paint in the Northern California area

[tahoe healey]

Although my BJ8 in a fine looking driver the paint chips easily. PO did it in his garage is my guess. One coat with all kinds of flaws in the finish. I would like to get her painted this winter as a nicer driver (no compitition/beauty contestant). I will be able to take off all the chorme and rubber. Anyone in the north part of California have a good recommindation that will not take 6 months.
Roger, I'll pass on yours. Although your Healey looks fine now, I remember the horror stories you posted.

 

[John Turney]

I had mine painted by Tom Robertson of Contra Costa Auto Body in Concord (925-825-2100). I went there because I saw a 100 in his shop as I was driving by to look at another shop and he understood how a Healey is put together. It was done about 8 years ago and still looks good.

 

[Jerry]

I had mine painted by Macco in Rancho Cordova. The owner has old cars and does good work. He does not want to strip the parts off the car, but if the body panels are accessable, he is glad to do it. He has painted at least 3 cars in our club.

Jerry
BJ8

 

[healeynut]

Why don't you try the Nocks in Stockton? They have a guy they use for paint and they certainly know what they will be doing. British Car Specialists?

 

[AUSMHLY]

Roger, I'll pass on yours. Although your Healey looks fine now, I remember the horror stories you posted.

Gee whiz TH, do you really think I would throw you under the bus and recommend him to you, after telling of my experience?

What you should walk away with, in reference to my and most of our stories of getting our cars painted, is what questions to ask. Get things in writing, look at what's in his shop now, ask for references and look at their cars.

If at all possible, try to find a shop that is within your driving distance. You should monitor the process. The shop may ask you questions and want you to come to the shop and talk about the options.

My advise. Strip the car to metal.
If you don't, that paint job may be on top of lots of bondo. Who knows what happened to the car before you owned it. PO may say he had it done with no bondo, but what about the PO before him? It's a very big risk. A great paint job is only as good as it's prep-work.

If your a hands on guy, and it sounds like you are, for you mentioned taking the bright work off, I'd take everything off the car down to ready to paint.

If you have a place, the time and willingness to, I'd strip the car down to metal. You'll find hidden problems and you'll have piece of mind knowing what's under your paint when your done. The bodyshop will appreciate having a stripped car to work on. Or have them strip it. Once stripped you can talk about the quality of finish you want. This is the time to line up the door, bonnet and boot gaps for example. Fix the metal or aluminum that needs it.

Everything is time and money. If you bring the bodyshop a car where the trim is off and say paint it, they will block and sand what is on the car to make the surface smooth. Then paint it. No big deal. Miracle or Earl Schwab can do that in a couple days. Remember that saying, you get what you pay for.

I thought you were going to go with the guy you were talking to at the car show last Sunday?

Good luck.

 

[tahoe healey]

Thanks for all the replys. The guy Sunday seems pretty good. I saw the MG he brought to Morgan Hill. I went by his shop but he wasn't open yet on Monday morning befor we left. He is about 4 1/2 hours away. Hard transport if I have the car disassembled of fenders and windshield. He can bick up but has a single axle, no break trailer.
I talked to Dave Nock and got the info on his guy but he hasn't returned my call yet.
In re-thinking this I may have "them" take it all apart due to time and transportation. Trailer,$100 per day for 4 days (there and back) stayin over tight with gas and meals. It will cost maybe $1,000 just to get it there. If I drive it then there is only the gas and food.
I would like to know what you all out there paid disassembled and drive in. My wife got laid off today to I may have to wait. They eliminated her department at the casino. She will land on her feet cause of her reputation in this community. She has had offers already but only wants to work the days I work and that makes it harder.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Thanks for all the replys.

Hard transport if I have the car disassembled of fenders and windshield.

In re-thinking this I may have "them" take it all apart due to time and transportation.

I would like to know what you all out there paid disassembled and drive in.

Maybe I'm helping with logistics of a what a decent paint job entails. Maybe someone will chime in with the name of a bodyshop in your neighborhood.

TH, I rented a U-Haul each time I transported the car. (And this was to 3 bodyshops.) Wings, bonnet, boot, doors and all parts can be transported in the driver car or roped down in the trailer-ed Healey. It's really no big deal and cheap to transport with U-Haul. (Unless you do it 3 times...don't get me started.)

Are you asking what we paid the shop to paint our car if they disassembled it? And what we paid them to paint it if we disassemble it?

By disassemble, are you talking about the bright work and rubber you were going to remove? Or the body panels? Or both?

Kind of apples and oranges. Every car will require a different amount of body work before painting. Can't compare the prices we paid for service required for painting the car, for each car will be different.

I would ask the shop your interested, for a separate invoice, for what they would charge to disassemble.

Sorry, I can't offer a what my shop charged for disassembly. I ended up doing it myself. And you don't want to know what my hourly charge is, lol.

Good luck TH,
Roger

 

[John Turney]

Yes, the amount of disassembly makes a difference:

 

[tahoe healey]

It would be necessary to remove the fenders to get the beading out.
I got a quote of $3500 from one and $15,000 form another.
Roger, you have seen my car. It aint that bad. Its a beautiful driver. I just want to get rid of the chips and paint flaws.

 

[AUSMHLY]

It would be necessary to remove the fenders to get the beading out.
I got a quote of $3500 from one and $15,000 form another.
Roger, you have seen my car. It aint that bad. Its a beautiful driver. I just want to get rid of the chips and paint flaws.

Hello TH,
Actually you don't have to remove the fenders to get the beading out. You loosen all the bolts, pull the fender away from the cowl a bit, bend the beading tabs to straight then pull the beading up.

A cheap paint job will leave the bead and mask it. Not good. The paint should wrap around the top edge of the fenders and the aluminum cowl. Ask any good bodyshop about what happens when you mask. Down the road, with vibration and flexing, that masked area will start peeling or cracking because of the hard stop line.

I'm just sharing with you what I have learned about what it takes to do the job right. Body shops use my service and I have learned a lot about what it takes to paint a car.

Consider this. The bodyshops that use me, tell me a full paint job for a modern car costs about $5,000 now. (They R&R all the trim). Miracle will paint it for what, $500?

You can save a lot of money by taking the car apart and going to the local hardware store and getting some paint stripper. Deliver them the stripped car and let them do their magic. You should be able to get your car back in a couple weeks and for a price you'd be happy with.

I recommend you strip the car to metal so there are no surprises. Ask any good bodyshop what they think or ask the guys here on this forum what they think.

I'm attaching a photo of one of my wings. Check out the number and the sizes of the holes that were under the bondo. Many areas of my car had hidden damage/repairs like that. I would never have known about them if I didn't strip the car down.

Yes I have seen your car, I voted for you! You have a beautiful driver.

Just be careful of taking the band-aid approach to fixing your concern. Just want to get rid of chips and paint flaws. Sounds like you think a quick masking of the beads, block and sand and shoot a couple coats of paint will make you happy. Maybe it will.

Maybe that's the way it's been done by all the PO's. Maybe that's why your paint is chipping and has the flaws? Maybe under your paint, your car looks like mine did.

Good luck with what ever you do.
Cheers,
Roger

 

[tahoe healey]

Thanks for the heads up, Roger. It looks like the mafia hit you car. Are those pull holes? I've never seen any that big.

 

[AUSMHLY]

I will assume those are pull holes. That's how they did it back then.
Yeah, I'm with you. BIG! I couldn't believe what my car looked liked after all the paint and bondo was removed.

Best of luck with your paint job.
Roger

 

[HEALEYJAG]

Back in the OLD days I did my own painting Roger. On the 100 I did all the prep work and blocking to my specs and paid one of my patients who works at a bodyshop that has dealt with british cars to shoot the car.

I then did all the color sanding and final buffing and the reassembling the trim, windhshield etc. (40 hours of labor)

Cost me $2000 ..very pleased with the outcome.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Back in the OLD days I did my own painting Roger. On the 100 I did all the prep work and blocking to my specs and paid one of my patients who works at a bodyshop that has dealt with british cars to shoot the car.

I then did all the color sanding and final buffing and the reassembling the trim, windhshield etc. (40 hours of labor)

Cost me $2000 ..very pleased with the outcome.

Boy can I relate. I did so much of the work on my car, and not by choice.

I've also colored (wet sand)a few cars. (Randall Harris's jag here on the forum comes to mind.)

I put my car back together when I got it back from the body shop. Ah yes the memories.

 

[HEALEYJAG]

WOW...looks just like my first ground up ..a rust free 67 texas car..did it in the same color ..it was a fixture at all the Ohio Healey events in the 80's..sad to say car is now in germany..If I can figure how to get my downloads to show up on this reply will send a cool before and after pic..

Pete

 

[crya]

And since you all are on the subject, what is the general reputation of British Car Specialists in Stockton. I'm considering them for new interior/paint and just want some references.

Chris

 

[tahoe healey]

Do it yourself. Its easy. Kits are avalilble and vidios to tell you how. Unless you are very rich.

 

[AUSMHLY]

OMG, did you say it was easy? What is easy? Am I the only one that spends more time and money on what is suppose to be an easy job. Yikes, I knew it, lol.

I'm a firm believer in letting the pros install the interior. A really good looking interior is the fit. The pros have special tools and know where and how to pull the material to get it so it looks perfect. Buy a kit and have a pro do it. I worked with my interior guy. I learned there was no way I could have done as good a job as he did. He added and removed some foam in certain areas. Things like that.

(disclaimer here, I'm sure some guys out here who did their own interior did a great job).

Cheers,
Roger

 

[healeynut]

Chris -

British Car Specialists are probably one of the finest Healey Specialists in the world. They go to great lengths to make sure they have the largest collection of "correct" parts for our cars - they are arguably the most comprehensive single source for parts in the world, and Norman and David are always very helpful. They don't always get it perfect, but it's for not want of trying.

They do all the mechanical work in their shop, but then I know they contract with painters on the body work. They do all chassis work in their shop.

Given the large number of cars they do on an annual basis, I'd say they will be one of the safest bets for a proper restoration in the world. The only thing is I would recommend visiting the shop once every couple of weeks - they tend to respond well to personal visits.

 

[crya]

Great, thanks for that additional info. Sorry if I hi-jacked the topic. No, I'm not very rich, just very stupid. I don't trust myself to do it and I really don't want to deal with someone that's never worked on a Healey before, which is why I take my car all the way to Clint in San Rafael for the mechanical work. Anyway, two more questions: Interior upholstery first or outside paint and body work? and any pointers on a link I thought I once saw about freeing up sticky choke cable?

Chris