Age Old Question - How much is a good paint job?

[aggiecruiser]

I have a 1979 FJ40. Bought it from Dad when got bored of it. Walked into a pretty good deal IMHO. Lots of suspension, engine and other mechanical upgrades done after the crappy paint job below.

The paint job that he ended up with sucks. I think the guy ripped him off pretty bad IMHO. The invoices I got from Dad showed that this guy charged him about $950 for metal and body work. Which may have been legit, b/c I do not have an opportunity to see the truck before it was painted, it may have needed that much metal work.. Here is what I do know though. Dad was charged $3000.00 for paint interior and exterior. What he got was a painted truck…looks pretty good on the surface right? (see picture)

But when I took the top off, it was apparent that he did not bother to take the hardtop off to paint the rear lip around the tub, where the hardtop sits, nor did he paint the upper area of the windshield frame where the hardtop laps over when it is installed. Other disappointments include countless areas where he simply shot over silicone, poor masking of undercarriage, Poor paint coverage on harder to reach areas. The list goes on. I removed the ambulance doors, no paint under the hinges…Rotate the windshield down, no paint under the bottom of the windshield frame, nor it mating region on the body (under the rubber seal – which by the way was completely painted along the front where it is exposed). And now, to boot, the paint is starting to bubble in the troublesome regions….

It appears he simply assembled the truck, and shot it, all for $3000.00

Question 1: What is a $3000.00 paint job worth?

I would have expected the following:
-Disassembly of major components.
-Remove hardware, paint inside AND out of stripped down components.
-Proper surface prep.
-Painting on body under hinges and structure that is exposed (i.e. when hardtop and ambulance doors are removed for summer)
-Good masking
-Etc.

I am not a professional painter, but I have tried it, and it is no easy task.

Question 2: What should it cost to correct all of this, knowing the following?

I have stripped all painted surfaces of all hardware, seals, etc.
I have the truck virtually taken apart, doors are off, hardtop is off (into separate components), fenders are off, tub stripped down to just a tub, side vents removed, door and window glass removed, you get the picture.
Windshield hinges removed, blah blah…..
I essentially have a bunch of individual metal parts that I want completely painted all sides, I will reassembly myself.
Not looking for show quality paint, but DO want 100% coverage, good quality prep.

Question 3: Would a paint color change cost any more at this point given the degree of disassembly I have available to a potential painter?

I do not mind telling you that this work was originally performed by Wimberley 4X4. I think they ripped my old man off. And that kinda sucks, considering he was fighting illness at the time.

So what am I in for? And does anybody have a recommended painter in the Fort Worth, TX - or Dallas, TX area that I could contact about this? I don’t mind paying for quality, as long as that’s what I get in the end, but $3k for what Dad got seems like a rip off.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of this.

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

I understand its hard to get anyone to even touch a cruiser because they are difficult to paint. I am going to do all the prep work myself and have it shot by a friend.

 

[dfmorse]

My 80-FJ40 cost $6500.00 in 1998 for body work and exterior paint only. My body shop says it would cost a lot more today. They did a fair job considering how hard it is to do a proper job on the FJ40. All the rear metal was replaced by panels from CCOT. Yes, there is bondo.

...

 

[aggiecruiser]

So is $3000.00 actually represenative of what I ended up with?

 

[MOfj40]

For dropping off the truck without disassembly I'd say yes.

 

[jayhawkcruiser]

I was quoted about $5000 from 2 different shops if I removed the bumpers and most of the trim on my FJ60. I had to provide a replacement for a bent front fender, but it did included reparing a rear quarter dent. Since it is a part time trail rig, I am going to have someone with decent skills fix the rear quarter. I am going to fix a few minor rust spots and remove all the glass, handles etc..I will do the majority of the sanding and I think I have a guy that will paint it for $500 plus materials... that will still cost me about $1000 for everything and that is not a real high dollar paint. Good prep is expensive...GREAT prep is REALLY expensive!
Craig

 

[okie]

dude heres an idea..

i have been busting my ass at my body shop sanding...sanding...sanding every nook and cranny of that fj40 . I don't even have any fingertips anymore.

im doing ALL the sanding to save money. It is very time involved and even most body shops don't get even close to all the spots i would because its not cost efective for them.basically they would be working way more than the time they are paid to spend on it. I will put in all the time i can physically take and do it like i want it.

the labor is costing me 3000 alone for body work. not including the 400 i had to spend getting everything welded up body wise.


my supplys cost me 2800 bucks. all dupont products

i also am not a good example because my paint color i chose was the most expensive because its made of pure red pigment and not many other colors in its code. Honda r94 ( pure reds and violets; NO ORANGE) this color per gallon costs 400 bucks. i didn't know when i looked at the color but i decided to go with it. the body shop guy im at gave me a smokin deal for all that he did. He said when hes done it will look like an 8k plus pait job.

tip: find the best painter that wont cut corners with you and bargain with him. you'll get an idea when u meet him , if your suggesting details to be looked at and he kinda brushed you off forget him and find someone with their head in the game ( someone who is more of a perfectionist than u are and is alwasy thinking a step ahead.)


this is just an idea of what you would be spending. good luck man. it seems like u did get what you paid for and they did the most with the time u paid them for.

 

[SWCruiser]

Paint

I had someone paint my FJ40 (complete color change) for $1000.00 but I ended up doing a lot of the disassembly and prep. There is no simple way to do it right... There are lots of pieces and to get it done right it will take time. I spent at least a week down there sometimes more than 10 hours a day and it still wasn't perfect. I didn't need a lot of body work either. I would be wary of someone giving you low price quotes. If its a trail rig than whatever but if you get PO if it isn't just right then prepare to spend time or money.

 

[Shift_This]

i wouldnt paint one complete for less than 2000-2500 but thats with me doing all the prep work and some tare down and that is with a good qulity paint too thats my 2cents

 

[nspctr1]

I paid 2500 bux for my paint job about 4 years ago. It was a light sanding inside and out, fix small holes and small area of rust, seperate hard top, blinkers, mirrors, running boards and spray. I had to reassemble everything as part of the deal. I thought it was kinda steep at the time but asked a few other guys and got quotes upwards to 5K for almost a similar product.