Cost for total respray in different color?

[lotos]

Just an update, I have abandoned this idea.  I'll continue my search for the right car with the right color, because I'm not willing to spend $10k to make it the right color  Thanks for the insight.

[TheBard]

Okay, late to the party as ever... As the leprosy beneath my clear coat, but over the paint is adding to the gentle pinking of the car in general I'm sort of/maybe/possibly contemplating a respray... Yes, the car is red, and I plan to keep it that way, but can anyone (to save me having to go ask the garage) tell me if keeping the colour the same makes any difference? Or does it still all need taking back to bare fibreglass and respraying? Any tips, or links to examples of work done would be, as always, greatfully appreciated...

Thanks,
Ian

[Doc Fizzix]

Changing the color takes a LOT more work to do right and 99% of people do not do a complete color change correctly, they leave areas where you can see to original color. The value of the car goes down with most changes in color paint jobs because most people never re-spray every part of the car UNLESS they total take it apart and spray every part on its own. As you can imagine, this would cost a ton of money to do a color change right.

As for the prep-work, you need to be very careful when sanding a fiberglass car that you do not sand through the factory gel coat all the way down to the fiberglass, but if you do sand down to far you will have to re-spray the gel coat over the exposed areas or the paint will "spider web" on the car, fiberglass is a little tougher to paint correctly compared to other surfaces.

As much as possible, I would keep it the same color unless you are going to totally srip the car down.

For what is worth

[Doug]

[TheBard]

Good thing I want to keep her red then
Guess I better start calling the spray-shops to get a rough guestimate as to how long I have to save for (since the repair work to the house, namely kitchen, master bath, family bath, guest bath, decks, doors, and windows must come first)
Thanks for the advice folks, so what do you think a reasonable figure would be to respray just the outside (as we're keeping the colour)?
Thanks again,
Ian

[Gazza]

TheBard

I had my red Elan resprayed about 7 years ago for £2200, but it only seemed to last 5 years. It was the cheapest quote from all the specialist Lotus dealers, some going up to £5500!!!!!!!!!!

Gazza

[Monty]

I know someone of here who had it done for around £500. Think Sy had his done for about £1200.

[Fubar1764]

In the U.S., Ian, you're looking about $5k for a good one. Costs are likely to vary due to costs associated with doing business in different areas.

[Doc Fizzix]

I think $5K is a little much but I could be wrong, I am thinking around $3K in the US and that would be a quality re-spray where the car is done right, after all, this is not a change in color so the work should not be that bad. There is always Maaco

When I was looking to buy another Elan, the fellow that had bought my old lady called me, I went and took a look at my old lady thinking I would love to have her back, well, you guessed it, the fellow had taking the car to a "Maaco" like shop and the car looked like crap! In order to do the car right, the trim items (parking lights, rubber window scrappers, tail lights, and so on) MUST be removed. So many places just want to tape a car up and spray it, stay clear of that.

Door jams should also be re-sprayed if the job is done right

Let us know what you find for a price, your numbers might give us all an eye opener

[TheBard]

I'll keep you all updated. I had called Criswell Performance Sportscars, my local Lotus dealer, and their bodyshop said they would call back with a quote in half an hour... that said, that was three hours ago...
More in due course.
Ian

[Fubar1764]

I'll keep you all updated. I had called Criswell Performance Sportscars, my local Lotus dealer, and their bodyshop said they would call back with a quote in half an hour... that said, that was three hours ago...

Apparently, they went through Lotus Customer Service training.
Also, check out shops that the Corvette guys go to. Find someone who has, oh a 63 Split Window (they're quite valueable), and go where he goes! The hard-core Corvette guys tend to frequent very very good glass body specialists. They won't likely be cheap, but you'll know they do good work.

[Doc Fizzix]

I agree with Fubar on the shop, look for a shop that customizes in Vetts. As strange as this sound, also talk with someone who works on fiberglass boat for some good references or leads. A good boat shop might be able to do a great job on the prep-work. I say this only because I have a buddy up in Minnesota and he often works on Vetts for customers and I know he has done some older "classic" Elans and a newer Esprit that was in a wreck. People go to him becuse he has a better understanding on fiberglass work than most repair shops.

I happend to have a buddy close by my house that restores Vetts so if I need any work I already have a place to go.

I disagree with Fubar on the price so this will be interesting when you get your finale quote price. A re-paint is not a restoration and is not that difficult to do right and should not cost too much, I use to work in a repair shop years ago.

How much did Nitroman pay?

[Fubar1764]

How much did Nitroman pay?

If memory serves, $3200 or thereabouts.
$5k may be on the high end, but I'm assuming Ian wants everything stripped off, lights, any body panels, and all. Also, Maryland is highly unionized which means increased cost of biz.

[TheBard]

You're right about MD, and don't start on how the driving standard drops as you cross the river... I've got a few leads on 'vette spray shops in good ole NO-VA and hopefully they'll not be too steep...
Thanks for all the advice, makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about when I call for quotes, more soon...
Ian

[Fubar1764]

No. VA. There was an unsuccessful army by the same name during the War of Northern Aggression! (BTW Liz, I love you! )
Let us know how it goes.

[kevinrooney]

Another option is a wrap €250 for the materials - did mine over a cople of weekends with help from my son.
start with the small panels to build up confidence
involves removing spoiler and front and rear bumpers for a novice like me
Not perfect but its a good 5 yard result
Allows you to save up for a good respray as a cheap ne is not worth the time or money.#

[Rambo]

The previous post must surely be an LEC record ? Nearly 14 years have passed between that one and the previous post

[GeoffSmith]

An eclectic mix of lesser spotted LECers.

[Rambo]

An eclectic mix of lesser spotted LECers.

No Dico though