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bw65vw
Samba Member
Joined: August 04, 2020
Posts: 149
Location: Tennessee
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 Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:56 pm Post subject: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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I put this in the "Paint/Body" forum but it doesn't seem to get a lot of traffic so thought I would try here also. Hey Guys I thought I would ask here but it is probably a long shot. I am looking for someone to paint my car in Northeast Tennessee. I'm in Kingsport almost on the Virginia state line about an hour and half Northeast of Knoxville.
As you can see the body work is 90-95% done. Most of the shops around here won't full with painting a "classic car" they all just want to do insurance/collision work. The few that will paint one have a 1-2 year waiting list...so open to recommendations for a good painter! Thanks! |
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Michael Ambrozik
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2020
Posts: 631
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| Just went through this in cali, the shop was going to do a bit of bodywork and paint the inside and outside, but it was going to take them 18 months and I was told 26k. I laugh at them and took my car home and will be painting it myself and in less time then they ever could. If I were you I would make a plastic booth and paint it yourself. |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2003
Posts: 4863
Location: Harmony, PA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| bw65vw wrote: |
| As you can see the body work is 90-95% done. Most of the shops around here won't full with painting a "classic car" they all just want to do insurance/collision work. The few that will paint one have a 1-2 year waiting list...so open to recommendations for a good painter! Thanks! |
One issue you are going to have is “who” did 90-95% of the body work. Any reputable shop isn’t going to guarantee the paint job that they didn’t do the prep body work on. This then becomes, spray over the completed body work, “adjust/refinish” any bodywork deemed not up to the painters standards, or start over at bare metal?
No one at the car show asks if the painter gave you a break on labor/price because they gave you a “nice” paint job that was okay with you, but may not be exactly up to their standards. If they have a reputable shop, they want the best product they can create going out the door if their name is on it.
Collision shops usually LOOSE money on overall paint jobs. With shop labor rates at $75-$150 an hour, quality is VERY expensive. Get on the 1-2 year waiting list, and start saving money.
| Michael Ambrozik wrote: |
| Just went through this in cali, the shop was going to do a bit of bodywork and paint the inside and outside, but it was going to take them 18 months and I was told 26k. I laugh at them and took my car home and will be painting it myself and in less time then they ever could. If I were you I would make a plastic booth and paint it yourself. |
As mentioned above, it’s about quality/cost of labor. If they in fact said the job was going to take 18 months, that is a little long. I would imagine that might be the time frame when they could begin, combined with the completion date. $26k is by no means out of line if the vehicle is being stripped to bare metal, gaps precisely aligned, and reassembly. The top VW Restoration shop’s such as Lenny Copp, or Bob Cook aren’t going to be doing it any cheaper. As for doing it at home... The $26k job is going to look like a $26k job. The job painted in your driveway is going to look like, well, it was painted in your driveway. It’s understandable you may not want to pay the $26k, but comparing the two is laughable. |
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bw65vw
Samba Member
Joined: August 04, 2020
Posts: 149
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2021 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
One issue you are going to have is “who” did 90-95% of the body work. Any reputable shop isn’t going to guarantee the paint job that they didn’t do the prep body work on. This then becomes, spray over the completed body work, “adjust/refinish” any bodywork deemed not up to the painters standards, or start over at bare metal?
No one at the car show asks if the painter gave you a break on labor/price because they gave you a “nice” paint job that was okay with you, but may not be exactly up to their standards. If they have a reputable shop, they want the best product they can create going out the door if their name is on it. |
Yeah one shop I spoke to said their painter wouldn't paint over others body work so already ran into that. I expected them to at least do some block sanding and/or another coat of primer whatever is needed to get a good result. So I am considering getting on a list while I keep looking.... |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9641
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:51 am Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| There's a Maaco in Kingsport- would be worth your while to take some large-print photos of your Beetle with you and get an idea about the cost. I did same about 5 yrs ago for a Beetle that would be "driver" quality. The shop here in southern NY had a standard fee for painting the exterior, then a set fee for painting each additional "interior" section such as under the hood, interior, and engine compartment. Even if this would cost you ~ $3000, they have a fast turnaround but that is shop-location dependant. |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2003
Posts: 4863
Location: Harmony, PA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| Places like Maaco, and Earl Sheib are options for an inexpensive paint job. See if you can physically look at an example of their work though. While it may be nice enough quality to some, it’s not to others. |
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Zundfolge1432 
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 12467
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
| Places like Maaco, and Earl Sheib are options for an inexpensive paint job. See if you can physically look at an example of their work though. While it may be nice enough quality to some, it’s not to others. |
Yes and another way to put it is you get what you pay for. I went a different route enrolled in vocational technical college and took classes on paint and body. This culminated in the student painting their own car, very satisfying and educational but I don’t recommend this for everyone, it’s time consuming. The refusal of knowledgeable painters to take over someone else’s work comes from not knowing if the materials used are compatible. Mixing and matching can result in a failed paint job
In reality I wouldn’t let any so called bargain paint place near a car I planned on keeping. If you are going to flip the car then by all means go that direction. If it’s a keeper do it right.😀 |
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bw65vw
Samba Member
Joined: August 04, 2020
Posts: 149
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Painter Recommendation....Long Shot Tennessee |
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| Yes I definitely plan to keep the car as it was my father-in-laws that he was never able to complete. I definitely want to see some of the work from who ever I get to do it. That is cool that you went to school to do it yourself |
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