Trying to get a daily driver painted

[rocketraider]

Curious if this is everywhere or peculiar to this area. The old Gray Ghost wagon needs paint badly, just a maintenance thing to preserve it. What I'm finding is that if a job doesn't have an insurance check attached, body shop doesn't want to talk to you. And if they will, they tell you it would be fill-in work and may take months if not years. Or have painters here just never been hungry?

 

Even the autobody class at the Vo-tech high school is backed up 3 years, so that's not an option like it was in 1999.

[MCHinson]

I am not sure where you are in Virginia. Is there a MAACO nearby? That is about the only fast inexpensive place for a paint job that I have heard of lately.

[keiser31]

Just now, MCHinson said:

I am not sure where you are in Virginia. Is there a MAACO nearby? That is about the only fast inexpensive place for a paint job that I have heard of lately.

Do good enough prep and those Maaco jobs come out OK.

[Mars]

I painted my 30 Desoto with a brush using oil base enamel. People can't believe it. Looks great.

[Paul Dobbin]

If you use a MAACO type shop, go by often to see finished paint work.  Often they have big turnover in painters and will hire the next transient that claims to be a painter.  I've seen nice paint jobs and awful messes.  If it looks good ask the painters name and request him by name.

[auburnseeker]

49 minutes ago, Mars said:

I painted my 30 Desoto with a brush using oil base enamel. People can't believe it. Looks great.

Looks great.  It's all in the amount of thinner and the speed at which you apply,  and of course a good brush.  

[Frank DuVal]

4 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

If you use a MAACO type shop, go by often to see finished paint work.  Often they have big turnover in painters and will hire the next transient that claims to be a painter.  I've seen nice paint jobs and awful messes.  If it looks good ask the painters name and request him by name.

 

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The best Maaco I heard about in the late 80s was in Tidewater and used Sikkens!

 

A local (Richmond) Maaco, in the late 80s, brought all the problem cars  in and set the place on fire! The stack of burned cars included a 58 Buick, Porsche 356, Falcon convertible, etc. Their franchise was NOT renewed!😉

[marcapra]

Quote

I painted my 30 Desoto with a brush using oil base enamel. 

 

It looks great, but why would you choose to paint with a brush.  Would not it be easier to paint it with a gun, or even a cheap Turbo HVLP system cost $95.  

[Dave Henderson]

If using enamel, a dust free environment is especially important because of the drying time.  If working inside, vacuum dust and make the area as clean as possible, thenallow time for any remaining dust to settle.  Take precautions to protect places where overspray would do harm.  Dampen the floor and move around the least amount possible to minimize the sturring up of dust. Don't open or close the door if it goes overhead, to prevent dust from dropping because of vibrations.  If outside, do it under an easy-up canopy if one is available.  Spraying nearby grassy areas with insecticide helps keeping bugs from getting into the paint.   Be sure to have plenty of light.

[Restorer32]

A roller is faster than a brush. Mo

[kings32]

There is a Maaco in Hanover Pa that does some great work . I have seen antiques and street machines come out of this ,  kings32 

[plymouthcranbrook]

Back in the past I had a couple of cars done by the now defunct Earl Scheib shop in Waukegan. The manager told me outright that to get a good job I should do all the prep work myself because they did not have time to really do it right.  I did on both of them and got a good driver quality job.  When I was there I could see the prep work was limited to say the least. In by nine, out by five  was the promise and I expect a quick wash and maybe a wipe down with thinner was all you might get

Edited July 27, 2019 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[mercer09]

I miss earl scheib, but maaco takes a close 2nd!

 

When in college, I would buy a used car, do some minor body work and run it to Earl Scheib for a 89.00 paint job..........

 

no ups and no extras!  made some money to pay my tuition and living expenses.

 

those were the days my friend- I thought theyld never end...........

[franklinman]

13 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Curious if this is everywhere or peculiar to this area. The old Gray Ghost wagon needs paint badly, just a maintenance thing to preserve it. What I'm finding is that if a job doesn't have an insurance check attached, body shop doesn't want to talk to you. And if they will, they tell you it would be fill-in work and may take months if not years. Or have painters here just never been hungry?

 

Even the autobody class at the Vo-tech high school is backed up 3 years, so that's not an option like it was in 1999.

The answer to your question is simple economics. Collision work is more profitable for the body shop.  That's what most are set up to do, and with good employees they can, and often do, beat the flat rate times paid by the insurance companies so in effect they can make double time on many jobs.  Rust repair and all over paint jobs just don't pay as well.  Also the restoration side of the game is quite different and most of their employees just aren't trained for it.

[padgett]

I had a race car painted yellow at Earl Sheib many years ago. They went beyond what was expected and painted the seats, interior, and tires.

[60FlatTop]

15 hours ago, rocketraider said:

The old Gray Ghost wagon needs paint badly

 

Gray, huh?

 

Have you checked the VFW or American Legion? Might find a sailor.

[TexRiv_63]

15 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Curious if this is everywhere or peculiar to this area. The old Gray Ghost wagon needs paint badly, just a maintenance thing to preserve it. What I'm finding is that if a job doesn't have an insurance check attached, body shop doesn't want to talk to you. And if they will, they tell you it would be fill-in work and may take months if not years. Or have painters here just never been hungry?

 

Even the autobody class at the Vo-tech high school is backed up 3 years, so that's not an option like it was in 1999.

This has been a problem for a long time. Back in the early 2000s I needed to paint a 95 Chevy cop car but no regular body shop would do a full paint job unless I paid a ridiculous price. I found a guy in a rural area with a back yard booth and he did a good single stage job for cheap - of course I did all the prep and reassembly myself. I would agree with others that Maaco is your best bet but don't go with the cheap entry level job, wait until they have the better quality job on sale which they do a few times a year.

[39BuickEight]

Most “regular” body shops won’t mess with self pay jobs, but they can direct you to somewhere that does.  That’s how I found my painter.  He used to work at a large shop, but decided he would rather work for himself.

[J3Studio]

Another educational thread—thanks, folks.

[marcapra]

Quote

 had a race car painted yellow at Earl Sheib many years ago. They went beyond what was expected and painted the seats, interior, and tires.

Hey, you got some ups and extras for no extra charge!  Great!  

I know Earl's kept going up over the years due to inflation, but if I remember from my youngest days listening to the radio, early 60s, an Earl Sheib commercial with Early saying "I'll paint any car, any color for $29.95!  

•  

Edited July 27, 2019 by marcapra (see edit history)

[John S.]

rocketraider,  MAACO  is a good place  for a quality paint job, however, I would do all the prep  and body  work myself, then take it over for them just to paint it. I had a friend do that with  his Nash , and had very nice results. And don't be afraid to stop by and check on the work. Good luck. Keep us posted. John

[Harold]

There are many body shops that prep their customers' cars and send them to Maaco.   The customer pays 'body shop retail'.

 

I was a service writer at a Ford dealer in the 1980's and Ford was paying dealers about $1,700.00 per car for repaints due to paint problems.  Our in-house body man would prep  'em and ship 'em to Maaco for far less than $1,700.00.  One owner stopped in to ask about progress on her car, which was taking more time than anticipated.  She smiled and said to me 'are they running slow at Earl Scheib?'   I looked her in the eye and said 'We'd never send a car there'.   Little did she know......

[plymouthcranbrook]

The Scheib franchise went belly up in 2010.  And they would(at least the Waukegan one) paint door jams etc but was an extra cost job.

[JamesR]

Yeah, MAACO. Eight or nine hundred dollars would get you a presentable (but not much more) paint job 15 years ago. I don't know what their bottom of the line paint job costs today. Probably more.

[Jim Bollman]

Fellow at the Crosley Nationals did a two tone paint job on his Crosley wagon with Rustoleum rattle cans. I could not believe how nice it came out. After the normal prep he did 4 coats of Rustoleum wet sanding between coats. He said he planned on one more coat. 

[Marty Roth]

6 hours ago, marcapra said:

Hey, you got some ups and extras for no extra charge!  Great!  

I know Earl's kept going up over the years due to inflation, but if I remember from my youngest days listening to the radio, early 60s, an Earl Sheib commercial with Early saying "I'll paint any car, any color for $29.95!  

•  

 

They would frequently run an EXTRA SPECIAL-

Limited color choice , but only $19.95

My friend's 1950 ford got that job in green,

and it came out looking like a shiny PICKLE.

 

On the other hand, back in the 1960s before I had time to do a complete body-off-chassis restoration on my 1948 MG-TC, it was in desparate need of paint, and the Earl Sheib $29.95 job was "fairly" close to Brittish Racing Green. It was just good enough until I finally had the time for what the car deserved.

[Doug Novak]

Macco two part paint  not a clear coat just a lot of waxing over the years. 

 

 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I just want to throw my two cents worth in regarding brush painting -- I learned long ago that brush streaks can be diminished or eliminated all together if the paint that you are dipping your brush into is warm. I've always used a "hot pad", like you would use for aches and pains, under the paint. I know that some of you are thinking that could cause some kind of fire or explosive hazard could result, but I'm simply talking about raising the temp twenty to thirty degrees. I use a piece of somewhat high mil plastic between the paint pot and the hot pad to keep the pad from absorbing paint. It makes a huge difference in how the paint flows off of the brush.

[plymouthcranbrook]

16 hours ago, Dave Henderson said:

If using enamel, a dust free environment is especially important because of the drying time.  If working inside, vacuum dust and make the area as clean as possible, thenallow time for any remaining dust to settle.  Take precautions to protect places where overspray would do harm.  Dampen the floor and move around the least amount possible to minimize the sturring up of dust. Don't open or close the door if it goes overhead, to prevent dust from dropping because of vibrations.  If outside, do it under an easy-up canopy if one is available.  Spraying nearby grassy areas with insecticide helps keeping bugs from getting into the paint.   Be sure to have plenty of light.

My late Brother-in-Law who taught me to paint cars with acrylic enamel had me put a window fan set on low exhausting through the garage window after doing what Dave suggested. He said it kept the dust down and helped lessen over spray. 

[rocketraider]

Maaco may be my best route unless I can find an opening at the vo-tech highschool. With 409k on the car, it's become a point of honor to keep it running, and while it runs and drives 100%, it just looks shabby. But I'd still rather drive it than the newer cars with all their damned electronic gadgets. Suffice to say that "drive-by-wire" just feels weird to me until I've driven about 20 miles...