It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

[Wayne B.]

So I'm at the paint stage with my 70 LT1 and I call around for prices. I even had an insurance adjuster friend give me the number of a shop he used on his 65 that he sends business to who could give me the "Family" rate. And the price? Well the lowest was the family price of $6,000 and he refused to do lacquer, only base/clearcoat. Now, the thing is this car has been through a body off and there is no chrome, trim, side windows, interior etc to deal with and it is already primed though it needs a final prime since it's been so long since the original was laid down. Nothing to take off and nothing to put back on. It gets towed in for painting and towed out. And for lacquer the price went WAY up from there.

Now, I don't begrudge anyone making a reasonable profit but I've painted a few cars before and this is one cake walk deal for a shop especially in this economy but, you say "Corvette" and it seems like their eyes glass over, they get this big grin "got us one now!" so, I finally threw my hands up and said "no thanks I can do it myself"

So, I built a temporary paint booth in a borrowed garage, 1x4 frame up, bought four flourescent fixtures (four bulbs each) on Craigslist for $15 apiece, two box fans for $10 apiece (also on Craigslist) for exhaust and furnace filters to keep the air clean, a Devilbiss Plus gun, several packs of plastic for wrapping the booth, borrowed a compressor, bought PPG epoxy sealing primer (two coats laid down), PPG Cortez Silver lacquer (five coats laid down), and about four days of working on it (including building the booth, one day). It's been thirty years since I laid down paint but half way through the primer I got my stroke back...like riding a bike, you never forget. Total investment $1,100.00. Satisfaction of doing it yourself, on your car, for you...priceless.

And it came out just fine thank you.

[Clem Z.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

So I'm at the paint stage with my 70 LT1 and I call around for prices. I even had an insurance adjuster friend give me the number of a shop he used on his 65 that he sends business to who could give me the "Family" rate. And the price? Well the lowest was the family price of $6,000 and he refused to do lacquer, only base/clearcoat. Now, the thing is this car has been through a body off and there is no chrome, trim, side windows, interior etc to deal with and it is already primed though it needs a final prime since it's been so long since the original was laid down. Nothing to take off and nothing to put back on. It gets towed in for painting and towed out. And for lacquer the price went WAY up from there.

Now, I don't begrudge anyone making a reasonable profit but I've painted a few cars before and this is one cake walk deal for a shop especially in this economy but, you say "Corvette" and it seems like their eyes glass over, they get this big grin "got us one now!" so, I finally threw my hands up and said "no thanks I can do it myself"

So, I built a temporary paint booth in a borrowed garage, 1x4 frame up, bought four flourescent fixtures (four bulbs each) on Craigslist for $15 apiece, two box fans for $10 apiece (also on Craigslist) for exhaust and furnace filters to keep the air clean, a Devilbiss Plus gun, several packs of plastic for wrapping the booth, borrowed a compressor, bought PPG epoxy sealing primer (two coats laid down), PPG Cortez Silver lacquer (five coats laid down), and about four days of working on it (including building the booth, one day). It's been thirty years since I laid down paint but half way through the primer I got my stroke back...like riding a bike, you never forget. Total investment $1,100.00. Satisfaction of doing it yourself, on your car, for you...priceless.

And it came out just fine thank you.

the EPA can come after you,depends what state you live in this is not your fathers days when you could paint in your driveway

[Harry S.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Clem is correct, there are very strict rules on lacquer and its' use in the environment. Mostly the EPA laws/rules apply to businesses. Check with your state. One of our members successfully built a booth in his garage and applied many coats of black lacquer on his 65 vert. It was a great job.

[Donald T.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Wayne,

Let's see some pics! Nothing like the satisfaction of doing it yourself. I painted my car in the garage, and no one from the EPA bothered me. Of course, the homeowner's association was none to happy.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/attachme...93456&uid=3587

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/attachme...4&d=1219152143

[Wayne B.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

The EPA is way too busy saving Polar Bears to bother with little 'ol me working on my car and, it's Georgia, the Nanny State leaches into the South a lot slower than up North. Heck, it's only been two years since you had to have a contractors license in this State so, move to Free America! Just head south of the Mason-Dixon! (just having some fun with you Clem).

As for checking with my State...1) too late, such a rebel 2) if they sell lacquer here it only follows you can use it. The dealer says people from all over the country come here to get lacquer...welcome to Free America!

[Richard R.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

I drove from the Mississippi coast to Atlanta Georgia to get my Lacquer paint. They would sell it to me but would not ship it. Hazmat I guess.

[Wayne B.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Now that I think about it, I've been associated with the woodworking industry for 30 years in the South and lacquer is used everyday so it's really not an issue here. The point is not regulation, sorry to all in the North and West that are used to cowering to a governement that thinks it should rule instead of serve, it's that there is a lot you don't have to be held ransom for enjoying a wonderful hobby and, with a little initiative and creativity can not only save money on but gain satisfaction from doing yourself. So, go ahead and enjoy rolling up your sleeves now and then, the best things in life usually don't come from writing a check.

Donald, I'll put some pics up later, a little rough as it was just me and a tight set up...that's right I'm not in the pic so it can't be used against me!

[Chris E.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

$6,000 is a good price. That's about half what mine cost.

[John L.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Wayne,
Good for you. Be careful inviting them down here, they are flooding in without an invite from up north all ready. Have you noticed nobody from the South moves up North? Must be a one way street to Heaven, ah, I mean the South.
When you have a chance please post some photos.

[Phil D.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

I decided to try it myself once small scale, painting a tool box to match my truck and had an awful experience. I've never got up the courage to try it again, but instead paid a professional several times since. I found a good painter by asking around at car shows every time I saw a paint job I liked. While I seemed to have awfully expensive tastes mostly picking paint jobs in the $10,000 to $15,000 range, right at about a third of the people I asked said they did it themselves. Its so expensive to hire a paint job done to that quality level, I'm now thinking this is something I need to learn to do myself. I recently read an article in Auto Restorer by Larry Lyles on using the new water based paints which made it sound like it was even ever more doable for the home hobbyist (not to mention keeping the EPA off your back). I ordered one of Lyles books but found it tried to cover too much in too few pages. If anyone has paint and body book recommendations, I'd appreciate it. Its encouraging to hear about positive DIY experiences.

[Donald T.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Lacquer paint is easy to obtain. Just place an order and it will show up at your door in a few days. These guys are know there stuff, and can mix up any factory color.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/

[Wayne B.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Chris - the $6,000 wasn't for a lacquer job, I had to say no the rest were five figure.

Phil - I've trained a lot of people in industries not taught in schools and the thing I always tell them when they are frustrated is "we all pay for our education one way or another". Some call it paying for a Degree and others the "School of Hard Knocks" but each equally benefit the individual. Don't be frustrated. The guy you are paying stumbled along and made a bunch of mistakes too...just figure that into your cost because you will then have the knowledge you can apply and enjoy on many projects after that. You're not going to be an expert the first time out, that experience is learning what not to do...it gets much better from there. I started with a 47 Ford pickup when I was 16 along with my brother and father. Boy, I learned what not to do but that just gives you confidence and saves you time and money on the next project plus the added bonus of seeing it done right after being taught by...yes, yourself! How's that for credibility? You'll be surprised at how quick you become an "expert". Good thing you started on a toolbox, think of all the things you screwed up that you wouldn't do on a car project. That's a lot about what this forum is about, having someone else that just hit their thumb with a hammer tell you "don't do this but do that instead" Just note my "signature" is a definition - "Experience" it's humorous but not a joke.

[Wayne B.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

By the way Phil - Lacquer is WORK. The systems now give better results quicker ( but require more skill). Lacquer was pretty much about building up then polishing down to a sheen, so don't think that will be a one day chore, it's like trying to build a house without power tools today. Restorers still do it but under duress (blow torch and pliers) will usually admit they hate it.

[Michael F.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Phil, don't you own a supra also?

[Stewart A.]

Re: It cost how much?! I'll just do it myself...

Yes it's a great feeling when you do something yourself and it turns out good. Well done I hope it blinds everyone in the sun !!!!