Cost of (properly) repainting a CAV GT40?

Hi there,

I guess many of you buying an existing car were facing the same problem I am struggling with at the moment.

Sometimes the car is right but the colour isn't and I was wondering how much it would cost to have a car repainted properly. I would have to use an expert anyway but different from a usual car repainting a CAV GT40 might need some extra attention (is it e.g. required to strip the car from all glass parts like windows or headlamps etc?).

Just need to know whether I should allow for an additional budget of e.g. EUR 3k or double the cost. When I was asking a US dealer (with an extremely nice car for sale) that question today he came back to me saying that he would be able to repaint the car to whatever colour for USD 10k which did sound a bit high to me.

Thanks for any useful input.

Thomas
 
Thomas,
My repaint about 8 years ago was 6K. I had 4 racing stripes, 2 wide and 2 narrow on either side and they were not leveled. You could feel the ridges of the stripes. it would have been about another 2k to even it out. That was outside of my budget at the time. All items like lights, emblems, plexi, door handles and stainless items and grill work will have to be removed. Side mirrors should be removed and painted separately. Doors are optional as you decide on the level of the quality. Front wind screen should be able to remain. They are easily broken when trying to remove. If you have molding around it it is a toss up. If you plan to undercoat the car do that first. Include any air deflectors(pieces between the frame and the front clip) in the front bay. Mine had them and the undercoat looks nice on them.Do you know your colors yet?? If not I have a suggestion. PM me for information.

Bill
 
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Mike

Lifetime Supporter
Thomas, $10k sounds cheap. Having just had mine painted I can tell you I spent quite a bit more than that. I would get a few more estimates and see if that number still makes sense. As with most things, you probably get what you pay for. Good luck and post pictures when it is complete.
 
Thomas,
My repaint about 8 years ago was 6K. I had 4 racing stripes, 2 wide and 2 narrow on either side and they were not leveled. You could feel the ridges of the stripes. it would have been about another 2k to even it out. That was outside of my budget at the time. All items like lights, emblems, plexi, door handles and stainless items and grill work will have to be removed. Side mirrors should be removed and painted separately. Doors are optional as you decide on the level of the quality. Front wind screen should be able to remain. They are easily broken when trying to remove. If you have molding around it it is a toss up. If you plan to undercoat the car do that first. Include any air deflectors(pieces between the frame and the front clip) in the front bay. Mine had them and the undercoat looks nice on them.Do you know your colors yet?? If not I have a suggestion. PM me for information.

Bill

Thanks Bill for this indication. Well, I can't make up my mind whether to go for the pure look of silver titanium like this one

http://www.cav.co.za/images/adds/ad02.jpg

Or for a special Gulf look but for some reason I do not like the orange nose so I would simply go for a blue car with one orange middle stripe (and only a few decals) which would look about like this one (I know this one has the original Gulf painting including the orange nose but from that angle you can hardly see it which helps visualizing how my colour scheme would look like)

http://www.cav.co.za/images/photo_general/05.jpg

One I am contemplating is this one which is not a bad color per se it's just that it looks a bit gaudy for my taste - this car deserves an authentic look

Seibert Automobile in Frankfurt/M
 
Hello
The most important thing to be aware in doing a change of color is to choice someone used to do so on historic or kit cars and used to coat fiberglass bodyworks because ;
1/ depending on what type of paint have been used before it is necessary to do hard work af sanding and use the good stuff to coat a barrier in beetwen old stuff and new paint ( to day it's totally different process - water base paint- from years ago when using polyuréthane or acrilic paints )
So carefull to be with reactions on different brand of paints
2/ workshop doing that is mandatory to know how to disassemble various ancillaries and taking pics before, to have archives of how it was !!
Do a list before of where to source parts that can be damaged when pulling out ( polycarbonate stuff etc)
3/ have a good brain storming of what type of paint is to be used and at what temp it will be cured due to the fact you will never dismantle all engine bay with so many rubber hoses and with may be vapor into the tanks etc etc,

Once all this points are in mind , with the appropriate people and workshop you can start to discuss MONEY !!!!
 
Has anyone ever thought about using a foil instead of paint? It's quite popular in Austria and if properly done it's really impressive. If you are interested just take a look at the pictures on that website (which includes a nice Gulf-blue Lamborghini if you scroll down further). Typically less expensive than a paint job (takes usually 2 days to complete) and if you don't like it anymore you can simply peel it off again.

Just an idea ...

Exklusive Fahrzeug Voll- und Teilfolierungen
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
Thomas

When I finished the DAX I looked to get it painted.
I would drive the car there in gel coat - they would dismantel prep and paint

In the UK I had quotes from £1100 to £8700. (On top of that hw would have added 20% VAT)

The more work and preparation you do yourself the lower the price will be

Ian
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
The actual cost will vary so much that any number quoted doen't mean much. As others have said the paint cost is a small part of the total coat. Prep will always make or break a paint job.

My advice would be to get the car home and do as much prep as possible yourself and then get some quotes locally from paint shops that are recommended by people you know.

A couple of things that will work in your favor is you can store the pieces at home while the car is away for paint, you can do a final walk around before the paint goes on, you will be able to get the painter, the body prep guy, the car, and yourself in the same place at the same time and completely come to a understanding what is expected and at what cost.

It is important to address the old paint versus the new stuff going on compatability issue with the painter. He might recomend a sealer over the exsisting paint. Either way if he doesn't mention it then you should and if you are not confortable with the plan to address it then look elsewhere for a paintjob.

My main concern would be getting the car done here and then not being happy with the result. You can't send it back to correct problems and it could end with tears trying to reach a settlement by remote control across the Atlantic.

Get it home, spend some time with the car, find a paint shop you are confindent of, and monitor the process yourself.
 
Thomas, I can't add to what the others have said since they are spot on when it comes to painting the car but the idea of "wrapping" (or putting "foil" as you called it) on the car entered my mind when considering a re-do of my CAV. I've done some research and found its becoming much more popular as its cost effective, durable, more brilliant then paint (I'm told) and can be done fairly quickly so the car isn't in the shop for months and can actually protect the paint underneath. Of course like any other scenario getting the right people to create the "wrap" and putting it on is critical. I know many think its somewhat sacrilegious to even think about doing this to a GT 40 but I'm told they can create the entire Gulf Liveried wrap including decals for far less money then a decent paint job. Its certainly given me something to think about when the time comes. Its more then a passing thought for me now.
 
I wanted to put a mustache and strip on my CAV soon after buying the car. Went to the biggest wrap company in town to get an estimate and look into what it was all about.

Didn't like the colors available (wanted a pearl white) and wasn't happy about the installation process. Compound corners and edges would be a problem. I also talked to several people who had wraps on their cars and got a mixed review on long term durability.

Bottom line, my 40 remains clean shaven and stripless for the near term. If you are serious about wrapping the entire car, do your homework.
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
Normally around the £3,000 - 4,000 mark depending on complexity of livery. Our local painter will take on work as a "hospital job" which he works on when there is nothing else going on. He has done a GT40 for £2,000 and a bare metal repay on a Camaro for the same. Takes a few weeks but saves the cash.
Cheers
Mike
 

Malcolm

Supporter
Depends on whether it is just prepare to paint or redoing shut lines and major body work which is then a whole different ball game. As it sounds like you car is already painted it should be less than a gel coat to paint job. Paint cost x but how many hours labour do you need?
 
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