What is the best way to have my car painted?, All apart or just where needed? Options

[montoya 73 2.0]

What is the best way to have my car painted, there will be a color change? Do I take it ALL APART (motor, tranny, interior, etc.) or just around the area's that will be sprayed? Does the engine bay ordinarily get the same color as the car?

[neo914-6]

This is a question for Brandon or other painters...

I believe best practice for a repaint is to completely remove all parts, have a professional strip, prep, and paint the complete body and parts then reassemble. Few people do this because costs would far exceed the value of the car unless it is a -6 or has historical or personal value.

Paint over paint is difficult because you may not be able to prep some surfaces and you may be covering rust that isn't apparent. I've seen alot of paint chip or flake off a repaint. You also add another thickness of paint.

The question is: can a modern repaint be as good as a well preserved factory finish that was probably dipped and baked hard? Do modern booth heaters get as hot as factory ovens? I suspect modern paints are tougher and stickier.

Another consideration is the reassembly. How many times have you had things loosen because they weren't tightened or installed properly? Do we know what the torque specs are for each bolt and screw? Did the extra paint thickness cause fit problems?