What do you guys/gals think is a normal, average figure for a regular 1 color, nothing fancy, no or minimal bodywork paint job? I am wanting to get this nova painted...and could probably paint it myself (and still might) and can do all the body work myself. Not looking for show quality or anything, just something that will last for years and look presentable.

you better sit down for what answers you are going to get on this , have seen this on here before , I have heard of guy's paying $5 to $8 thousand dollar's for a paint job ,,, here it comes !!!!! :eek:

There's a '57 wagon running around here that has been in a couple mags a few years back. It's very nice and was painted by Maaco for less than $300. Granted it was a few years ago but that's still bottom dollar for the time... Now what I haven't shared yet is the cars owner only had the base coat/clear coat shot at Maaco, he did all the prep work and took the car in with all the trim and glass removed, the car was masked and ready to go. A typical body shop might do the same for you for $2000 if you want more of a show quality paint job. The prep work is 85% of it though!!

My guess is if you pay someone to take the car apart and prep for paint (no body work), paint it and put it back together, you could pay about $3000 - $5000 for a decent non show quality but respectable paint job. Of course that depends on labor rates in your area and condition of the car and it's parts to start with. From talking to folks around here, it's running around $8000 - $12000 for the avg body work and paint being put on the typical 1st gen, Chevelle or Nova and that's being taken apart and put together by the shop doing the work...

If you remove all of the parts before you take it in they will give you a better price. If you can do all of the body work (and feel like doing it), get it as close as you can and then take it down for final blocking and paint. The cheapest that I have heard for something like that with base coat/clear coat was around $1000.


:eek: :eek:

Dennis, 8k-12k!!! Wow!! The most that I could ever justify spending on a paint job would be around 5k (which is probably why I usually spray bomb my cars in my garage). I would be expecting the paint to be perfect for 5k. I can't even imagine what would justify 8k-12k for a paint job....Although I've never been into the super nice trailer queen type cars.

Hi Paul,

The $8,000 - $12,000 is for body, paint, taking the car apart and putting it back together. The paint quality at these prices is hit and miss but usually boardering on low end show quality. the folks paying this use their cars for weekend crusing and some showing... As for body work I'm not talking all new panels, trunk and floors for these prices. Mostly it's a few dents and dings and a little rust patch here and there. Most of the cars I'm refering to getting painted at these prices were driving old restorations from the late 80's and early 90's that have been bought recently and are having new life breathed into them.

I have entertained the idea of having my car painted hugger orange as that is it's factory color. I've inquired asking for the same quality paint and been told by more than one shop, "Bring the car in with everything off it and we'll prep and paint for about $10,000. Again, that's if you want the same quality"... I've resigned to enjoy white for a long while. graemlins/beers.gif

Oh, that's at local shop rates here is SJ. Stevo took me to a place in OR that looks to do real quality work and they charge just a tad more than half per hr than the going rates here...

:D I warned ya !!! :eek:

Wow Dennis, prices (that I've seen) are nothing like that here. I'm sure that there must be some shops that charge that out here, but I don't know of any.

If I had to pay prices like that I doubt that I would have ever restored my camaros or any car for that matter. There is no way that I could afford 10k for body and paint.....on top of all of the other resto costs!

P.S. Dennis, I think that your car would look awesome hugger orange with the white top and white interior!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif It looks great in white but orange wouldn't make it look 10k nicer.

Dennis, that is about the most depressing thing I have heard all week. 8-12K for a paint job :eek: That is ludicrous. I won't have that much in my car when it is all finished (well, not counting everything I have had to redo :rolleyes: ). I used to work in a body shop for several years. I never painted a whole car (just pieces) as I did most of the prep work and a lot of body work. Do you think part of that price is because of all of CA's air quality regulations? I have read that you guys have to use different kinds of paints and stuff.

Guess it's time to go practice on one of my parts cars.

I have to agree with Dennis $5000 to $10000 for a good quality paint job.In the resto shop I worked for we did some complete turn key restos these were Hemi Challengers and a sixpack Superbird bills were $35000.00 to $50000.00 and the car owners supplied the hard parts.That price was for materials and labor. With the price of paint supplies a base coat clear coat paint job will run you $800 to $1200 in materials only.If you take a car apart strip it paint it and put it back and together and sand and buff it you will spend 60 to 80 hours. At $36 an hour $2880 plus $1200 for materials $4080 Thats if you dont find damage or rust when you get it striped down.Very few of our cars can be painted good without being striped if it is original paint it is laquer and you cant put base coat over it.JMO

$8-12k is just a drop in the bucket....

I have some customers that have actually admitted to spending $20k+ just on paint and body alone. Case in point, my uncle has a beautiful 55 posted 2d, and he has over $25k into his....but then again....you could fall into the paint and never come back it was done so well.

It's all about the prep.....and if it is or needs to be disassembled and/or reassembled to finish the product. If you do some of the work yourself, you can put some of that moola back into your pocket.

IMO, I would think that a good paint job that isnt (or doesnt need to be) 'concourse quality' or uselessly flawless should cost you around $2500 to 3500......with you stripping the car of all chrome, seals and glass......and doing the reassembly yourself.

A bigger part of the cost in the materials. I mean, you could use House of Color paint and spend three times what that of the good PPG costs.

I guess its up to how much you want to do yourself and how much your willing to part with in the end.....

I am thinking back and the most I ever paid for a car was $2000 buck's , I painted my current car with omni base clear and used a gallon of good urethane primer , I think after I wet sanded and buffed the car I had like $400 in the whole job , mind you my car was (and still is rust free ) I did not have to buy a single body panel , I am glad I can do my own body and paint work or I would be a stamp collector ,,, graemlins/waving.gif

$2500-$3500 sounds more like it. It wouldn't be trailer queen perfect, but should be a really nice job with no obvious problems.

Holy cow those prices are scary!

Here, closer to you, I am having my 90 Suburban painted for under $2,000. It will not be show quality, but it will be a very good job for a daily driver. The lowest body shop quote was 3k, but I found a guy who does this out of a shop in his back yard who came highly recommended. I drop the truck off this Thursday and it should be ready within 2 weeks. He does all the prep work... I just drop it off and pick it up.

Once I get it back I'll be happy to come visit you, while on my way to the lake, if you'd like to check it out.

I should have about 4-5k in mine for show quality paint from the best painter in the area...BUT...my car is arrow straight with all NOS sheetmetal.

Originally posted by 67 Plum:
At $36 an hour $2880 plus $1200 for materials $4080 Thats if you dont find damage or rust when you get it striped down.Very few of our cars can be painted good without being striped if it is original paint it is laquer and you cant put base coat over it.JMO My friends shop rate is about $55 - $65 per hr on a complete repaint and about $75 - $85 per hr on smaller jobs. His shop does very good quality work and is less expensive than any other shop I know of in this area for the same quality...


One thing you can do to strech your money is try to get the shop to agree on a set price for a set amount of work as opposed to paying per hr... And by all means take apart and assemble the car yourself.

Peolpe around here are working to cheap. :eek:

Donald, shoot me an e-mail when you get the 'burban back...I'd like to see it. BTW, your camaro is BEAUTIFUL graemlins/thumbsup.gif

My car will be pretty easy to do the body work on. It has a little surface rust around the lower wheelwells but other than that it is rust free. There is only one spot on the car that may require professional repair, but everything else will be a piece o' cake.

You know, 15 years ago $1000 would buy you one hell of a paint job graemlins/sad.gif

Will do Travis!

And thanks for the kind words on the Camaro. All I ask is that you don't look underneath her! :eek: LOL

PS - Sad to say, but 15 years ago $1,000 would buy a hell of a lot of just about anything...

Hmmm, seeings how I just painted my 69 car myself.(Due to the hi $$$ quotes I got), I researched everything out on this site, systematically bought the tools:compressor, hvlp guns, filters system, on and on, and did all of this in a friends shop. I have just under 2300 bucks into my paint and body work, and ALL the tools and supplies to paint it, and I think my job came out above average for a driver...I got quotes from 3k for a so-so job, well into the 5 digits range for supposedly "perfect" paint. It took me a little over 4 months to strip, prime, paint, clear, and a heck of a lot of wet sanding.
I NOW see why the prices are so hi. If I did this for a living, nobody would pay my prices, because it's physically hard work and fairly tecniquey. To me, it's like golf, it feels unnatural and takes a while to get good at it. If you're patient and have a few grand to spend (you can pay as you go), then you can paint your car yourself! If it comes out good, brag about it, if it doesn't, sand a little, figure out what you did wrong, and reshoot it! Then you can brag :D Sorry for such a long-winded reply, but ordinary people can paint their own car, it just takes some research and an investment of both time and money...Good luck in whatever you decide graemlins/beers.gif

Dano

Your car looks great Dano.

I am going to find out what a total paint job is for my '69 real quick. The only body panels being replaced are the right door skin and complete right rear quarter (due to komma kossi deer). Since the insurance has decided to not be "like a good neighbor" and I have to pay for most of this, I am going to change the color a shade or 2. I will find out tomorrow from the body shop what the bill should be...........we'll see

Based on the criteria you laid out, I completely agree with Dennis's numbers. 3k to 5k and then 8 to 12k. They reflect the overall pricing typical of the New England area.

MangeMD from West Virgina fits this model as does 67Plum, Georgia. I know its a lot of money but when you are shelling out over a grand in materials alone, why be surprised at a 5k invoice?

...doesn't make parting with the cash any easier though.


Rick.

Had my 68 done for $7800 last year

I am glad you guy's can do that , man this just BLOWS MY MIND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW :eek:

I had both rear quarters, trunk and one floor pan replaced. Also had both front fenders one inner fender, a cowel induction hood (steel), front and rear spoilers put on all by a guy that only does high quality restorations. Car was painted Chevy "arrival blue" with silver Z28 strips and it IS a show quality paint job! All of this took just over a year and about $14,000! This includes all parts and labor!! Guess I got a bargain!!

Originally posted by 67 Plum:
Your car looks great Dano. Thank you sir! I still can't believe I did it :D
p.s. you anywhere near Rossville, Ga? I spent some time down south in my younger days graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dano

After reading all of these huge amounts shelled out for paint/body, I feel like I saved major $$
:D

I have to go along with RS3SDL2MG...(except for the cramp in my wrist from typing his name) :eek:
I have yet to paint my camaro but I've used Omni base clear to paint 2 other cars and they turned out great. 350.00 in materials. Like everyone says the prep and then final cut and polish is the key. It's a lower end paint and probably not suited to a show car but you can make it look much better then what most of the big three are turning out of their factories these days. I say grab a gun and some sandpaper and have at it. After all......it's only a nova... ;)

Originally posted by RS3SDL2MG:
I am glad you guy's can do that , man this just BLOWS MY MIND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW :eek: Anybody can do it... given enough time, money, and "do overs". The "do overs" are what take all the time & money.

I just got my 67 painted a few weeks ago. I paid $4000 for a decent show quality paint job. This included stripping the 3 layers of paint off down to metal, removing exterior items (bumpers, windows, trim, doors, hood, trunk, grill, etc). Painted black, base coat-clear coat. Reassembly and aligning of external panels. I looked hard for flaws in the paint and couldn't find any.

This was done in the Los Angeles area. All rust repair was done prior to bringing it to this shop. I think I got a really good deal.

The problem with getting them to commit to a set price is if the car ends up needing more work they are forced to cut corners or lose money. Everything costs more out here in Ca. It is just part of how things are out here. That guy doing body work has alot hight bills to pay just to live here as opposed to the guy living in Missouri. I have a 65 Shelby in Wisconsin being restored at a shop rate of 38.00 per hour. If it takes 1000 hours I will have 38K in labor alone. If I had it done out here at a 75.00 per hour rate the cost would skyrocket.

I've reserved a slot to have my 69 repainted, in july. We Shop owner an i to replace both quarters and outer whell houses, and both door shells and one rocker paner. I'm expecting show quality and purchased a trailer for it when its done!
The total Paint and labor will be: $7500.00 and I buy/supply the all panels.

Total labor, paint and panels will be at about $ 10K

MrDanB I am in south GA. just north of Tallahassee Fl.

"if you aint from the south, you aint worth your grits"lol That's about all I remember about the state of Georgia :D

Dano