Question for auto painters and detailers

[AZMark]

Hopefully some experts on here that can give me some advice on finishing up some color sanding and buffing on my dads Chevelle I’m working on. My question is whether to go with a body shop or a good detailer to finish the job.

The car was painted by my dads buddy who used to work in the business but was unfortunately getting older when he did this car. He did an uknown level of sanding and buffing but there is a lot remaining to be done as shown in the pics below. The big flat areas are mostly good but the edges and things still have a lot of orange peel and rough spots.

I’ve called numerous shops and detail people and haven’t been able to get anyone to come look at the car. I have an appointment to get it done at a body shop next week but they’ve quoted me a range of $1800 to basically infinity so I’m not real comfortable with them.

Does anyone know if detailers can do this level of work or do I need to be focused on body shops? I realize it’s the same work but I don’t know how often detailers are working with new paint and clear coats of unknown thickness vs restoring minor scratches in old paint.

Thanks!

 

[suke]

Don't take it to a body shop. That right there is finish work. A body shop is not great at finish work. Now there are SOME body shops that have folks that are pretty good at finish work. I would find a competent detailer. Now wetsanding and finish work will not be cheap. I'd expect a full wetsand/multi stage polish to cost any where from $2k-5k+. Obviously location specific. Just taking a gander at the pics I'd guess roughly anywhere from 40-100 hours of on paint work. Figure if a shop charges $100 an hour.....whew buddy it'll get pricey fast.

 

[suke]

I'd search for a cquartz finest reserve qualified detailer:

Find A CQuartz Professional Installer near you

CarPro Finest Installers make up a global network of professionals who proudly offer a warranty on our flagship coating.

cqfinest.com

Looks like there's a couple in or around the Phoenix area. This won't guarantee you to get the best detailer on the planet, BUT it is the most strict application process to become a certified finest reserve installer.

 

[AZMark]

Don't take it to a body shop. That right there is finish work. A body shop is not great at finish work. Now there are SOME body shops that have folks that are pretty good at finish work. I would find a competent detailer. Now wetsanding and finish work will not be cheap. I'd expect a full wetsand/multi stage polish to cost any where from $2k-5k+. Obviously location specific. Just taking a gander at the pics I'd guess roughly anywhere from 40-100 hours of on paint work. Figure if a shop charges $100 an hour.....whew buddy it'll get pricey fast.

Thanks!

So is that a normal cost for that work and part of something that would be included in a highish end paint job? Like I’m getting quotes for paint on another car of around $8-10k - is this part of that high cost?

I know this spray job wasn’t the best but there’s always some orange peel and stuff to get off right?

 

[suke]

Thanks!

So is that a normal cost for that work and part of something that would be included in a highish end paint job? Like I’m getting quotes for paint on another car of around $8-10k - is this part of that high cost?

I know this spray job wasn’t the best but there’s always some orange peel and stuff to get off right?

Even in most high end paint jobs it likely would need to visit a detailer to polish out rotary swirls and fine wetsanding marks. I'm sure there's some crazy high end body shops that have detailers on staff to do finish polishing for them. I'd ask how they plan to do the last step of work. Do they plan to just wetsand/rotary compound? Or do they also provide a defect free finish? Which likely would include a multi step correction eventually with a dual action orbital polisher.

And yes there's always going to be some orange peel in a paint job. Even factory jobs sprayed by robots still have some orange peel.

 

[AZMark]

Even in most high end paint jobs it likely would need to visit a detailer to polish out rotary swirls and fine wetsanding marks. I'm sure there's some crazy high end body shops that have detailers on staff to do finish polishing for them. I'd ask how they plan to do the last step of work. Do they plan to just wetsand/rotary compound? Or do they also provide a defect free finish? Which likely would include a multi step correction eventually with a dual action orbital polisher.

And yes there's always going to be some orange peel in a paint job. Even factory jobs sprayed by robots still have some orange peel.

Thank you I appreciate the info!

 

[suke]

Thank you I appreciate the info!

You bet!

 

[zipper]

I like his builds...

 

[AZMark]

I like his builds...

He needs to invest in some ventilation!

 

[zipper]

He needs to invest in some ventilation!

Ya, at his level. But good paint jobs can be done in a garage without. My dad has been doing it a long time. He will wait days for the right temperature and humidity.

The 1966 912 was painted in the early 80's.


He did respray the drivers door, it was a shade off. (Elenor) his mothers name. '31' model A coupe.





The blue 29' model A roadster he built from parts and later sold has been winning shows on the East coast. (Matilda) his grandmother's name. He used a rotisserie for the model A's.