General Tech Paint cost

Decided on Carmine red for my MGB paint job. Even though doing the body work and (hopefully!) paint myself I was shocked at the cost of paint. For a good primer, and because I am a beginner, a "top coat" and then clear coat I am looking at $650. There are some thinners thrown in there but still I did not realize how costly paint is. Has anyone found a way to get paint less expensively..not cheap quality? Gives me a whole new respect for paint quotes.

I haven't looked really in depth but, I have looked and that seems reasonable. The way to go cheaper is to go to somewhere like Eastwood and buy "off the shelf - stock colours" - which you don't want to do. It is also my strong impression that quality costs - for pigments and depth - and IIRC, red especially.

Back in 2006, I paid $300.00 per gallon for the MGB and that wasn't the most expensive then. I was fortunate that they would mix it in quarts and charge me by the quart, I needed two of the color, 1972 Flame Red. Of course there's other supplies that are needed with an additional cost. I had the B professionally painted. PJ

Yes materials are expensive ! The quality of the body work and the paint work are what define a restoration . Before you buy a topcoat system ( either solid color or basecoat clearcoat) invest in your knowledge and ability to get the body prepped properly for color. The straight , glassy finishes found nowadays on our cars starts with the bodywork and how the car is finished in the undercoats ( primers and primer surfacers).
You should be using HVLP spray equipment to maximize transfer efficiency.

I have a HVLP spray gun and bought some nice "DuraBlock" sanding blocks. I have watched many videos on Youtube for guide coat use and block sanding to get the body right. The paint shop guy said that if I am not experienced do NOT use the combined paint (base coat and clearcoat together, whatever that is called) but apply the base coat in light steps and when good apply the clear coat. I need something to practice on, maybe I'll find a junk fender somewhere. I am nervous about getting it right but what the heck, it cant be that bad...

Boggsy64 said:

it cant be that bad...

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Sounds like on Top Gear when they say "how hard can it be?" -- usually ends badly for them. :grin:

It can be that bad, but that's certainly no reason not to dive in and give it a go.

I don't agree with the guy at the paint shop. For every product that requires a separate coat you are increasing the risk of making mistakes. I have painted several cars myself with true show quality results, but not straight out of the gun. It has been several years since I painted a complete car and I too was surprised at how much the materials have increased in price. My recommendations is as follows:

1. Preparation Your final result will only be as good and as durable as what is under the top coat. Unless the paint on the car is very sound and not several coats, it should be removed. Laying new product of different types of paint and over old paint can cause problems down the road. Also you should degrease before you ever start sanding and do so often during the process.
2. Primers. Whether you strip completely or not, your first primer should be a 2-part epoxy. The next should be a high build surfacing primer.
3. Use high quality body filler where necessary and always allow plenty of time for all body work to age so that you do not get shrinkage. I would never try do everything within a week and expect it to last for several years.
4. Paint. There are a lot of options. I think the easiest is an acrylic enamel with a urethane hardener(PPG Delstar-Delthane). Put on a light tack coat and allow to flash dry. Follow with 3 wet coats allowing to flash between coats. No clear coat just color
5. Polish. Color sand wet starting with 1200 grit and move up to 2000. Buff using a foam pad and fine compound. Finish with an ultra fine compound and swirl remover.

This will produce a show finish. If you do not have a paint booth, any small amount of dust and orange peel you get in the paint will be removed in the sanding process. It is impossible to get a good finish without polishing unless you have the right equipment and talent to lay the paint smooth. Most of us amateurs are not going to be that good.

This system has worked for me, but it is by far not the only method and it does require skill as well to polish and buff without damaging the paint. The paint on my Sprite is nearly 30 years old and although chipped, it still looks like a paint job that is only a few years old. It was one of the first I did with this method.

One place to look for paint at a more reasonable price is: https://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/default.aspx

They will custom mix your color in PPG or there own brand Restoration Shop that is less expensive. They have the PPG paint chips on their site.

I found Carmine in the Triumph section: https://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1976-Triumph-pg02.jpg

I hope this helps a little. I am not an expert by any means.

If you are looking for low cost, try paintforcars.com (NFI).I'm going to try it as soon as the weather warms. (if it ever does) I last painted a car 30 years ago and I do not want to screw up $600 worth of paint.

This shot gives a nice view of the paint on the 72. This was professionally done, not by me! It's single stage, clear coated. PJ

Look into Sherwin Williams for your paint. I used to spray PPG and they moved out of town. I tried S/W and was surprised how much less expensive it was than PPG. I have had very good results with their Base clear system. bob

Pic of the current car I am building with S/W paint. Bob

Brinkerhoff said:

You should be using HVLP spray equipment to maximize transfer efficiency.

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With the cost of materials this is a must! I also use a roller for the first primer/surfacer coats on the large surfaces. Yes, a roller. One of the little 4 inch foam rollers that you get at the hardware store.

Also with quality paint you need less and in my experience it works out to be cheaper. My paint supplier will sell paint in quantities as small as a pint. A quart of of color base coat can be enough for a complete car - especially a small one like an MG. With the modern base coat clear coat systems it's pretty hard to mess things up until you get to the clear coat. If you have a friend that paints a lot, or even better is a professional painter, talk them into doing the clear coat. Clear coat is like sheet rock work. A good job doesn't need any sanding.

That's a beautiful paint job Paul. My opinion is that clear coat is not needed on a solid color that is not used for everyday transportation. It's not unusual to see the clear start to fail and cause spots. Manufacturers use it to cut cost on the expensive pigmented paint. They can use very little color and add clear for gloss and durability. The clear is starting to fail in a few spots on my '04 Cooper. Mainly on the plastic parts. Here is a B-GT I painted several years ago. The paint is 18 years old in this photo.

Bob that looks great! Right now I have priced Carquest in Monroe, near you. I have not priced other because I am having a hard time finding auto paint suppliers. I will look for S/W is there one that you use? Have a phone number?
Steve that looks great as well. If I can skip the clear coat would save a lot. I plan to drive it a lot but not daily driver.

The NAPA on Hwy 74 in Monroe sells auto paint. The other one in Monroe does not. Travis is the guy that knows the most about the products. If you get to Monroe call me. Bob

I used paint from NAPA many years ago and it is good. They were one of the first to come out with a 2 part urethane enamel used on fleet trucks. Very durable , but it required an air fed respirator or you risked serious lung injury. While on that topic, remember to take proper safety precautions. Paint can cause serious respiratory problems and the fumes/mist can be flammable.

sqbsprite said:

Paint can cause serious respiratory problems and the fumes/mist can be flammable.

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And the effects can be chronic rather the acute. When I started painting I painted lacquer without any protection, as we all did back then. Today there are some isocyanate containing paints that I can't even open the can without wearing a respirator. I use a good respirator while mixing and an oxygen re-breather when painting in a well ventilated booth. Think of it a chemical warfare every time you open a can.

sqbsprite said:

That's a beautiful paint job Paul. My opinion is that clear coat is not needed on a solid color that is not used for everyday transportation. It's not unusual to see the clear start to fail and cause spots. Manufacturers use it to cut cost on the expensive pigmented paint. They can use very little color and add clear for gloss and durability. The clear is starting to fail in a few spots on my '04 Cooper. Mainly on the plastic parts. Here is a B-GT I painted several years ago. The paint is 18 years old in this photo.
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Steve, I agree with not clear coating these cars, but it was in the shop and done before I could catch it. Most of these cars are so pampered, the clear coat is not necessary, actually, it makes repairs much more difficult. My TF will not get clear coated. PJ

Clear coat has an undeserved bad reputation. Sure there are a lot of flaking clear coat paint jobs out there. Most of them are from manufacturers and flat rate body shops. If you want a solid color then maybe clear coat isn't the best option. But when you decide on a metallic color clear coat is IMHO by far the best option, even considering durability and repair-ability. If the painter knows (and understands) his product chemistry and applies things properly the clear coat won't flake. This assumes the use of quality paint products.

My Bugeye will not be clear coated but if I had chosen a metallic color, 2 tone, or stripes, I wouldn't hesitate to use a base coat/clear coat system - and I hate to do things twice.

I painted a spoiler that was mostly Carbon Fiber. I painted just the ends and base supports with PPG 2-part and a clear coat over that. This was for a 2003 MINI Cooper S ( a JCW spoiler ) and even buying smallest mixes and doing all prep myself, still cost me $450. Imagine a full car respray. My wife wants stripes on her new MINI Countryman S, decals are over $400 ( and she does not want available colors), I figure paint and clear to cost over $500, doing it myself.