Paint sticker shock

[Kurt G.]

This afternoon, knowing that lacquer was getting more and more scarce every day, I and a friend went down to the local automotive paint distributor to latch onto some tints and clear lacquer for my eventual refinishing of my Targa Blue '72 coupe. I wanted to get it while I could, knowing that it is becoming almost impossible to find. Having a full gallon and a half of mixed paint, I wanted to get the tints just in case I needed to tweek the color just a little.

What I found was sticker shock. For a quart each the 4 colors that I need, plus a gallon of clear and two gallons of 105 reducer, almost $700. That's making base/clear look more and more attractive all the time. And to find out the distrubutor only had 1 quart each of the tints, 6 gallons of reducer and 2 gallons of clear left in their entire company, a national company was un-nerving. Thanks to the EPA, treehuggers and all the other environmentalists, we're being backed into a corner.

I'm just glad my car doesn't need paint yet. It's 40 years old and starting to show it's age, but it still only takes a couple of points hit in judging. And, it's original.

[Edward J.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Kurt, when I did my 72 the costs for primer 2 types, base coat paint, clear coat, sand paper, lacquer thinner, and activators for the primer and paint. 1100.00. that was about 3 yrs ago.there were a few other odds and ends.

And now I am getting ready to do my 63, which I will estimate the costs to be around 850.00. for about 1 1/2 gallons of ( Riverside red), activator,sand paper, and base coat thinner, I still had primer left over so this cut the cost down a bit.

Just last week I was talking to the paint guy where I am buying my paint, He tells, me he just recently mixed his most expensive paint yet and it was the new 2010 Camaro green . for just a gallon of paint only 700.00, Wow thats abit on the expensive side.

[Terry M.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

I guess I got away cheap:

colorbuild primer 1 pt $19.09
ABP Blue Met 1 gal $534.92
A/C Clear 9 qts $542.97
ABP S/S 1 qt $102.50
ralleye black 1 pt $35.26

[John H.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Buying "in volume" doesn't help much either - when I was the Viper Plant Manager ten years ago, I bought our paint from BASF in 500-gallon stainless steel tote-tanks, and Viper Red basecoat was $485.00 a gallon back then; can't imagine what it costs today.

[Robert R.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Nice Terry...it's a 67, yes?

[Joe R.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

This afternoon, knowing that lacquer was getting more and more scarce every day, I and a friend went down to the local automotive paint distributor to latch onto some tints and clear lacquer for my eventual refinishing of my Targa Blue '72 coupe. I wanted to get it while I could, knowing that it is becoming almost impossible to find. Having a full gallon and a half of mixed paint, I wanted to get the tints just in case I needed to tweek the color just a little.

What I found was sticker shock. For a quart each the 4 colors that I need, plus a gallon of clear and two gallons of 105 reducer, almost $700. That's making base/clear look more and more attractive all the time. And to find out the distrubutor only had 1 quart each of the tints, 6 gallons of reducer and 2 gallons of clear left in their entire company, a national company was un-nerving. Thanks to the EPA, treehuggers and all the other environmentalists, we're being backed into a corner.

I'm just glad my car doesn't need paint yet. It's 40 years old and starting to show it's age, but it still only takes a couple of points hit in judging. And, it's original.

Now just what makes you think that base coat/clear coat costs less. Cost of materials for a 91 was over $1000.00 and that was years ago.

JR

[Jim D.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

I'm still amazed that people will pay a premium for an inferior product.

[Dick W.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Painted a car about 15-20 years ago. Kept track of every sheet of sandpaper, roll of masking tape, paint, thinner, etc. Car had DP as a primer, K 36 as primer surfacer, Deltron base and clear paint. It was over $1,900 then. Probably would be over $3k today

[Russ S.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

A friend of mine bought a quart of Dupont red last week. It cost him $230. Granted it was Dupont's best "premier" The K2 primer I use is $200 a gallon.

[Cecil L.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Just got an estimate to paint my airplane (Navy T-28B), single color, polyurethane, only $23,000. Looks like it will stay in basic aluminum and oil livery.
Gives you a new perspective.

[Jim D.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Painted a car about 15-20 years ago. Kept track of every sheet of sandpaper, roll of masking tape, paint, thinner, etc. Car had DP as a primer, K 36 as primer surfacer, Deltron base and clear paint. It was over $1,900 then. Probably would be over $3k today

Painted my 60 back in 85. Dupont Acrylic Lacquer was $20 a gallon. Total cost for everything including all Dupont products, paint, 100S primer/filler, Velva-seal etc. was less than $150. Back then I did many total jobs (show quality) for $500 including labor and materials.

[Dick W.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Just got off the phone with a friend of mine that just purchased the paint for his '57 Bel Aire. Just a paltry $2,300

[Terry M.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Nice Terry...it's a 67, yes?

Good eye Bob, yes it is. One gallon of color and two gallons of clear, and a lot of that clear wound up on the floor. And it is a little bigger than a Corvette.

[Kurt G.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

Just got an estimate to paint my airplane (Navy T-28B), single color, polyurethane, only $23,000. Looks like it will stay in basic aluminum and oil livery.
Gives you a new perspective.

Cecil, the last time the company I fly for had one of my fleet repainted, complete to include the base color and three stripes it was $87,500, and that was a fleet discount for about 100 airplanes. Little bit bigger than you NA-T28B. But I don't feel too sorry for you if you push a T-28 around the sky.

I did check on the cost for Deltron. It's only about $625 gallon. That's just for the color. That doesn't include the primer, clear, reducer or catalyst. About $2,000 for everything. Plus, if I need more of the BC/CC I can get more.

[Kurt G.]

Re: Paint sticker shock

It's amazing to hear the stories of the old days. I remember them. First job I did with lacquer several years ago was about $75 for the paint, primer, tape, everything. Glad I'm not doing the hood on a new ZR-1.