FJ60 Paint Job--What kind of $$?

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cbmontgo

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I've got an '85 FJ60 that has the original paint (silver) that is getting very faded beyond the "wax job" repair. The body is in perfect condition, with no rust and only a couple of dents. I want to get it back to the original silver and I want a high-quality paint job, not that Maaco crap. The paint on the engine compartment and door jambs is still like new, so essentially it is just painting the exterior body panels. Are we talking $ 1000 or $ 4000? I know it can range, but what are you guys paying on average?

Also, where can I get the original paint code for this year?
 
Yes, that is the going rate depending on what quality you want. I pay around 2500.00 for a paint job that would require cleaning up and dings or imperfections and spraying a base clear in PPG base clear.

I once sprayed with a European paint that cost me 500 for one quart!!!!!!!!!!!!! But man you want to see one spectacular red paint job, it kept is shine for many years until we sold it.

Good luck and do not scrimp if you want it to stand out from the rest.

Rob
www.raddcrusiers.ca
 
Paint code is on the data plate under the hood
 
I second the "don't skimp" advice. The PO painted my truck with Macco about 4 years ago...guess how it looks now?

Also, get prices on one AND two stage painting. One of my older cars was painted back in '89 with a one stage - about 5 coats - and it's still got a great shine on it and still looks good. They used something similar to Emeron (sp?) and it's damn near bullet proof. When I get to repaint the 60, that's what I'm going to do (but, I live in TX with 120 degree summers and blistering sun, and I don't like to wax all of the time - the one stage paint takes care of my low maintenance needs.)
 
PPG dcc is a single stage acrylic urethane. High quality, factory colors, and wet sandable/buffable.

I just bought some for my fj40, $50/quart for dune beige. Also repainted the tailgates of my fj-80 in the garage (after a little boo-boo involving my wife and a tree). Turned out good (after the application of 1500 grit, then compound) and saved $1600.

If you are looking for a repaint, you really need to learn a little about the different paint products available.

Linear polyurethane (imron, etc) is hard but generally not as repairable as acrylic urethane. Acrylic urethane is not as tough, but you can wetsand it and buff it. The big advantage I see in a single stage paint is that the UV protection is built into the color. Much more maintainable for an utility vehicle. With the two stage systems, the color coat is followed by clear and the uv protection of the color is provided by the clear. The down side is that if you do too much compounding or sanding of little scratches, the film thickness of the clear goes down and may allow fading. With the clear coat systems (and polyurethane) any little scratch usually means repainting a whole panel. (Some would say that it's ok to blend clearcoat, but it's not).

As far as prices go, time is money. Any dings or dents are going to cost. I would have the whole thing epoxy primed, then filled, then epoxy primed then painted.

All just my opinion. Any endorcement of PPG products is a result of personal experience, and I am sure that the other big paing companies have good offerings also.

My recomendation, go to the book store and library and learn about paint and bodywork. That way you will know a little of what you are buying.
 
Second all of the above..... bottom line: you will get what you pay for. Decide what level of quality is good enough for you, set your budget and shop accordingly. Expect to pay close to $4K for an OEM quality job as this will involve removing & reinstalling glass, doors, seals, etc.... all the way down to base shell.

Do it right the first time, i.e. pay the $$$, and you won't be sorry. You might even go as far as shopping the custom street rods guys to get an idea of the process and $$ involved in achieving a show car quality job and then shop within your budget until you find the outfit that comes as close to this.

HTH,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60
 
There is a lot to be said for the single stage paints. They also cost a LOT more. The cost of paint is a big part of the job. To paint a 60 exterior will require min 2 qts plus reducer and hardener. Plan on $500 of base/clear or $900 of single stage. Add on to that at least 20 hours @ $25 per hour for prep. That is before rust or panel replacement including minor dings. The min you can expect for a good job is $2500. maybe 2K if lucky.

A good way to save money is to strip the truck. Take it all off. If it can come off remove it. All that should be left is glass, rubber and door handles. Thiswill save you $300-$500 on the total cost.

The previous post of 4K to include removing glass is pie in the sky! Add around 2K to remove/replace glass to the base cost to paint.

Find a good shop and tlee tham what you want to do. Do all the crap work yourself. Plan on spending 2.5K for a great job.
 
DD113,

I guess it all depends on where you live and on how many qualified shops there are in the area, AND, what one's definition of a great job is. One man's "great job" is another man's "Maaco". Process and techniques differ greatly and affect cost accordingly.

Hell, if you live in the L.A. area, there are a ton of highly qualified shops that would do a great job for little $$ but this supply and demand curve doesn't necessarily apply to smaller markets in other parts of the country.

And yes, much $$$ can be saved by completely stripping the truck yourself and doing as much of the monkey work as possible but it's still going to cost $$$ if there are rust and body damage issues to deal with.

Hey, it's all relative......

-dogboy- '87 FJ60
 

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