Seeking a great body/paint man in central NJ

[StylishOne]

I have a 50’s Buick with lots of surface rust from thinning paint. I’m looking for a really good paint body guy.. hopefully somewhat reasonable?  ( dreaming? lol)

 

Any first hand recommendations?  The body is super straight. But it needs to be stripped n painted .. what’s the going rate for full paint work these days $? .. it’s been years since I repainted a car! 

[Gary W]

Good morning!

 

Here's a great place to start:

 

Tim at Surfside Collision located at 539 Mantoloking Road in Bricktown, NJ

Phone: 732.477.2266

Fax: 732.920.0512

 

Quick story:  My buddy John owns a '67 Mustang (owned it for 40 years).  Perfect.  A couple months ago, the front right tire "de-treaded" while he was driving and the tread just beat the hell out of the inner wheel well, actually caused the right headlight to get blown out through the front of the car, the parking light was wrecked and the top of the fender was pushed up to where the paint was cracked.  Tim expertly matched the paint, did all the body repairs, and finished the job to where you wouldn't ever know anything ever happened.  Beautiful job.  Not only that, but he flat bedded it both ways so John didn't have to drive it over and back.  

 

Tim first came over with a few different paint panels and used a special light to get the color as close to perfect as possible.

 

The finished fender.  all the dents are gone, the paint matches beautifully

 

Outside the shop, finished for delivery!

 

Good Luck with your search!  

Gary

[Walt G]

If you find someone who will do the job the biggest issue may be the time to strip it down to bare metal. Can you do this? Even if you do a section then to stop further rusting do a light dust spray with a rattle can of sandable primer that the body shop can then easily scuff to then do their thing. If you do this "prep" work you will save yourself a lot of $ in labor. You need to decide as well what type of paint: enamel, lacquer, base coat clear coat. this will determine material cost.

[Gary W]

Walt has a great point.  When I restored my Buick, I hired a blaster who came to my house and did all the paint / rust removal down to the bare metal in my driveway.  

Definitely helps keep the paint bill down.

[John348]

Why would a great paint and body guy need to be reasonably priced?

[vermontboy]

"what’s the going rate for full paint work these days $?"

 

Seriously, anywhere from $5-8K (may be higher depending on the condition of "surface rust" and what else they may find) for a mask and spray up to as much as you want to spend if you want the trim and glass removed. And what color - that makes a difference. If it's gloss black one person's "super straight" might be a couple of weeks worth of work to a bodyman who is going to sign his name to the results.

 

Do you have a budget ? Do you want a 10 footer, a decent finish for a daily driver or a show car finish. The more you tell us the more useful the answers will be. Pictures would help.

 

 

[StylishOne]

10 hours ago, Gary W said:

Good morning!

 

Here's a great place to start:

 

Tim at Surfside Collision located at 539 Mantoloking Road in Bricktown, NJ

Phone: 732.477.2266

Fax: 732.920.0512

 

Quick story:  My buddy John owns a '67 Mustang (owned it for 40 years).  Perfect.  A couple months ago, the front right tire "de-treaded" while he was driving and the tread just beat the hell out of the inner wheel well, actually caused the right headlight to get blown out through the front of the car, the parking light was wrecked and the top of the fender was pushed up to where the paint was cracked.  Tim expertly matched the paint, did all the body repairs, and finished the job to where you wouldn't ever know anything ever happened.  Beautiful job.  Not only that, but he flat bedded it both ways so John didn't have to drive it over and back.  

 

Tim first came over with a few different paint panels and used a special light to get the color as close to perfect as possible.

 

The finished fender.  all the dents are gone, the paint matches beautifully

 

Outside the shop, finished for delivery!

 

Good Luck with your search!  

Gary

Thank you for your detailed reply 

[StylishOne]

1 hour ago, John348 said:

Why would a great paint and body guy need to be reasonably priced?

I said reasonable, not free .. I’m not doing a Duesie 

[StylishOne]

10 hours ago, Walt G said:

If you find someone who will do the job the biggest issue may be the time to strip it down to bare metal. Can you do this? Even if you do a section then to stop further rusting do a light dust spray with a rattle can of sandable primer that the body shop can then easily scuff to then do their thing. If you do this "prep" work you will save yourself a lot of $ in labor. You need to decide as well what type of paint: enamel, lacquer, base coat clear coat. this will determine material cost.

Not sure about which paint. I think they had Magic Mirror finish then .. I’d have to discuss it more with those that know more.. the car is solid black there isn’t that much trim on them that year .. 

 

Yes I’ll think of what you said as I go forward 

[StylishOne]

1 minute ago, StylishOne said:

Not sure about which paint. I think they had Magic Mirror finish then .. I’d have to discuss it more with those that know more.. the car is solid black there isn’t that much trim on them that year .. 

 

Yes I’ll think of what you said as I go forward 

Thank you

[StylishOne]

1 hour ago, vermontboy said:

"what’s the going rate for full paint work these days $?"

 

Seriously, anywhere from $5-8K (may be higher depending on the condition of "surface rust" and what else they may find) for a mask and spray up to as much as you want to spend if you want the trim and glass removed. And what color - that makes a difference. If it's gloss black one person's "super straight" might be a couple of weeks worth of work to a bodyman who is going to sign his name to the results.

 

Do you have a budget ? Do you want a 10 footer, a decent finish for a daily driver or a show car finish. The more you tell us the more useful the answers will be. Pictures would help.

 

 

It’s about what I thought it might be .. I hate orange peel and overspray .. I want a shiny even professional look . It need not improve on the original finish. But not be beneath it. 
 

As for pics.. I hate doing that it’s like sending a pic of your wife around without sleep or make up.. a lasting memory you can’t unsee!  But I do like the blasting idea . Once you sandblast the undercarriage what do you apply after.. paint, then undercoating ? 
 

Thank you..

[alsancle]

Last car I painted it was 5k just for paint.  I can’t imagine you can paint any 1950s car for under 20k these days.  And there is a huge spread in what “new paint” might look like.  A lot of cars look way better in the rough old paint.

[StylishOne]

6 hours ago, alsancle said:

Last car I painted it was 5k just for paint.  I can’t imagine you can paint any 1950s car for under 20k these days.  And there is a huge spread in what “new paint” might look like.  A lot of cars look way better in the rough old paint.

Thanks ..but not this one 

[rwchatham]

Quality materials will cost a minimum of 7k so figure 25 and up as a starting point for a decent  job .

[John_S_in_Penna]

12 hours ago, John348 said:

Why would a great paint and body guy need to be reasonably priced?

John, I feel that the value of the car may determine how

much will be realistically spent on it.  Excellent paint jobs

can be had near me for $10,000;  one restorer I respect

estimated his services at $30,000 (at $50 per hour).

That's twice the value of the finished car, and wholly

outside the realm of reality for my circumstance.

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[StylishOne]

Wow what an optimistic reply   Thanks kinda knew I’d hear it ..

[John348]

12 hours ago, StylishOne said:

I said reasonable, not free .. I’m not doing a Duesie 

The title to your thread says seeking a "great paint and body guy need to be reasonably priced" You might not be doing a Duesie, but you were still looking for a great paint and body guy at a reasonable price

[StylishOne]

3 hours ago, rwchatham said:

Quality materials will cost a minimum of 7k so figure 25 and up as a starting point for a decent  job .

Well that’s foolish to pay ..for this car.. I think someone can do a great job for far less.. if not maybe it’s primer  forever! 

[The 55er]

Today perfection comes with a high price. If you don't need absolute perfection get yourself a quality HVLP spray system and teach yourself how to do it. 

[StylishOne]

Thanks. I didn’t say perfection  though I admire it.. I’m certain there’s something in between that’s nice enough..

[StylishOne]

15 minutes ago, John348 said:

The title to your thread says seeking a "great paint and body guy need to be reasonably priced" You might not be doing a Duesie, but you were still looking for a great paint and body guy at a reasonable price

Of course.. I forgot that I have to be very careful with my word choices in here. 

[John348]

41 minutes ago, StylishOne said:

Of course.. I forgot that I have to be very careful with my word choices in here. 

It is not a question of being careful with words, it is pretty clear what your request was, maybe change the title of your thread to describe what you really are actually looking for. I pretty sure we all know what a Great Body and a Great Paint guy is, and we all know they all know they don't come at a reasonable price, and if they do, there always will be a 'but' part of the story.  

[alsancle]

Could you post some pictures of the car?

 

most 1950s cars, assuming zero cost basis, are underwater if you do a nice paint job. It is really that expensive and hard to do these days.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Special thanks to Gary W. who gave a helpful reply

with the name of a body shop. 

[West Peterson]

If your goal is to not be "underwater" value-wise, then stop right there. Restoring a car, almost ANY car, will put you underwater value-wise. There are many reasons to restore a car, but good economics is not one of them. You do it because it's a hobby. As opposed to golf, or fishing, tho, there is a little monetary reward at the end, especially if you hold onto the car long enough. 

You may say you're not "restoring" the car, just wanting a paint job. However, once the paint is on, then the chrome doesn't looks so good, and of course, all the weather stripping may as well be replaced while you're at it.

[TAKerry]

If you want a reasonable priced paint job, look around and talk to the guys at maaco. I think they are a franchise so not all shops will be the same. Ask if they do special projects. You may have to go to a couple of different locations to find one that will do a job like this. Like mentioned above the more you can do the less the cost. Maybe remove the trim etc. If you want something respectable I would surmise that $4k-$5k would paint the car. When I needed paint for my car I talked to about 3 locations before I found one that would do the job. They gave me an idea of $3k-$4k about 7 years or so (trans am). The deal was I was going to sand and prime, paint the finish coat on the jambs, under hood, etc. Assemble the body panels and they were going to paint the main body. Colour is black. By the time I taught myself how to paint the primer and the hidden areas I figured what the heck so I did the final coats on the car. Came out OK by my standards. 

[alsancle]

48 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

If you want a reasonable priced paint job, look around and talk to the guys at maaco. I think they are a franchise so not all shops will be the same. Ask if they do special projects. You may have to go to a couple of different locations to find one that will do a job like this. Like mentioned above the more you can do the less the cost. Maybe remove the trim etc. If you want something respectable I would surmise that $4k-$5k would paint the car. When I needed paint for my car I talked to about 3 locations before I found one that would do the job. They gave me an idea of $3k-$4k about 7 years or so (trans am). The deal was I was going to sand and prime, paint the finish coat on the jambs, under hood, etc. Assemble the body panels and they were going to paint the main body. Colour is black. By the time I taught myself how to paint the primer and the hidden areas I figured what the heck so I did the final coats on the car. Came out OK by my standards. 

Kerry, you are pointing out some thing we are all assuming that should probably be stated.

 

Painting a car is the very last step in long process of preparation. That process of preparation is incredibly time consuming, requires a lot of skill, it is very hard to find these days.

 

Traditional body shops are not what they were even 20 years ago.

 

 

[John348]

11 minutes ago, alsancle said:

Kerry, you are pointing out some thing we are all assuming that should probably be stated.

 

Painting a car is the very last step in long process of preparation. That process of preparation is incredibly time consuming, requires a lot of skill, it is very hard to find these days.

 

Traditional body shops are not what they were even 20 years ago.

 

 

Very true, the traditional body shops have become collision shops, and seldom ever do a total paint job. They don't need to tie the shop up on a non-insurance job or job that requires parts that are not on the shelf.   

[Harold]

To the OP:

I have seen many nicely done cars that were painted by the Maaco in Tinton Falls.  You may want to check them out.

NOTE:  I'm not affiliated with Maaco, just offering my observations.

[StylishOne]

18 minutes ago, Harold said:

To the OP:

I have seen many nicely done cars that were painted by the Maaco in Tinton Falls.  You may want to check them out.

NOTE:  I'm not affiliated with Maaco, just offering my observations.

Thank you. Good to know ..

 

I was about to go to Walmart for 20 spray cans of black gloss! 

[Gary W]

I hired a mobile sandblaster who came out to the house.  I built a wood carriage to support the car so he could work and spin the body, get under / over...  

 

The body attached to the wooden frame which is on casters for easy maneuvers.

 

 

Joe started at the front, nice and slow so there was no metal heating or warping.

 

 

The rear after he was done.  Some earlier bondo was exposed

 

 

Doors, fenders and miscellaneous parts all done.

 

 

Before and after of the inside

 

 

Before and after of the trunk area

 

 

 

Then off to the paint shop where the final sanding, self-etch primer, build up primer, sanding between every step before color and clear.  The underside of the fenders were treated with an undercoat.

 

 

Finished in "Super Jet Black"

 

 

 

I now have 2500 miles on the car since the restoration was completed.

 

 

[pmhowe]

Gary,

Your Buick looks great. Would you share the time frame when you had it sandblasted and painted, and what the respray cost? That will help immensely.

Thanks,

Phil

[alsancle]

44 minutes ago, Gary W said:

I hired a mobile sandblaster who came out to the house.  I built a wood carriage to support the car so he could work and spin the body, get under / over... 

 

Your restoration thread was epic.   The metal in that car looks like dry desert to me.   Did you have much rust repair after the sand blasting?

[edinmass]

Never, ever sandblast ANY car with its paint on it. If sandblasting is necessary…….sometime it is, sometimes it is not. The car should be chemically stripped two or three times, allowing 1/3 the pressure and a much finer material to remove what is left. Very, very few people can sandblast a car and not warp the panels. Especially if one is working to a price………..it can take countless hours to properly get a car down to base metal. Sandblasting is usually done as a low bid/quick job. Thus usually black beauty and lots of pressure to get in and out. Dipping a car can also be ok…..or a disaster. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[StylishOne]

9 hours ago, edinmass said:

Never, ever sandblast ANY car with its paint on it. If sandblasting is necessary…….sometime it is, sometimes it is not. The car should be chemically stripped two or three times, allowing 1/3 the pressure and a much finer material to remove what is left. Very, very few people can sandblast a car and not warp the panels. Especially if one is working to a price………..it can take countless hours to properly get a car down to base metal. Sandblasting is usually done as a low bid/quick job. Thus usually black beauty and lots of pressure to get in and out. Dipping a car can also be ok…..or a disaster. 

 

12 hours ago, Harold said:

To the OP:

I have seen many nicely done cars that were painted by the Maaco in Tinton Falls.  You may want to check them out.

NOTE:  I'm not affiliated with Maaco, just offering my observations.

Thanks appreciate it

[StylishOne]

10 hours ago, edinmass said:

Never, ever sandblast ANY car with its paint on it. If sandblasting is necessary…….sometime it is, sometimes it is not. The car should be chemically stripped two or three times, allowing 1/3 the pressure and a much finer material to remove what is left. Very, very few people can sandblast a car and not warp the panels. Especially if one is working to a price………..it can take countless hours to properly get a car down to base metal. Sandblasting is usually done as a low bid/quick job. Thus usually black beauty and lots of pressure to get in and out. Dipping a car can also be ok…..or a disaster. 

Thank you .. learn something new all the time..

[Gary W]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:30 PM, edinmass said:

Very, very few people can sandblast a car and not warp the panels. Especially if one is working to a price………..it can take countless hours to properly get a car down to base metal. Sandblasting is usually done as a low bid/quick job. Thus usually black beauty and lots of pressure to get in and out.

 

Please allow me to clarify.

 

I used the term "SANDBLAST" as a generic term that encompasses all types of media blasting techniques.

Edinmass is correct that blasting is very difficult, very technique sensitive and involves a lot of skill.  Done wrong, and the blaster will generate excess heat with excessive pressure and will absolutely cause metal warpage and ruin your restoration.

 

I sincerely hope that my reply was not misinterpreted that I am endorsing some fly-by-night blaster to get the job done quick and use crappy coal slag (black beauty) to do the job cheaply.  

That was not my intention.  I never cut corners or let price dictate my decisions.  I like quality people that turn out quality work.

 

 

So let me update my post with a little more detailed information:

 

1.  My cars were MEDIA BLASTED in my driveway by Atlantic Sodablast and Stripping.  Joe is very talented and is a car guy.  When we first met in 2014, discussing my 1914 Ford Model "T", Joe told me: "First, we do not blast with sand. Sand contains silica and can be very harmful to the lungs so we use an inert CRUSHED GLASS media.  CRUSHED GLASS media will not warp the panels or leave any residue."  The Model "T" came out perfect, so I called him back when I did the Buick in 2017.

 

2.  Joe worked over NINE hours in the driveway to complete the job.  Not a quick job when it is done carefully and correctly.

 

3.  The job was not cheap.  You pay for the glass media, the set up and his time.  I spent over $1,500.00 having the Buick blasted.  That was over nine hours of work and 500 pounds of glass.

 

Let me share a few photos:

 

 

In 2014 I restored a 1914 Ford Model "T" Touring car.  Please notice how far away from the body Joe is situated.

 

 

 

Using just enough pressure the glass media slowly removes the paint without any warping.  

 

 

 

I took a first place in the Monmouth County Concourse in 2016.  Nothing was destroyed during the blasting.

 

 

 

Back at it in 2017, again you can see the angle of approach, the distance he is from the body.  A very long nine-hour day to finish it.

 

 

 

And the final result came out very nice.

 

 

 

So, I shared the shop I used for the blasting and recommended a local paint shop that I have had personal experience with.  I hope I didn't create any confusion by using the generic term "sandblast".  I should have been more exact with my words.

As always, I defer to the guys with much more experience than I'll ever have.  And Edinmass is one of those guys.  I've relied on his advice throughout my restoration.... and beyond!  

I've said it in my blog a million times:  I would not want anyone to follow my advice and it ends up causing trouble, so do your research.

 

Thanks for your time!

Gary

 

 

On 9/12/2022 at 7:37 PM, pmhowe said:

Your Buick looks great. Would you share the time frame when you had it sandblasted and painted, and what the respray cost? That will help immensely.

You can follow my blog from the point of blasting, to the trip to the body shop and the paint process here:  (Just touch the arrow in the upper right corner)

When I re-read my posts, I tend to call it "sandblasting" but I actually did emphasize that it was glass beaded.

 

 

[edinmass]

Gary…….a much better answer. And I probably should have explained myself. Half or more of my cars have aluminum coachwork, needless to say, you don’t use any type of compressed air media on them. My 36 Pierce was very rusty…..less than a parts car when I started. We actually used sand on it……..but it’s heavier than 99 percent of cars out there, we were careful……….and it was 35 years ago.  The length of time you stated is about correct. I see many people do an entire car in a few hours. All good, and your cars look very nice.

 

PS- doing it in your driveway……you have a very understanding wife!

Edited September 14, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[prewarnut]

"PS- doing it in your driveway……you have a very understanding wife!"

 

...and judging from the grounds, accomodating neighbors. Neither are easy to find nowadays!