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,

[david63]

Really appreciate the information. I am planning on going to cars and coffee, local car shows, and ask around. I found a local VW shop that has been in business for a long time. They don't do paint but they may have some leads.

I am prepared to repair the spot in the engine compartment, sand and clean the entire compartment, etc. I am clear on how important it will be to get every bit of grease out of that space. The engine was rebuilt to 1950cc by a mechanic friend of mine in Benbrook, TX.(Rich Lambert) and he did the hellhole repair and battery tray replacement. While he was there he cleaned up the engine compartment very well. He did not pull the engine insulation pad but I wanted to know if there were any surprises behind it (of course there was rust there....).

I also pulled the rocker panels (original steel and don't think they had ever been off the car.) Almost no rust and the original paint cleaned up amazing under the rockers. Like I said in my original post. just one small spot (less than a dime in size) on one of the jack plates. I know to dig around and when I cut out the spot it was solid metal everywhere else.

I may be able to paint the engine compartment myself but do not want to paint the exterior of the car. The car has original paint on all of the car with the exception of the front driver side fender and the driver door. Some genius put the rivet on body side moldings on the car and I have removed them and have welded the holes shut and done rough body prep on the welded up holes.

Would be a huge help if someone in the Denver area knows of a painter that could do this job I would appreciate the lead.

Thanks again for the help.