[Spridgets] Paint shop fiasco / expenses of the stuff?

charles christ crusaderchuck at yahoo.com
Mon May 2 03:16:42 MDT 2011


the last car i painted was last summer.  (brit content coming) it was an
elden 
1972 formula ford.   car was disassembled in 2002 (completly
disassembled down 
to the hewland transaxle as well as engine were in pieces
in boxes with the 
chassis still rolling on dry rotted slicks) and handed to
two other people 
before i got what was left of it to reassemble for it's
owner in virginia.    
some fiberglass damage from years of getting shuffled
around as well as years of 
competition quick at event repairs to un-do. point
of this mention is the car is 
not big like spridgets are not big cars ,
right.   the total material cost 
including a gallon of fiberglass resin was
just over 700.00 using base coat / 
clear coat in a two tone blue with white
stripe like the gurney eagles of the 
60's had.   i was stunned at the
material cost!  ok stunned is what i can safely 
type here.   i do not know
what happened to material cost over recent years but 
this stuff has really
gotten expensive!   i remember (i think it was when 
dinaraurs still roamed
the earth?) spending around 100.00 to 150.00 for paint 
materials to do
catalised enamel in one color.  

many shops that are big enough have in house
mixing systems so buying by the 
quart or gallon or 5 gallon pail (like "clean
up" laquer thinner ) is not an 
issue like it is for those who are not a big
auto body business.    having bulk 
materials and in house mixing limited
quantities makes estimates like 1000.00 
for work (including repairs) almost
believeable. 
also shops who do fabrication or restoration are becoming a
thing of the past or 
are  frequented by projects that are high dollar type of
work.    it's all about 
how fast can you push out how much work to beat flat
rate estimates in order to 
generate maximum gross profit.    and i fear at
"gross" end results.   you have 
no idea how many cars are turned out by mass
production shops that have numerous 
flaws or literally omitted pieces you can
not see.    it's frightening atthe 
least!.

chuck 
weather drying out?  
where?   i walked out of the shop last night around 8:30 / 
9:00   and it was
raining......again!   i have to finish clear coating my baby 
harley's tank.  
it's too darn humid or too cold for the paint to catalise.   we 
had april
showers...i'm seeing a few may flowers.   now how about some warm 
sunny
days?       


________________________________
From: Chris Manuel
<cmanuel at wi.rr.com>
To: spridgets_autox.team.net <spridgets at autox.team.net>
Sent: Sun, May 1, 2011 8:11:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Paint shop fiasco
I'm with Dean-

My Sprite will never be smooth and flawless, but the Rustoleum
solution is
working for me.

As soon as the weather dries out for a while I'll
be putting on the final
coat.  Yes, the sponge brush paint job posted online
works.  No, I won't be
showing it. 

Chris


More information about the Spridgets mailing list