Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

[Jay D.]

I am in the market to purchase a 69 vette and before I buy it would like to get some feedback on how much it costs to repaint the entire car. I would definitely repaint it the same color, but I do know I want it completely stripped and some minor touch ups.

So my questions would be:

1) Does anyone have a decent range of what this would cost
2) Does anyone know of any really good places in the Metro or North East that do good work.

Jay

[Kenneth H.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Jay,

Do a search on painting/repainting. There are many considerations when repainting a corvette that would affect the cost of the repaint. There has been much discussion on the board about this topic. Issues like paint material (laquer, BC/CC, etc), quality and adherence to NCRS judging standard (or not) should all be considered.

Thanks.

[Michael D.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Prices will vary across the country and will vary depending on how much of the prep work you can or will do yourself.

[Jack H.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Expect price to also vary with these considerations:

(1) Do you want lacquer or a modern substitute?
(2) In addition to strip, primer, shoot color, how much body work is there?
(3) What is the reputation (track record in subsequent judging) of the painter?
(4) What time of year will the work be done (prime time or off-season)?
(5) How 'hungry' is the painter for work?
(6) Are you contracting for work on schedule or work on time-available basis?

There are MANY variations, but here's a number range you should be able to hang your hat on: $5K-20K. BTW, don't expect much for your $5K beyond a simple 'skuff and shoot' job. For down to glass and back correctly, I'd be expecting to see prices in the $10-20K range.

[Dick W.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

For a decent job in the NE, $7,500 up. For a show quality Top Flight or Bloomington Gold job, think $15k and up, depending on the amount of prep work that has to be done

[Tom L.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Jay, Is this your first vette? If so you should make yourself familiar with the fiberglass on these cars and learn how to identify past repairs or damage. Is this your first vette? If so then you should have an idea.I wish I'd have been more knowlegable. Be SURE you know what you are getting into in terms of bodywork.

I didn't and boy did I get a suprise. I nearly re-bodied the car. in addition to all the body work, the emblems and chrome work adds up fast. Don't be discouraged, be prepared. I dumped a boatload of $$ into my car, more than I expected, but I'm not dissapointed. Good luck!!

I got my work done on Long island, not sure where you are but I can share my experiences if you want.

[Rich P.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Jay,

By the time you turn the first wernch to disassemble the car then put the last piece back on when completed there will be a minimum of 500-600 hours for a street paint job all the way up to 1500 plus hours for a concourse gaurenteeed to pass NCRS nation level judging job.
If you are like you said do a nice street job I highly suggest to have it stripped to glass to do it properly. Otherwise you will be be spending money to fix what comes up through the paint job.

One last thing to concider when painting the car...all of a sudden the bumpers don't look nice enough to put back on the nice new shiney paint job and things can escalate from there.

Best wishes in you purchase, Rich

[Dick W.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Way over 50 years ago I started helping my father with some of his old cars. I continuted doing my own, and progressed to doing it for a living for a few years. With the exception of a couple of home runs that I hit over the years, you ALWAYS spend more money than you think you will

[Russ T.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

BE VERY CAREFUL MAKING THIS HIRE !!!! This is a field rife with crooks, liars, thieves and con artists. My mistake was assuming the shop owner knew something about painting cars, which he didn't. I thought that I was being careful on this most expensive part of a restoration, and this is where I failed. I got reeled in with a low-ball bid, and once my car was in there they soaked me good, piling up the hours, many I suspect were
fraudulent. Three painters came and went, each newbie being even less competent than his predecessor. I was at the mercy of the ignorant shop owner who was hiring these inept painters.

I was assured that "you'll never have to paint it again", and in a way that was correct, because when the car was "finished" (shop owner declared bankruptcy) I was broke. I had to spend another $3300.00 just to repaint and fix scratches, poor bodywork, etc. that I had already paid a small fortune for. Of course shop owner walks off relatively unscathed. By the time I finally hired someone who was honest and did good work, I had lost a bundle. Of course it's part my fault because I'm the one who made the hire and I could have gone and pulled the car out halfway thru the job, but I was being reassured that "all was well."

In summary,my critical mistake was hiring someone who had absolutely no knowledge or experience in painting cars, therefore the people they hire
is just a crap shoot, and I lost. If I had it to do over again, I'd sell the car for whatever I could get out of it, and buy one that was already restored properly.The crook that I dealt with made Al Capone look like a Sunday School choirboy. I hope your story ends with a happier ending.

[Kenneth T.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Jay,
I am always reluctant to give advice on stuff like this, but....

If you are a member of the local chapter, seek input from people on the ground where you live. Make sure the shop has experience in painting Vintage Corvettes--not just painting cars.

If the condition of your car is good-ok, figure 10k-12k. If you need bodywork and want gel coating (hard as a rock and never any further problems) it will go higher.

Then comes the bright work, the bumpers look a bit dark and grey with the new paint--do the re-chrome, emblems, glass, mirror,...more more more.

Keep your original parts and let the shop know from the onset to put everything in a box for you to keep!

When it is done you will shake your head and wonder, but love it anyway.

It is a sickness and one of the few that feels good to have. Good Luck.

Ken

[Michael F.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

I agree with Kenneth Tozzi above and rest assured it will cost more than you budget for but in the end if you chose wisely you will be happy and proud

[Mike R.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

I am currently doing a full restoration on a 69. The one thing I am not doing myself is paint. I am paying $4300 for single stage enamal and three primer/blocking cycles. This is pretty cheap but the body is on a dolly and *completely* disassembled, weather strips removed. all the metal parts stripped. I will be reassembling. THe car had original paint and needed very little repair (<5hrs). Should get the car back this week.

I am in the market to purchase a 69 vette and before I buy it would like to get some feedback on how much it costs to repaint the entire car. I would definitely repaint it the same color, but I do know I want it completely stripped and some minor touch ups.

So my questions would be:

1) Does anyone have a decent range of what this would cost
2) Does anyone know of any really good places in the Metro or North East that do good work.

Jay

[Bill L.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

Do your homework so you know the difference in a Bloomington Gold versus driver, versus better than new etc.. Visit local chapter meets, look at the paint jobs and ask lots of questions.

I did not really understand the difference and now I am going to have to pay a few thousand dollars to get my 70 vert. the way I really wanted it done in the first place.

Don't be afraid to check first hand on progress throughout the entire process. fiberglas work, epoxy primer, etc... If you cannot have free and open access throughout the process go somewhere else.

If you are in the Northeast expect to pay $15-$20 for a Bloomington Gold type job. This assumes no rust issues or body panel replacement.

Most of all have fun!


Bill

[Jim M.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

As a couple members have said, a lot of the cost depends on how much of the prep work you can do. On my 69, I took the car apart myself, leaving the body on the frame, but taking doors off, headlights, the lower panel below the rear bumpers, all the weather stripping, glass, etc, and stripped each piece of all paint. Then repaired areas of the body that had previous body work. Then I took all those loose parts to the painter and began stripping the body. All the painter had to do was prime, block sand and lay on the paint. Total cost was about 5K.

[Matt L.]

Re: Painting a Corvette 1969 - 1973

we are in the process of having my brothers trans am painted. black. so it has to be straight. i asked it to be lazer straight. i am in the process of wetsanding and buffing it now. that can be cost difference as well. how nice do you want your paint. most shops i have seen do a scuff n buff with 1,200 or 1,500 grit to knock the fuzz off. if you really want that slick deep shine expect more money.more time=more money. i tend to spend about 40hrs or so on wetsanding and buffing a car. 1,200 grit,2,500,3,000 and then 5,000. that's the way i do all my jobs. it's what i do for a living. a great body man is worth every penny because when you start wetsanding and then buffing,it only magnifies how nice the body work is or isn't.
i hope this helps you someway. do research.ask around. word of mouth is the best advertising. do a great job for somebody and they'll tell someone when asked about the work done. do a bad job and they'll tell everybody asked or not. if the price is too good to be true they have to be cutting corners somewhere.
take care,
matt