Advice on Body/Paint

[abnovak]

I am just about ready to send out my 66 cnvt for a little body work and paint. By little bodywork, I mean I have one fender and rear qtr that need a littler filler to smooth out the form and lines. (I know this is a big driver of cost).

The car is going to be a nice Sunday driver, not for show, and has an I6 with no power brakes/steering (yet) so I don't want to dump a ton of money into the car. When I send it out, it won't have the engine, interior, top, dash, any chrome or windshield installed. I will do those after I get it back. The undercarriage, engine compartment and wheel wells have already been detailed - I expect to clean those up after I get it back from paint.

1 - What should I expect to pay? This is my first project and don't really know what to expect. I am thinking $2500-$3000.

2 - What should I look for in a shop?

3 - A friend who used to do body work says for me not to do the body work myself but to send it out. He says a good paint shop will not want its name on something it didn't do. True? If I give the body work a shot and i don't like it, would it cost more than if I didnt even try (I know, depends on how bad of a job I do I am sure)

I can see a light at the end now and I want to enjoy this car but I don't want to rush and screw it up.

 

[XeonTux]

I think 2500-3000 should get you a good looking paint job. Respectable enough to tbe admired and put a smile on your face, and not too good where you're afraid to drive it

The cost of professional body work adds up quick. You really need to check a bunch of shops to get some ideas, noone on the internet can give estimates from a brief description. Try to discuss in detail what needs to be done and what exactly they would do.

For paint, find out what brand they use. Some of the bigger ones that come to mind are PPG, ICI, Sherwin Williams (BTW I heard they can computer colormatch and put touchup in aerosol cans), House of Kolor (exotic and $$$), there are other good ones too. Do they use the same manufacturer for all steps in the process? Most paint companies will not warranty their product if other manufacturer's products were used on the car. This is one reason some shops appear rather anal about working on something someone else started. Discuss how many coats of base and clear you will get. Cost can also vary by color, as some are more difficult or require more shots. Will they buff it?