Repainting (change color) - anyone ever do it?

Reprise

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Jul 22, 2015
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Humor me, if you will...

My Sierra's OEM paint is "light pewter metallic" ('gold' or 'light bronzemist', if you'd ask me, but what do I know?)

Now that I've put all of the love & effort into it (otherwise known as 'new parts'...lol), I debate holding onto it and changing the color ('Arrival Blue' was an option on the '99-'06, and it's a very appealing color to me on the 800s)

I know the work involved -- including door jambs, inner door sills, door pillars, firewall, etc., etc. And that doesn't count body prep, removing old paint, etc.

I'd be willing to rattle can / prep some of those things. Just want something that approaches a factory look on the outer panels when it's done. So something between 'Earl Scheib' and 'Kindig-it Design'.

To replace the truck 'like for like' would cost me $10K, minimum (and there aren't that many blue ones in the wild for sale; white, light pewter and (Victory) red seem to be the ones most often found (doing a nationwide search on 1500HDs, '01-'06)

How cheaply could I possibly do it, to the specs I listed above? (I know I could get 10-15 cans of Krylon, etc., but looking for a little better than that).

I was quoted $400-500 for the tonneau, to make it 'light pewter', so I know it would not be cheap. If I were to guess, I'd say $5000 or so - and the truck isn't (& could never be) worth much more than that as it sits. But, damn, I'd really like to change it to the blue...
 

hockeyman

Member
Aug 26, 2012
726
PLease excuse mis spelling. I;v e been drinking...

Bodyshops will usually guarantee/warranty the color if they do it step-by-step. That is, that they use their own procedures when painting a vehicle.
You use your own primer, then the job loses it's warranty. Only because the primer coat determines what the basecoat/clearcoat appearance. You can have slight variations in the primers layers, color shades, etc. All will effect the basecaost and clearcoat appearances. Any step you do by yourself and the rest of the job is tainted.
My advice:
Let them do it. Any procedures they take will be warrantied. Any issues, you can gripe with them afterwards and it should be covered. Remember, 98% of the time, you get what you pay for.

Yes, it IS expensive and will cost you one heck of a lot, but the final outcome is usually worth bragging about.

Going to bed now...'night
 
Last edited:

ddgm

Member
May 7, 2013
152
I had a black 1997 Grand Prix ( wife's car ) painted Cadillac Red in 2002. We kept it until 2009 and the paint was as good then as when it was repainted. They did inside the hood, doors and trunk area. It cost us $1600 CAD with a bit of minor bodywork.
 

Drec

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Jan 29, 2018
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Yakima, Washington
I've done more than my share of these. One of the problems with a color change, not mater who does it, is if you get a rock chip/door chip/dent, the old color will show through. Most body/paint shops will just prep the vehicle to paint, they won't be taking all of the old finishes off. Not totally a deal breaker, but it doesn't look that great, unless you are out there touching it up all of the time. The right way to do it, would to totally strip it down to metal and bring it back; which is going to be costly. That is why it is always good idea, I my opinion, to put them back the stock color. You can always do something cool with a two tone, stripes or graphics, if you want it to look different. Most of the rock chips/dents of other stuff would normally happen on the lower body, so something above might be the answer.
 

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