Time to paint the 914, Recommendations for a reasonable priced paint job in Denver Colorado Options

[david63]

The time has come to paint the 914. It is a 1973 Zambezi green w/ beige interior 1.7 car that is in really good condition (2 owners before me and the original owner sold it to a friend of mine about 5 years ago). The car has a manageable amount of rust. Small spot in one of the jack plate covers and a larger area where the engine insulation pad trapped water. The hellhole has been re-done along with the battery tray.

I've been in the 914 game since I was 16 years old (I'll be 60 next year) and this is the 7th 914 that I have owned. I like the simplicity of them and the fact that you don't see them on the road very often. I try to find cars with very limited rust, do a light restore, enjoy for a couple of years and then sell and look for the next one. Sometimes it takes a few years to find the good ones.

I have to admit I have not kept up with the cost increases in getting a car painted. I have painted all of the 914's I have owned and always try to keep them factory colors. I can handle the rust repair and start on the body work but I am not very good at finish bodywork so I always farm out the final bodywork and paint. I figured paint costs had gone up so I thought I could find a good painter that could do the final body prep and paint the car for $10k. Boy was I wrong.... (in the Denver Colorado area anyway).

Got two estimates for finish bodywork and paint and they started at $20k. This was for base coat clear coat and I actually want to go with single stage enamel but it is even more expensive.

I'm struggling with putting a $20k plus paint job on a car that when it is completed will be worth +/- $25k.

I don't have the skill or equipment to do a proper paint job in my garage. I have thought about it but think I would be disappointed with the results and then be mad that I didn't have it done by a professional.

Am I missing something or is that just the price for getting a decent paint job done now?

Any leads on a shop in the Denver area that might do a good job for $10 - $15k would be appreciated.

As I said I am not doing a color change and the front and rear trunks/door jambs, etc are really nice so I am just wanting to paint the outside of the car and the engine compartment.

Thanks,

[mepstein]

I don’t believe paint prices will go down. It’s mostly based on labor and the labor market is demanding higher wages.
The shop where I used to work is getting around $25k to paint a bare chassis. That on the east coast in an area that doesn’t have sky high labor rates. But that is also probably near top of the market for the area.
My suggestion is to ask around - a lot. Don’t just ask about shops, ask people where they got their car done. Ask at the local muscle car get together and at C&C’s.
I’m taking my 67-912 to a small shop that will do a very nice job for $10k. That’s for a bare chassis. I got the referral from an small independent shop that has them do their body and paint. The paint shop doesn’t advertise or have a store front. You basically have to know someone who knows someone.