August 17, 2015

[wildfelr]

RQB3263...will be out of commission for the foreseeable future..It will be delivered to Steven Cade (local Stude/Avanti guru) in Gainesville Fl to have the glass removed in prep for interior and custom body and paint...BMW 330 gray leather seats and belt install is complete and interior will be gray vinyl....exterior will be "Diamond Blue metallic" same as original after mild customizing body work...I hope to have it back by Thanksgiving....is that too much to ask ??.....RQB3263 BILL

[Charlie Kile]

What are you going to use for "Quarter Window" gaskets ?

charlieRQB3921

[Avanti83]

RQB3263...will be out of commission for the foreseeable future..It will be delivered to Steven Cade (local Stude/Avanti guru) in Gainesville Fl to have the glass removed in prep for interior and custom body and paint...BMW 330 gray leather seats and belt install is complete and interior will be gray vinyl....exterior will be "Diamond Blue metallic" same as original after mild customizing body work...I hope to have it back by Thanksgiving....is that too much to ask ??.....RQB3263 BILL

Bill

I guess it's hard to tell about schedules. It's best to watch the progress and see if it's tracking. My experience with the locals here is generally that they shoot for a target date but things get in the way and it drags on. I usually just show up occasionally and if it looks like progress is being made, I'm happy. Holding most of the independents to a hard schedule is usually bad Ju Ju.

Regular body shops usually deliver on time but around here the independents are usually slower. The pay back is usually nice work at reduced prices.

Just be done by February so I can see it.

Bob

[wildfelr]

RQB3263...I ordered all the gaskets and sealants from Dan Boothe at Nostalgic in Michigan...i think there in the box..and I cant get any work done till next Monday....bummer...looks like it may be Christmas after all....BILL

[plwindish]

I had my 76 Avanti II recently painted. I dropped it off at Countryside Customs in Warrenville IL Dec 13th and picked it up June 17th. The windshield, rear window, glass,doors, hood, trunk and bumpers were removed for paint. Bumpers re-chromed and Stainless redone by Jerry Forrester. The car was painted a new GM color - Crystal Red Tintcoat that is used for the Vettes and Camaros. The car turned out to be stunning.

The only issue was that the shop had a glass co. put the windshield and rear window with new gaskets back in the car, which were not familiar with the Avanti method of putting putty behind the windshield causing the windshield to leak down through the cowl on my legs when driving in a huge downpour in June. The shop also did not use putty or sealant between the top of the rain gutter attachment to the underside of the roof. Water was wicking through the rain gutter and over the top of the window weather stripping dripping on our shoulders in the same downpour. The car has now returned from a revisit to the shop to get the windshield and rear window properly installed with a bed of putty under them and the rain gutter sealing issues taken care of.

I have to laugh at all these car flipper programs that turn out paint jobs within a week. To have a quality job done, it won't be done in a week. Just be patient. Another thing I had done on the car was having the new generation invisible bra material put on the front of the car as well as down the sides of the car from the rocker panels up to the belt line molding from front tires to the back bumper. I drove the car to California following Rte 66 in late June and the material helped prevent road rash, hopefully for quite a few years.

I'm driving from Chicago to the Meet in St. Louis on Wednesday. Hopefully my trip will be drier on the outside and inside of the car than it was when we made the trip in June in a torrential downpour.

[wildfelr]

RQB3263....Your right there ...my Stud/Avanti guru is in st. Louis this week also (Steven Cade) so im already another week behind...ittl probably be Christmas that gives me time to get the $$$ together....rqb3263 ....bill

[Jfast]

How much should a great paint job cost? I need to do a complete color change on mine.

[Gunslinger]

A lot depends on whether you want a one-, two- or three-stage paint job. One stage is like the car would have come with from Avanti Motors...the top coat is the color coat. A two-stage is where you have a color coat topped by the clear coat, which is pretty much standard. A three-stage is where you have a color coat followed by a pearlescent coat and topped with a clear coat. Everything else being equal, you're gonna pay more as the number of stages increases plus for the increased ability required of the painter.

All that being said...preparation, preparation, preparation. If the car body hasn't been properly prepped then everything that follows will look amateurish and be money wasted.

If you want a complete color change, you have to decide whether that's the outer body only, outer body plus engine bay and door jambs and inside the trunk. That's a lot to decide and costs go up accordingly. Add to that new rubber seals, removing the windshield and rear glass and it can be quite pricey.

If you want a 100% complete color change, I wouldn't be surprised to see a total bill in the $10-$15k range. Quality costs. That also means no issues with the fiberglass body are found that require attention...and there are lots of potentials stress cracks, etc., that show up once body pieces come off to prep for refinishing.

[wildfelr]

Rqb3263....my car is a driver so ittl be a 2 stage original color "Diamond Blue Metallic"....if I ever get that far....BILL RQB3263

[plwindish]

Gunslinger is correct in the amount for a paint job. I was quoted $12500 in the Chicago area for prepping and painting the car with a 2 stage, with windshield and rear window out. I had some extra mechanical work done and a lot of the clear bra material put on the front and down the sides from belt line to rocker panels, which added to the cost. Engine bay was black, I did not have it color changed to red, which would have pulled the motor out to do that, so the bay was repainted black. As I said in an earlier post, the paint is gorgeous. The car did tie for Best of Division in St Louis.

All new weatherstripping, doors, windows, rear window and windshield, and having chrome done will also add to the total, around 2 G's or more depending on the quality of chroming.

Edited August 25, 2015 by plwindish

[BRitz]

Hi, New to the forum & having purchased RQB-3614 earlier this summer. While the car is nice (a 10 footer), I wanted to get a quote on a paint job & am also in the Chicagoland area.

Went to "Bump-N-Grind" in Homer Glen & was quoted a price of $16,400 for a complete paint job (no color change) this includes re-chroming the bumpers & fixing some stress cracks in the front fascia area, they will also float out the ripples that come naturally with fiberglass, pop out all of the glass, door handles, & paint the door jambs. covering it with a 2 stage paint job. Will have to supply all of my own gaskets & Avanti related materials. Any posts showing all parts needed when getting a complete paint job?

Thanks for the "heads up" about the putty, plwindish! Nice to learn something new everyday.

I realize that the $$ spent may never be returned. But walking out to my driveway & getting in and driving a car that is as rare as it is beautiful is its own "dividend".

[Avanti83]

BRitz

That's not out of line for the work you are describing. A thought, the rear wing window gaskets have become unobtanium so if you purchase a complete Trim/Body gasket kit they will probably be missing. Be sure the body shop saves yours. It sounds like they are going to take all the finish off, which is correct, so they can do the body work you noted.

Secondly, I just finished two years of stripping, repairing and painting my 74, Be sure to ask the body shop how many fiberglass cars they have repainted. If they have a history of working with them, great. If not, see if you can get a quote from a local shop that does a lot of Corvettes, older body styles.

Lastly, the Go To parts guy for Avanti is Nostalgic Motors in Wixom, Michigan. I know there are other competent vendors but Dan has most anything that's available and he will talk you through issues.

One last thought, again. There is a forum member, Brad, in the St Louis area that has done several high dollar restos on Avanti's. At that price point, it may be worth while to contact him about your needs. He would handle everything, although I might be putting words in his mouth. http://bezautoalchemy.com/

Bob

Edited August 27, 2015 by Avanti83

[plwindish]

BRitz, We must live in the same general area as I had also gotten an estimate from Bump and Grind last Spring for my 76. I sourced out the bumpers and stainless to Jerry Forrestor in GA for re-chroming and polishing the stainless. Bump and Grind's estimate was about $1500 higher than Countryside Customs in Warrenville. Countryside had done my 76 back in 1989, changing it from a Tawny Gold to a dark red metallic. I was happy with the way the paint and body had held up so I went back to Warrenville for the job. I've seen several examples of Bump and Grind's work and all looked very good. My brother in law is taking his 67 Buick Skylark to American Restorations just west of Bump and Grind past Bell Road also. There are many places in the Chicago area to get good work done.

Brad Bez has also done work on my 76 in St. Louis, rebuilding the suspension 3 years ago. I drove the car down and dropped it off flying back to Chicago, then picked it up about a month later flying down to get it, Brad picked me up at the airport and I drove back. Mike Baker in Greenfield IN also has an Avanti shop.

No matter where you get the work done, make sure you have an Avanti repair manual for them to use for the windshield and rear window removal and installation procedures. Today's glass shops probably don't have anyone working for them that is familiar with installing Avanti windshields and the rain gutters. Another item I put on the car that I would recommend is having the 3M product "Invisible bra" put on at least the front end of the car. I had it put on the sides from the front tires to rear bumper from the rocker panels up to the belt line molding on both sides. I wanted to make sure the paint is going to stay on the car. The material is invisible and will protect from the chips, but will add around a grand to the total.

One last thing is come to the Chicago land Avanti Owners Meetings, held in Mt Prospect at Mr. Beef and Pizza on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Its located about on Elmhurst Rd about 2 miles north of I-90. Meetings are around 7:30 PM for meet and greet. PM me if you need more information.

Edited September 1, 2015 by plwindish

[Gunslinger]

I wouldn't put the 3M "invisible bra" on the car until the paint has cured and all solvents have evaporated...usually at least three months. You don't want the solvents to stay trapped and unable to evaporate. The paint could then start bubbling and that won't be the fault of the paint shop.

[plwindish]

The paint shop owner, bra installer and I talked about making sure the paint was cured before the bras was applied. The shop also gave out a warranty on the complete job as well.

[BRitz]

Wow, too many coincidences with your post PLWindish! I used to live in Warrenville & am very familiar with Countryside Customs. They do quality work.

I also worked right around the corner from Mr. Beef in Mt. Prospect for about 20 years.

Am now currently working overseas in the Mid-East & only come home to Crestwood for 35 days a year.

3614 is currently in storage & awaiting the works to begin next March should all go according to plan. The reason for using Bump-N-Grind is that a good friend of mine will be doing the work & I know that he will do a top job. I've already thought about the manual & have been gathering tips from yourself & others on this site & appreciate them all.

Do you recall the cost of re-chroming the bumpers? Thanks

MD

[plwindish]

Doing both bumpers (re-chroming) as well as 2 sets of tail light bezels and polishing all the stainless was around $1600 and shipping from a SDC member in GA. A place on Northwest Highway in Chicago quoted $1500 a bumper.