paint question for racers

[Scott]

Who paints your racecar? I am purchasing a Spec Miata and the first place it needs to go is the paint shop. All of the places I go for an estimate keep telling me that it is going multiple $$$$, which is insane for a W2W car. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[tac911t]

That was the same answer I got when I asked around about painting my car. You can't take it to a retail paint shop, they are not going to cut a deal or cut out any hours of labor.
My paint deal fell into my lap. My nephew was working for a short time at a restoration shop, and mentioned to the owner about my race car and the need for a paint job. The owner is interested in racing, and does have a 1953 Austin Healy 100 race car that he will be restoring (documented as the first racing Austin Healy). I was able to work out a deal to pay for part of the paint job, in return for the shop’s advertising on the side of the car. The car was at the shop for about 6 weeks, which they worked it in between other jobs.
I would try that tactic with the shops, working the car in-between other jobs, some advertising, and possibly have the trainees work on the car. Other options are body shops at the High School, if schools in your area have that type of program.

Todd

[glenthompson]

My Miata paint job was done by the Mercer County Vo-Tech class. That's one avenue to check. Some of the schools offer evening classes in body work and painting where you can paint your own car.

[00GTJustin]

I got in touch with mercer co votech....got a response that my email was forwarded to someone else...emailed back when I never heard anything...and that was the last of it. Sad too, since I was really hoping for that to happen

[Scott]

Maaco?

[yenko66]

In Roanoke Go to Earl Scheib on Orange ave by the civic center they have a regular deal which is normally listed in the photo shopper or trading post mags.. Cheap...

David C

[yenko66]

Oh yeh I paint my own cars (My silver Corvair was done in my garage). Just the cost of materials can run $300 to $500 dollars depending on what type of paint you use..The cost in paint goes up greatly if you choose a paint which has a metallic in it or multiple stages like base clear.

Doing a simple single stage polyurethane or enamal is the cheapest way to go.



David C