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the only thing that makes this a not so cheap paint job is the prep work. i have total is 200.00 for all supplies because i didnt have any paint tools at all to do the project.




I guess the initial expenses when you are starting from scratch do boost up the cost of the initial paint job. In my case I had to pick up a new sander... because my old one died during the prep work... and I went and picked up that Porter & Cable polisher. Well, right there I had spent about $200. But the nice thing about those expenses is that I will continue to get that investment back long into the future. The same could be said for the compound, polish, and wax... in that I have four cars that I can put them to use on..

The same story would apply if I had gone the route of buying an HVLP spray gun. Although it initially would have been used for the car, the nice thing is that once you own it, you have it available for future projects. Good tools are always a safe investment.

The cost of paint, sandpaper, tape etc are an unavoidable cost and that is where the 'budget' part of the paint job applies.

The hours spent on the prep, painting, wetsanding and later compounding/polishing and waxing can easily run up the hours. But that sweat equity is an investment in your learning. Having gone through this entire process from start to finish I have a greater appreciation and understanding of all the stages in painting a car.

The only way I can look at this whole experience is to reflect on the time when I first pulled an engine, stripped it down, changed the rings, honed the walls, changed the bearings and put it all back together. It was scarey even considering delving into the heart of that engine, but once I completed it successfully, there was a great deal of satisfaction hearing that puppy fire up and run smoothly. What price can you put on that self-satisfaction or the knowledge you picked up along the way. The same sense of fear and accomplishment also happened when I ripped apart a manual transmission and rebuilt it.

Its sort of like Star Trek... to boldly go where 'not too many' men have gone before.. and its like "A Team" because I love it when a plan comes together... "


Last edited by 69DartGT; 09/23/06 06:07 PM.