In comparison, here's another car I recently had finished by the same small private Alberta shop. It was a completely rust free car but required sheet metal work to install new floors and wheel houses as the car was a former Super Stock drag car. Once the metal work was complete (around 160 hours), the body was prepped for a really good driver quality paint with 2 stage Dupont paint and a 3 stage cut and polish (about 140 hours with gaps corrected, panels aligned and paint completed). This one had around 350 hours of combined shop time in the bodywork and the paint and was in the 22K range completed (Cdn). Again you can expect higher rates in some of the well established shop that cater to this market.

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_5788.jpg
Sheet metal work nearing completion

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_6504.jpg
Jambs painted up

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_6888.jpg
Blocking the panels out

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7140.jpg
Painting with stripes

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7205.jpg
Finished with full cut and polish

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7367.jpg
At home while the paint is curing

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_1666.jpg
Great depth on a mid level grade paint product

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_1665.jpg
Not the same level as my prvious black car, but a nice paint job overall

One more note with regards to the machinist's post. A machine shop charges for the setup and programming on CNC work and the run time recovers those costs over time. A professional body man charges for their man hours which is completely labor intensive, and a painter charges out for the prep time and finishing (also very labor intensive).

You then have the newer skilled body techs in most shops who are primarily trained in current panel style replacement using adhesives with very little metal work skills compared to old school body men. Try and get one of those repair shops to touch a classic car??? The old school skills are now charging out as a premium because most who choose to do restoration work are an older cut of the cloth and have often become masters in their craft. That dictates a higher shop premium in most cases and if the same guy is capable of high quality prep and paint work, you can expect to pay for that level of service. I know painters around here that won't touch a completely prepped car for less than 20K and that means the car has to arrive 100% ready to paint.

My point here is you simply cannot compare a master craftsman to a Macco style painter or an economy paint job. If all you want is a simple cover up splash job, there are few options for you these days and that's due to fewer shops wanting to touch cars with any potential for rust. For those who still perform restoration work, that's what pays there bills and keeps their shops staffed and operating, but it comes as a premium.

What you consider "driver paint job" is way different than mine..chuckling.. if my car turns out like your green Camaro I will be dancing a jig for 2 month.

Was at a car show last weekend in a small community that's about 50 miles from town. One fellow that attended brought his 72 Javelin. He was telling me the car just came home from a small high end paint/ restoration shop where it had spent most of the winter. I personally know the shop well. The car is white with a half vinyl top and a black stripe down the side similar to what the 70 Buick GSX's had. Apparantly the only metal work done was a small amount in the trunk area. His bill was 800 hrs. at $75.00 per hr. I didn't say anything but wondered why he would drive it 50 miles on open hiway to get it to the car show, especially this time of year when the roads are not really cleaned of the winter sand and rocks. I would be protecting that car like a mother does her young.

With the guy that I use, that paint job would be in around the 12K range c/w cut and polish if someone brought it in with the body fully prepped. About 15K +/- with stripping trim and repainting a good solid body.

Last time I talked to him he had about 12 cars in the que.

You aren't kidding, $60K is nuts, and I agree, it would be tough to take that thing out of the garage.

Many things to consider. What type of paint, reputation, what is your time frame. The quality of the bodywork is what is going to be the most money, blocking, sanding, over and over, fitment of panels, primer and sealing etc. Car ready to go $4500-7500.00 Car needed sanding, body work, $7500-12,500.00 Full blown out job $12,500.00 to 25k Also do not get caught with the 50% down idea pay only in stages. Old saying with painters its always beer thirty lol.

Painter
 

i painted cars for 30 years my boss you to say the heaviest thing i picked up all week is my cock... all kidding a side taking a car all apart and sand blasting every part and painting takes a lot of time and the price of paint and sand paper is just gone crazy

That "driver quality" rally green looks perfect to me!