Painting UK

[Simon]

I've just had a quotation to repaint my GTD.
£2,400 including materials!
Now that seems a bit exessive to me when was going to remove all the parts (lights, door handles, windows, sills etc) AND rub it down in preparation for paint (I used to work in a bodyshop many moons ago, so know how to prepare it correctly) I was even going to deliver it on a trailer!
All that they would have to do would be mask it up (blimey I could even do that) and paint it.
Can anyone recommend a painter (pref s/e uk) who will just paint for a reasonable price?
Thanks

Simon

 

I would highley recommend RCP (Race Car Paint). They have painted most of the Caterhams in ou local club and the job is excellent. Thier bread and Butter is the F1 cars for a lot of the race teams as well as the Prodrive LeMans Cars. Which makes it a very cool place to visit!
I cannot comment on price other to say they have alway's been fair and I have alway's felt like it was a good deal.

They are not in the SE they are over in Oxfordshire. Hamish Wood is the guy to contact on 01367 244 600

 

[Mike Inglis]

That's not a bad price Simon, especially if it includes the dreaded vat.

Mike

 

[Graham T]

Simon,

That sounds a fair price to me especially if it includes materials.
You may trailor it to the spray shop and have rubbed it down before hand but believe me by the time you arrive the car will have picked up road film, exhaust residue etc, etc.
The shell will probably require 2 high build coats of primer surfacer which is rubbed down dry in order to fill those blemishes you WILL miss, then a coat or two of primer which is then, after a dusting coat cut back wet. Top coats and possibly laquer, depending on your colour scheme and cutting back will all add to the huge amount of work involved in good car painting. I have considerable experience in preparation work and believe me the final top coat spraying is the easy part. If you want a good job the secret is in the preparation, preparation, preparation .....

And do not under estimate how long it takes to mask a rolling chassied car up properly. If there is a gap anywhere i promise you the spray will find it and if you are using a two-pack paint it will be a bugger to remove if it gets on already good finishes. Materials will come to over £500 if they have to follow above scenario.
Find out just what they intend to do and also get some other quotes for the same proceedure. You could find some places add another £1000 to that figure...
Remember that your shell is not new and it will be covered in nasties no matter how much you think it is rubbed down.

PREPARATION, PREPARATION, PREPARATION. And that costs !!!

Regards,

Graham @ GTA

 

[Simon]

Thanks guys,

As it's not a new bodyshell, it's been painted before so all it needs is a rub down with 800 grade to key the new paint.
I had a quote of 3K to paint my last car, a Cobra. This included all the stripping, masking, filling any ripples (lots) painting (with stripes) and fitting back up.
I know there's more bodywork on the '40 but with all the preparation done beforehand, I was hoping for a better price (2.4K is for a flat colour, no stripes, no laquer, no stripping down or fitting up, just mask, spot prime and colour)
Maybe I'm just too tight!
Simon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[John W]

Best place I have found locally for paintwork at a sensible price is this one:

P & T Repairs
Unit 1, Dorset Way, Byfleet, West Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7LB
Tel: 01932 340046

They do a cracking job, but don't charge the earth (well didn't last time I went there anyway).

 

[Frank Catt]

Simon, believe Mike and Graham, thats a good price !

 

[Tommy]

why dont u paint it yourself Simon?
spend about $600 for Dupont material and wait for a day above 50 deg F
Be a Lion for a day , rather than a Lamb for a lifetime!
You can do it

 

[Simon]

Thanks guys,

Tommy, there's nothing I'd like more (I like to do most things myself) but it's many years since I painted a car and I've never used the new 2-pack paints. I'll look into it though.
The way I see it, the more money I can save on painting (labour) the more I'll have to spend on goodies!
Simon.

 

[Bill Bayard]

Simon,


Are there any trade schools in your area? I had a car prepped and painted years ago by the auto body class at our local technical school. All prep work was done under the careful scrutiny of a seasoned instructor, and a "guest professional", who happened to be a friend of mine, came in to do the spraying.
I paid for primer and paint, but no labor, filler, or even masking materials. The job turned out beautifully! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
It did take some time, but it was well worth the money saved! If memory serves, the job cost me somewhere around $100! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif That was a while ago though.
Just a thought........

Bill

 

[Graham T]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks guys,

As it's not a new bodyshell, it's been painted before so all it needs is a rub down with 800 grade to key the new paint.
I had a quote of 3K to paint my last car, a Cobra. This included all the stripping, masking, filling any ripples (lots) painting (with stripes) and fitting back up.
I know there's more bodywork on the '40 but with all the preparation done beforehand, I was hoping for a better price (2.4K is for a flat colour, no stripes, no laquer, no stripping down or fitting up, just mask, spot prime and colour)
Maybe I'm just too tight!
Simon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Graham T]

Oops,
Sorry, meant to leave this message with last quote.

I thought you had a new front end following your accident.
That part alone will need a thorough degreasing to remove all parting agents and a coarser grade cut back for a GOOD key for a primer surfacer to give a consistent build up for top coats to match your existing paint thickness.
The choice is yours but if you want a good finish the rules must be followed or tears could follow. Remember that your old bodywork and paint has had years to settle, your new front is still "green".

And one more thing for all builders and would be painters to seriously take on board. Always run a hot air gun closely over the surface to "blister" the inevitable air pockets. Dig them out and fill early on because they will show up in an oven bake (which i do not recommend) or on a very hot day coupled with engine generated heat ! ! !

Graham @ GTA.

 

[Tommy]

The two part paints are easy. I have used both Dupont and Sherwin Williams and I like the Dupont better. It looks "wetter" when finished. If i could offer any advice it would be to use a HVLP paint gun. Does it ever get above 50 F in Suffolk? I know it usually rains twice a week. once for three days and then for four days. good luck

 

[Jools]

Your right Tommy, if it get's above 50 f in Suffolk your barn is on fire! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Whatever you decide Simon make sure your chosen paint shop has plenty of experience specifically with GRP as it can mis-behave when painting.

 

Simon,

I used Elite / SMS coachworks in Spalding Lincs. OK they are not local. I did all the prep except for the face of one door.
I delivered the car (drove it) and removed all trim on arrival - same method of collection.

They did primer and top coat. Cost £2600 (not VAT registered) in 2002. Basically its a two man band and I did find the painter OK. I was careful to make a tight description of what I wanted to avoid later arguments - I think he read it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I chose them as a club member had his car done there and it looked good.
They are on 01406 371504.

I din't want to pay this amount but wanted a good finish and I am not disappointed. As an old hand you shouldn't need telling that prepartion is almost everything in getting a good result.

 

[Paul W]

Simon , I went to a paintshop down by Brooklands a few days ago about doing the prep / painting my car. I explained that I would do all of the shutlines and sort any bubbles e.t.c.
For them to do the the final prep and then rub down and paint would be between £1500 and £2000 including materials.
I asked whats the worst case scenario and they said £2500 if what I do needs alot of help and they would want the car for between 2-3 weeks.
They are just 2 guys who have their own garage and spray booth - they have painted some quite expensive exotic stuff.
I would have thought with your car being mostly a respray it would be alot less than my quote.
Canada Coachworks 07831 182971/ 07815 179620

 

[Frank Catt]

Paul et al, Also call DAN at Panelwise in Weybridge, I was there yesterday and I,m impressed, Frank

 

[John W]

Paul,

if you were local to Brooklands you should also have dropped in on the place I posted above.
They are behind the HBT cash & carry (turn in opposite the Bentley garage) just up from the Byfleet & New Haw railway station.

Cheers,
John.

 

The 2 part paint systems are great. Just make sure you use a good resperater! The base color goes on like the old laquers and flash off very fast. Then the clear coat goes on really wet. The only thing I would caution is to watch out for the edges. The edges catch the overspray, and that is were you will get a sag or run.