collecting info on whole body paint job

[azgolfrat]

Hey Guys,
I am planning on getting the MM re-painted, with a new color.
I like the Toreador Red or perhaps a bit darker shade.
The current color is Silver Birch.

I've asked around a bit and I have heard everything from "strip it down to the frame" to "just take it to Earl Schieb".
I want the nooks and crannies that are currently painted to be re-painted; that is I don't want to see Silver Birch around the firewall under the hood, or in door hinge corners, etc., after the re-paint is done.

I do not want to learn to strip/paint and DIY it, however, I'm willing to strip the car down as needed.

Suggestions, recommendations, success stories?

Thanks guys.
-KK

[BAD MERC]

The bumper covers should come off. The tail lights are easy, trunk trim is easy, headlights and grille are easy. The door mirrors unbolt. if you take the door panels off, you can knock out the rivets in the window regulators and remove all four side windows. Then take out the run channels and that will reveal the rivets that contain the rear window stationary glass and all the window trim on the four doors. The door handles are riveted in. The keypad uses a sliding retainer to hold it. Also take off the belt mouldings and have them painted OFF the car.

Have a glass shop remove the rear glass unless the shop doing the work has aperture tape that will hold the rubber off the paint so it can blow under the trim. Same for windshield.

All that is quite involving and I have done it on mine for some scratches and nicks that were easier to fix by painting the entire side.

It's not difficult if you're knowledgeable - but it may feel overwhelming.

The door jambs will show evidence of overspray if not masked or stripped accordingly. 90% of a paint job is preparation. Do it right and it will look new another 15 years.

[BackNBlack]

You get what you pay for in automotive painting. You want a sketch/junk look...pay sketch/junk price...good luck!

[justbob]

I was quoted by a reputable paint shop who does many street rods at $12,000 and that was keeping it black. Grand National black, but black.


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[SilverPhoenix]

As a SB owner myself, I have to say don't do it...but it's your car so do what you wish. I was gonna say trade yours for a DTR, but then I noticed you have a custom engine build/setup.

However, if it's going to run $12k like Bob hints at, it might be cheaper to buy a DTR with a busted engine and do a swap...:D

[Peace2Peep]

I spent over $8K and i kept it black...definitely would be at least $12K for a whole color change.

[azgolfrat]

Great inputs guys. Thanks.
Whew. pricey!

[Mr. Man]

Painting a car, a new color is a pain unless you don't care about where the old color hasn't been painted over. Be easier to find a DTR in reasonable shape and putter with that unless you're willing to put in the mulla for a total gut job.

[BUCKWHEAT]

different color re-paints hurt resale price. Gen 1 Mustang guys see it all the time.

[SilverPhoenix]

Painting a car, a new color is a pain unless you don't care about where the old color hasn't been painted over....

This reminded me of those pics that surfaced on here years ago of the MM that was green, but the door jams were still DTR...or something like that...lol.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

Maaco wanted $1500 for a basic paint job with a rusty roof. Not including any body work.
I've been considering this. On my black, the clearcoat is gone in many parts of the car. I just replaced my driver door with a used one that has minor damage and needs paint badly.
On silver, it has $2200 worth of paint damage alone, due to a piece of metal that was flying debri.

[azgolfrat]

Going to take the MM into Tempe this week or next for a quote from a shop there.
I'll let you know what I hear.

[azgolfrat]

Well, I took the MM down into Tempe (maiden voyage!) to a custom paint place to get a quote on some body work and an entire body paint with change of color. It drove great!
The body work involves fixing up the rear bumper which has a pretty good-sized crack right on the driver side corner, and some dents on the passenger front door.
The quoter said that door would likely need a new "skin", i.e., the outside metal. He also said it would be better to replace the rear bumper than fix it.. I told him a rear bumper in good shape could be tough to find.
I volunteered to do the strip down before getting the car to them.
They said that would save some labor $.
Anyway, the quote was 20k$ which I thought was too high, by maybe 5-8K, but I am not very well calibrated on this.

Anyway, questions -
Would a crown vic or grand Marquis front passenger door & rear bumper work (maybe they could move the "MARAUDER" over cut and paste style")?
Does this quote seem too high?

Thanks guys

[SilverPhoenix]

I don't think you can do the rear bumper that way since it is a Marauder-specific part...do what you can to fix the one you have. It's unlikely that it can be fixed to look like new, but it can be done to look fairly decent. Just this past New Year's I visited a buddy of mine to celebrate NYE and while I was at his place he accidentally backed into my car and pushed the corner of the rear bumper in to make it look like a half-deflated volleyball. Tried to use a plunger to pull it back out then ended up crawling under the car and pushed it back out. Fortunately it didn't rip or tear...just spider-webbed the paint. Ironically I got a quote from a local body shop at the beginning of November to have the bumpers and spoiler repainted, but decided to wait until after the holidays to get the ball rolling on that; I can't imagine how pissed I would have been if I had gone ahead with the re-paint and then 4-6 weeks later my friend caves in the corner of my freshly re-painted rear bumper...lol.

[azgolfrat]

Mine is pretty "spider webbed" as well. I like that phrase. He did say he could get it close to good. One of those things that only me and a couple others would ever notice.
What did you think about that estimate? Legit?

[svtmerc]

To the best of my knowledge, a crown vic bumper cover is the same as the marauder bumper with the exception of the logo being embossed.

Sent from somewhere near my Marauder using Tapatalk

[justbob]

Mine is pretty "spider webbed" as well. I like that phrase. He did say he could get it close to good. One of those things that only me and a couple others would ever notice.
What did you think about that estimate? Legit?

It’s all about the caliber of labor and the materials used. My $12,000 quote was probably 13-14 years ago.

Paint work could easily double your quote for a show car job. I had also received a quote for $6 from a good body shop. Problem is every single time in my life that I’ve went the “medium rare” route I’ve gotten burned so bad it was beyond “well done”…


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[gdmjoe]

svtmerc - To the best of my knowledge, a crown vic bumper cover is the same as the marauder bumper with the exception of the logo being embossed.
Other subtle differences...
.



The exhaust tip openings of the Crown Victoria's bumper are not as pronounce.
The bottom portion of the Crown Victoria's bumper cover has (for lack of a more better term) ridges on both sides. *The Marauder's is smooth.

[SilverPhoenix]

Mine is pretty "spider webbed" as well. I like that phrase. He did say he could get it close to good. One of those things that only me and a couple others would ever notice.
What did you think about that estimate? Legit?

Tough to say if the estimate is legit; one area of the country can charge different rates/prices than others. You also have so many extras going on beyond a simple paint job it's hard to say if his quote was high or not. Just keep shopping around, I guess...with the way things are going in the country right now, everyone that works for themselves/owns their own business is going to try and get as much $$$ as possible right now. You might just have to wait until things get better, which that in of itself is tenuous and may take a while...

[mustangeddie]

Maaco wanted $1500 for a basic paint job with a rusty roof. Not including any body work.
I've been considering this. Don't do it. The guy I bought my black one from took it to Maaco for a rusty roof & painted the whole car for $1200 7 years ago. It is the worst looking paint job I've ever seen, awful prep, overspray on everything, very thin layer of paint & very bad orange peel. If the rest of the car wasn't so nice ,63k miles, well maintained, perfect interior, I would have passed on it. He also didn't tell me he had it painted until I was halfway into a 150 mile trip to look at it. I would have rather had it with the rusty roof. Probably going to cost me big money to get the crap paint stripped to do the paint job right.

[azgolfrat]

There is a DTR for sale in Utah...reportedly 27K m,
but they want 26+K$.
Not me. At 5 or 6K, I'd be owning 2!

[blazen71]

There is a DTR for sale in Utah...reportedly 27K m,
but they want 26+K$.
Not me. At 5 or 6K, I'd be owning 2!
It's only money :P