prep and painting sure haven't gotten any cheaper it seems.

Nicholas,

Where are you getting DCC in California these days?  I haven't been able to get it in San Diego for some time.  I'm stuck with PPG's Shopline for single stage, or go with TCP Global.  

I think the most difficult thing about rebuilding or painting a car is space. Where to put all the stuff that's removed or bought for the project. The size of a car in pieces always seem many times bigger than a whole car.

I've stored parts under my pool table and along the walls of the room its in. Smaller parts I keep in the boxes they were shipped in, on a roll around cart that doubles as a work bench or paint table. Whatever it needs to be that day.

Being careful on reassembly is always a good thing. Slow and deliberate movements. Tape also helps protect the paint while doing this.

Mehinger- suppliers have different levels of paint from low to high quality. Prices reflect them. I have sprayed ppg omni line on an airplane, its inexpensive acrylic enamel. Its just old technology.

Based on a 850 we are painting I would say $4500 would be right. Thats soda blasted and a huge amount of time sanding . Then paying the painter for his time.

What is the difference between good and bad paints? For instance, why is PPG better than Dupont? And as a related question, what is the difference between Nason and Dupont which are the same supplier? What sould I be looking for?

Yeah Al, like you could afford to entertain those "models"
And, like Joy wouldn't do a little snip 'n tuck with a butcher knife..... Gheeeze Dennis, where's our rolleyes emoticon hiding????
 

This moke was around $1,200.00, models excluded (LOL)

BIG AL

I paid $4.500 for Mr. Bridger, having him taken down to the metal.  I wasn't too pleased with the job and had him back several times. This spring I paid $500 to have my flares re-sprayed after they were chipped to hell with the crushed lava rock they put on the roads this year.   I've taken him off the road, this winter

You can go with the cheapest prices and expect to get poor results.  The best paintwork comes from the amount of time and effort you (or your bodyman) spends on getting things right that are under the paint.  The better the prep work, the better the top coat will look.  Stripping the car of all the rubber, chrome, glass, etc, will also make for a better looking finished product.  Also, cheap paint won't last as long, so if you plan on keeping the Mini for a long time consider how many times you want to do this.  Bottom line is that you get what you pay for.  Good luck!

 

Nicholasupton, your pricing seems right on for PPG products. We used PPG exclusively on #68, just the materials cost about $2150 in 2006. It's good stuff and very tough if the prep is done right. As with any paint, the work you do beforhand is critical.

On the other end of the quality scale, we used leftover aircraft paint on this car (Endura). Results are fair, but little time was spent on prep and it won't last anywhere near as long as PPG products. Only the exterior of the car was done, it took about 4 days in total start to finish.

I'm offering resprays starting at $2500. Dupont croma base or sherwin ultra 7000. Some rust/metal work included.

I only use PPG Deltron products on the cars I paint. Bare metal up DPLV sealer, K36 Urathane Primer surfacer, NCS Sealer , DCC single stage urathane or DBC basecoat, and Concept clear. As for cost depending on color anywhere from 1200 for BRG and white, to 2300 for Tartan red and black. This is just the cost for the materials and did not include any metal work, media blasting, or shop time.

As for aprox amount to use for a sedan inside and out top and bottom (IE completely stripped car):

DCC single stage- Gallon+ Quart

DBC basecoat- Gallon

Both allow for a leftover pint for the customer to touchup later on down the road.  

I am thinking the summer after next I want to strip the car down for paint. For those that have done this, what is the most difficult disassemble/ reassemble part of the car? I think the scariest thing to me look at it, are the windows. I have seen a motor out, and that doesn't look to bad, and I have seen subframes pulled off and that doesn't look to bad. But what is the toughest?

Not foolish at all, Al. As you note, costs are all over the place depending on the type/color of the paint, prep required, how hungry the shop is for business...etc, etc.

Many of you know how my car looked. 6 years ago, the car was taken to primer

and shot with NASON/Dupont paint for $1,500.

 

I'm interested in those too. In the next couple years, I would love to get Carlton a new paint job.

A foolish question, Yes, but lets have some input into this very costly area of mini restoration-

I have heard of paint jobs hitting $10K and of course there is your back alley job for $300.00-

BIG AL-