs costing £10k but that's well out of my budget too. A friend of a friend has quoted me £3k but he can't fit me in until June or July (and that plan was before the lockdown). Depending on how soon you want your car done, I can let you know how mine turns out. I was talking to a guy at the Essex area meeting last year who was having his car painted at a place in Grays. I'm pretty sure that was around the £3k mark as well, but I haven't seen him since to find out if he was pleased with it.

 

[Daytona Vette]

Bloody hell, 10k is more than I paid for my entire car + shipping! Since i'm going to be using it as a daily driver an expensive paint job makes no sense, i'd be very happy if I could end up looking half as good as yours. Are those BBS RS wheels? How wide are they and what size tires are you running? Having trouble souring 255/55/16 rears for mine

10 K is a little on the high side for a chrome bumper C3 (nose and tail do not have to be detached to finish it correctly) depending on the prep work involved of course.
16" can be difficult with the wider tyre you will probably find a 50 profile in the 255 x 16 Toyo or Michelin, or you can get an Avon tyre in a 60 profile
Work out the rolling road / height differences of the alternative tyres.
Try Buy cheap tyres online @ mytyres.co.uk - tyre dealer for affordable car tyres

 

[Corvetteville]

At some point i'll need to get my c3 painted and was wondering if anyone could give a rough estimate on how much a good paint job will cost? I could probably strip most of the paint off myself but a lot of the panels have been skimmed with filler which is cracking so will need sanding right down. Any good bodyshops near London?

What about a wrap? I've seems some amazing ones. An Audi R8 in chrome & a Smart with a billowing union jack over it. Looked incredible, even showed a bit of the cars " original " colour underneath

 

[Corythecorvette]

I decided to prep and spray my own vette. Lots of time pre primer to go in but if you have the space its quite fulfilling to do it yourself.

 

[sublimemike]

I paid 3K couple of years ago. I stripped and reassembled all the bumpers chrome work lights etc. My body shop did all the prep / paint. My body had no cracking and had only the very tired factory paint to prep so maybe more straight forward than many paint jobs on 50 yr old cars

 

[Redlevel]

Bloody hell, 10k is more than I paid for my entire car + shipping! Since i'm going to be using it as a daily driver an expensive paint job makes no sense, i'd be very happy if I could end up looking half as good as yours. Are those BBS RS wheels? How wide are they and what size tires are you running? Having trouble souring 255/55/16 rears for mine

Hi..
My wheels are ex BMW BBS's, 10x16 all round with no spacers and with 255/50 and 295/50.
Tyres are hard to source so I keep looking and buy in advance.

 

[Dazaa]

Dazaa, I've certainly heard of paint jobs costing £10k but that's well out of my budget too. A friend of a friend has quoted me £3k but he can't fit me in until June or July (and that plan was before the lockdown). Depending on how soon you want your car done, I can let you know how mine turns out. I was talking to a guy at the Essex area meeting last year who was having his car painted at a place in Grays. I'm pretty sure that was around the £3k mark as well, but I haven't seen him since to find out if he was pleased with it.

I'm in no rush whatsoever and would appreciate if you could keep me updated on how yours turns out, 3k is about what i'd be happy to spend

 

[Dazaa]

What about a wrap? I've seems some amazing ones. An Audi R8 in chrome & a Smart with a billowing union jack over it. Looked incredible, even showed a bit of the cars " original " colour underneath

Problem with a wrap is the body is such a mess i'd just be postponing the inevitable, also i'm sure a lot of the crazing in the paint would show through the wrap

 

[Redlevel]

Whatever you do.. Make sure the prep is done correctly even if it means running around in primer til you can sort out a topcoat.
Painting no big deal but prep is everything especially on a grp car.

Having said that, some of the best, cheapest, smoothest, glossiest paintjobs I have seen have been brushed on and primered and undercoated with a mini roller.
Don't knock it, but check with some of the old classic forums.
I particularly remember a '30's Wolseley at a show once who's black paint was so deep and glossy like black glass. I was blown away when the owner told me it was brushed and took 3 months to complete and £90 and not an imperfection or run in sight!
Google Craftmaster paints if you want to know more..

 

[Redlevel]

Whatever you do.. Make sure the prep is done correctly even if it means running around in primer til you can sort out a topcoat.
Painting no big deal but prep is everything especially on a grp car.

Having said that, some of the best, cheapest, smoothest, glossiest paintjobs I have seen have been brushed on and primered and undercoated with a mini roller.
Don't knock it, but check with some of the old classic forums.
I particularly remember a '30's Wolseley at a show once who's black paint was so deep and glossy like black glass. I was blown away when the owner told me it was brushed and took 3 months to complete and £90 and not an imperfection or run in sight!
Google Craftmaster paints if you want to know more.. View attachment 5811View attachment 5812

Advice on brush painting a commercial

Classic car, van and pickup forum

www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

 

[Corvette]

Couldn’t agree more about the mini roller, b&q sell 2” foam refills, I’ve been using them for years on wood panelling and it ends up looking strayed on. Dazaa, I came over to your place and and where you are a roller themn wet and dry is the way to go, then drive round getting quotes for colour. My 67 was rollered satin black for years.

 

[Dazaa]

WOW, this has certainly given me something to think about...will do some research. Thanks so much, would love to be able to say I did absolutely everything on the car myself.

The one concern I have is that the whole car has been skimmed with a thick layer of filler which has obviously sunk and left all the current paint cracked, would I be best off sanding/scraping all this off back to the gelcoat or just sanding it flat? I assume it will be messy either way.

 

[Corvette]

I scrape all my paint off dry with a blade, when you come across filler it’s not brittle like paint and is a bitch to remove. Ideally scrape back to the burgundy colour gel coat but seeing as your fenders are mainly flares and your filler, then maybe more of the same. It all depends if you want the best paint job or a shiney acceptable one. You're building a street car there, that’s where you want to see it and drive it.
Try one panel, get it to a smooth, flat, blemish free primered finish that you’re happy with then carry on? Biggest mistake? Using too fine a grit paper. Get yourself DA sander. keep at it.

 

[Corythecorvette]

I have rented a unit fir 6 months, bought a 2nd hand Devilbiss GTI spray gun and bought a compressor, i think i will still save money and am enjoying it doing it myself...

 

[Dazaa]

any suggestions for a chemical stripper? doing this by hand with a blade is very difficult.

 

[Corythecorvette]

any suggestions for a chemical stripper? doing this by hand with a blade is very difficult.

If the paint is good and solid, i would go easy with a soft pad DA with 120 +240+360.....

 

[Nick B]

This is turning into a very interesting thread.