I cant seem to get a simple answer to how much a paint job will be for my 1978 ford f150 lariat. It doesn't have very many rust spots but i just decided to get it done before it gets any worse .....any ideas on how much it will cost ?

 

sort of a vague question. Single color or tu-tone? single stage or clear? Will you do any prep work yourself?

 

I was planning on a single color pearl white .I would do the body work but I don't have time .

 

how nice you want to make it is how much its going to cost. the more nice you want to make it the more it gonna cost.....also depends on what the shop labor cost are, go to diffrent places and get qoates.

 

You won't get a simple answer because there are too many variables to definitively answer your question - geographic area, material costs, shop rate, surface repair, and the "gotta have it now" priority that seems to be a driving force. Then we have to consider finish type, number of coats, 1K or 2K, jambs done, how much of the work you're leaving to the shop. Some shops will factor in a difficulty factor simply because it is a truck.

Here are my VERY ballpark figures;

Scratch N Shoot $300-$800.
Minimal body work and 1K /2K- $1000-$1600
Patch, fill, jamb, seal, block, shoot color and clear - $1600 to $3,000
Fill, jambs, hood underside, guidecoats, block , etc.... $ the sky is the limit.

.. whatever the estimate is, be prepared to add another 25 percent because all sorts of crap rears its head like hidden repairs performed by POs.

However, you CAN save money and get a better quality paint job the more work you do yourself:

....Remove bumpers, all trim & emblems, all lights, grill shell, mirrors, door handles, remove all glass, gut the interior, remove the door weatherstrips, felts, antenna, tailgate hardware, door strikes, fuel neck, door latches, fender bumpers (along the outer hood edges), remove all but two bed bolts so the guys can pull the bed off and shoot the back of the cab and the bed head panel.

Bag and ziptie all the disconnected lamp harnesses so the shop guys don't even have to think about masking them off... makes reassembly easier too since overspray can be kept to a minimum. Oh, bag and tag all your hardware too.

Basically, make the truck as naked and as easy to disassemble as possible so your shop doesn't have to mask and you get better coverage. Remember, shop rates (at least around here) is like $90 per hour. PAY YOURSELF by doing more of the work.

Specify to your chosen shop what your re-paint should consist of and then let them provide their input and a rough cost based what you tell'em. Then start talking about how much preparation you will do and the rough cost should start going down.

 

^

And just a note, I forget where I heard this:

Choose 2-
-Fast
-Cheap
-Good

If its fast and cheap, it wont be good; if its good and fast, it wont be cheap; if its good and cheap, it wont be fast.