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,