TheSamba.com :: View topic - I wonder what it would cost to paint a 1974 Thing ?

Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:58 pm

Hello, I just joined TheSamba. I'm wondering what the ball park price to paint a Thing would be?

My Thing will has some surface rust.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Wed Jul 19, 2017 1:55 pm

Howdy and Welcome...

You started off with a very loaded question. The answer to it is: It depends :)

How much do you want to invest?

Are you trying to create a show car or just update an everyday driver?

What other body work needs to be done?

How much rust needs to be taken care of?

How much work are you willing / able to do yourself?

Basically, you could go from a straight Krylon spray can job for a few hundred bucks to a top of the line show car finish for $10K plus. In between you have the basic Maco special or various other body / paint shops.

A couple of suggestions:
1. Post some pictures up here so we can all see what you have (we like pictures).
2. Spend some time reading in the body and paint forum. Read thoroughly before posting questions thought :)
3. Go around to a few a shops in your area and see what they think.
4. Figure out what you are willing to invest.
5. Read some of the numerous build threads in here to see what all is involved. Not just in the Thing forum but also in the Beetle and Split Bus forums.

I know it didn't answer your question directly, but this should give you a way to get started. I think you will find everyone in this forum to be as helpful as we can.

jay

Wed Jul 19, 2017 3:59 pm

If you have the time, take a body shop class at your local Community College like I did. Then you could have a great job for the cost of supplies plus the cost of a spray gun (Sata Jet is my choice). Maaco is a good middle of the road shop. I would guess $1000-$1500 ballpark same color.

Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:46 am

I knew a guy who painted his car with cans of spray paint. Took about 30 cans, and the car looked surprisingly good. Of course, the guy had spent considerable time prepping the car, which is most of the cost of a quality paint job.

Thu Jul 20, 2017 12:01 pm

CraigInPA wrote: I knew a guy who painted his car with cans of spray paint. Took about 30 cans, and the car looked surprisingly good. Of course, the guy had spent considerable time prepping the car, which is most of the cost of a quality paint job.

I have been spraying my THING for years...it only takes 12 cans but since mine is an Acapulco no hood to paint and the blue stripes under the door and the tail light

Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:20 am

Plastidip is an idea.You can buy the kit for about 300 or so. If you hate it after awhile you can peel it off. Should last 3 or more years I am told.

Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:01 am

I asked about this a few years ago,

Was quoted about 10k to paint the THING inside and out.
It's obviously labor intensive to disassemble/reassemble.

I also pondered this idea: [$98 paint job- dated from 2007] http://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-0707-1962-ford-falcon-budget-paint-job/

Like someone previously stated, it's a lot of manual work but if you have no money and lots of time, may be worth it. On the plus side you can fix it yourself, the THING can be sectioned off rather easily due to it's angles and such.

I think the guy that painted the orange Thing with the 32 can of krylon did a neat job too but I've never been able to re-find the link.

T

Thu Jul 27, 2017 8:57 am

32 cans of krylon

Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:14 am

iltis74 wrote: 32 cans of krylon

Thanks iltis74 8)

T

Fri Aug 04, 2017 7:56 am

A gallon of alkyd enamel is something like $30 and should do the whole car. Figure in some hardeners and some Penetrol to get the paint to lay down along with some other supplies and you should be able to do a decent job for $200-500 and lots and lots of labor.

Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:18 pm

I took my Thing to a couple of shops in Akron and Youngstown. A scuff and respray averaged $2500-$3500. Most shops were not interested because it wasn't an insurance claim job. Can't wait to see photos of your 181!

Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:00 am

I just got my Thing painted. I went to no less than 8 different painters and was told by 6 of them they don't paint whole cars any more. The two shops that actually quoted the job were adamant that I take the car apart and deliver it in pieces and pick it up the same way. I would then do the reassembly. It turns out the labor for disassembly and reassembly makes painting cost prohibitive for most folks. With the car completely torn,

down the two quotes were $8,000 and $10,000. So here in Indy that seems to be the ballpark for a good paint job.

Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:46 am

I spent close to $8500 in paint and body. On chassis, inside and out. No major rust or body issues. Very difficult to find a painter to do it on my terms. Performed all the disassembly and reassembly myself. Total resto cost came close to 18K. There's a detailed restoration thread on my tagline.

From this

[Insert Engine Bay fire]

To this

Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:14 pm

$10,000 to $15,000 is reasonable for a restoration / paint job.

Tue Jul 08, 2025 7:30 am

Did mine myself.. costs are approximate

Panels from ThingShop
Paint supplies from www.Eastwood.com

Body removed from pan

Rust removed and new panels installed.
Rustproof inside body panels
Dents hammered out
Sanded and smoothed
Epoxy primed inside and out
1 gallon Single stage Acrylic Enamel paint

rust repairs and body metal $2000
Paint supplies $ 500

Labor A shitload.

Pan was a separate restoration with additional cost.

Sat Oct 04, 2025 6:23 pm

Youndid yours right Paul. Great results

Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:37 pm

I just had mine painted. Like a few others have said I had to disassemble and am currently working on reassembly myself. I got quotes between 10 and 20k. I ended up doing some of the work myself (inner and outer rockers). With sand blasting, body and paint I am at about 14k and still have some work to go before I can drive it again.

Sun Oct 26, 2025 1:15 pm

Flying Elvis wrote: I just had mine painted. Like a few others have said I had to disassemble and am currently working on reassembly myself. I got quotes between 10 and 20k. I ended up doing some of the work myself (inner and outer rockers). With sand blasting, body and paint I am at about 14k and still have some work to go before I can drive it again.

Are you able to share any before & after pics?

Sun Oct 26, 2025 9:35 pm

Unfortunately I don't have many pictures, but here are a few. It all started with me wanting to add original seats, so I had to replace the pans, then I noticed the car had sustained a big hit at some point so rockers had to go and I had to try and straighten things out as much as possible.

I would recommend doing as much as you could on your own to save money and get some better results. Finding shops that are willing to do the work and do it right is really hard. I shopped around for a while and some would not even touch the car at all.

I would have done more on my own if I had the space and time. After I buy all the wire, rubber, seats and top I will probably have about 20k into it.

Mon Oct 27, 2025 4:49 am

Very nice! Thanks for the pics.