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Full Repaint Project - Look Over My Scope-Of-Work?

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    Full Repaint Project - Look Over My Scope-Of-Work?

    I am finally getting around to the full repaint project. Some of you may have been following my big ECU conversion thread and wondered why it stopped getting updates. This is why (aside from work and life commitments) I have not been working on it recently. I spent a pile of cash on seals, trim and other parts a couple of years ago in prep for this repaint project and got sidetracked. Well, it's time to make it happen! I am not going for a concours-grade repaint here, just a nice refresh for the very tired looking Brilliantrot paint that the car has now.

    Based on my experience with engine builders and other specialty businesses, it is my assumption that the shop is going to be good at the prep and paint work itself, and less so in terms of scheduling, keeping track of smaller work details and remembering which piece-parts I sent with the chassis. As such, I am writing up a statement of work that I am going to print and have them quote off of so that I (ideally) get the micro-management out of the way up front, and they can generate the quote based on an agreed-upon list of deliverables. I wish to avoid a situation where they quote based on "yeah, we'll get it done, don't worry about the details" and then I have to hassle the crap out of them to take care of the details since they under-quoted the job. I'd rather that they quote me based on knowing exactly what I expect, so that they know that they won't end up taking a hit to their margins and spending a month arguing with me. Quote the full amount of work so everyone is happy in the end.

    I intend to do this at Maaco in my area. "Dude, what?" Numerous E30 owners in the area have had very good experiences with this shop, and one of the guys there knows the E30 very well. It's not going to be a cheap job, that is for sure. I've seen one or two of the cars done there, and the quality is plenty good so long as you are willing to pay for it. Back when I was looking for a shop to do the job, most simply refused to take it, and others were quoting well over $12k (which was their less-direct way of saying they did not want the job). This guy was more than happy to do it since he likes E30s.

    Anyway, here's a copy-pasta of the document that I am writing. Let me know if I am missing something, or if something does not make sense. Paint systems are all TBD since this is the Socialist People's State of CA and I need to go talk to them about what the best available systems are here (or if I can acquire...better...ones from another state).


    Color, materials, & workmanship:
    • Color: OEM code 308 Brilliantrot
    • Paint systems:
      • [TBD] for all “red” areas on upper body
      • [TBD] for all “red” areas on lower body / valences specified as ruggedized
      • [TBD] for all “black” trim
      • [TBD] for all black areas on side rockers and rear lower valence specified as ruggedized
    • [TBD] Single-stage paint OK; no clear coat
    • No overspray on any suspension components, in engine bay, cabin, trunk or underbody
    • Include additional final buff-out & spray to eliminate orange-peel
    • [TBD] Apply [TBD] protective sealant / wax

    Mechanical work to be done by Maaco Sunnyvale:
    • Remove & reinstall front windshield w/ weather seal
      • New window seals & trim to be provided by customer
    • Remove & reinstall rear window w/ weather seal
      • New window seals & trim to be provided by customer
    • Remove & reinstall hood w/ weather seal
      • New weather seal to be provided by customer
      • Inc. brackets
      • Not inc. emblem or washer nozzles
    • Remove & reinstall trunk lid w/ weather seal
      • New weather seal to be provided by customer
      • Not inc. lip spoiler, emblem, or lights
    • Remove & reinstall both doors (install & align on hinges only, no windows or trim)
      • Shop to provide & install new liquid barrier in OEM position
      • Existing weather seals to be re-used
    • Remove & reinstall front left fender
      • Replicate OEM-style adhesive joint at upper-rear of fender panel
    Body repair work to be done by Maaco Sunnyvale:
    • Repair dent in panel under rear-right tail light
    • Straighten & weatherproof sheet metal behind front-left headlight
    • Strip, repair & weatherproof rust spot in underbody under trunk battery tray area
    • Pull and/or fill all dents, dings & chips in body panels

    “Paint up-to” line requirements for Maaco Sunnyvale:
    • Sun roof:
      • Sunroof panel: Top surface and lip up to CL of weather seal
      • Body opening: Stop at bottom of inner lip
    • Hood:
      • Hood panel: Top surface and inside up to existing insulation panels
      • Body opening: Stop at CL of weather seal, include inner front-most parts of fenders, do not paint radiator support or headlight mounting areas
    • Trunk:
      • Trunk panel: Top surface and inside, all
      • Body opening: Stop at CL of weather seal
    • Side doors (2):
      • Door assemblies: Outer surfaces, up to ½ inch under inner door-card panel and under pillar + window perimeter, do not paint inside of door skin
      • Body opening: Stop at CL of weather seal
    • Gas filler door:
      • Filler door: Inside and outside, all
      • Body opening: Inside, all
    • Front windshield, rear window, rear-side windows (2):
      • Body openings: Stop at CL of window seals, or similar location as-needed to ensure waterproof seal seating
    • Side mirrors:
      • Mirror assemblies: Outside surfaces, mounting surface, inside up to actuators
      • Door body: Exposed mounting surface



    Other / additional prep, paint, & finish work for Maaco Sunnyvale:
    • Paint new trunk iS lip spoiler to match body
      • New spoiler to be provided by customer
    • Paint new lower-front iS spoiler to match body
      • New spoiler to be provided by customer
    • Strip front lower valence, side rocker panels, & rear lower valence to remove original textured paint
      • Front lower valence to be repainted to match body with ruggedized paint, smooth finish
      • Rear lower valence to be repainted to match body with ruggedized paint, smooth finish, PLUS black satin ruggedized paint to match OEM look at bottom perimeter
      • Side rockers to be satin black ruggedized paint to match OEM look at bottom; strip down to bottom of factory hem during prep
      • All 3 areas to be painted / weather-proofed to minimum ¼ inch overlap with existing original coating
    • Paint front brake duct inlets (2) to match front lower valence
    • Mask & paint all metal window trim with OEM-style black (SEM or Wurth trim black preferred)
    • Clean & paint all trim, including:
      • Front grilles (2) & kidney (1)
      • Headlight trim rings (4)
      • Side impact strips (6)
      • Front bumper trim (2)
      • Rear bumper trim (3)
      • Front lower valence filler panel
      • Door handles (2)
      • Rear license plate filler
      • Front license plate mount cover
      • Door lock rings (2)
      • Windshield wiper arms (2)
      • Front HVAC air inlets (2)
    • Paint rear side window trim covers (2) to match body
    • Remove “318iS” badge from trunk lid, do not replace


    Piece parts (off-car) & materials provided by customer to Maaco Sunnyvale:
    Note: Do not need to be installed by Maaco Sunnyvale unless otherwise specified.
    • Gas door
    • Bumper skins (2)
    • Bumper trim (5)
    • New front lower spoiler
    • New rear trunk lip spoiler
    • New front windshield seal, lock strip & trim (all)
    • New rear window seal, lock strip & trim (all)
    • New hood weather seal
    • New trunk weather seal
    • New front lower valence filler panel
    • Sun roof panel
    • Rear side window trim (black, all)
    • Rear side window trim (red, 2)
    • Side impact strips (6)
    • Side mirror assemblies (2)
    • Door handles (2)
    • Door lock rings (2)
    • Front lower brake duct inlets (2)
    • Windshield wiper arms (2)
    • Front HVAC air inlets (2)
    Last edited by bmwman91; 08-07-2021, 08:41 PM.

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    #2
    Good stuff. I am shopping as well in my area. But I do plan to do all the disassembly and reassembly myself. The shops that are e30 familiar want to give it a concourse type paint job so the $ goes up. This is a good list.

    In regards to input, the door/hood/trunk alignment needs to be pointed out. You stated installed which assume alignment but I would suggest adding alignment so that you can compare all the gaps and be happy with them.
    What are you plans with the factory seam sealer? They do crack with age and can allow water to leak inside where you don't want to.
    What are you plans with all the vin stickers and all the other ones in the door sills. I believe some repros can be purchased.

    Alex 88 m5 | 91 318is | 19 Subaru Ascent
    BMW Tool Rentals & Fender Roller

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      #3
      I will be doing 95% of the disassembly / reassembly. The reason I am leaving the big panels to them is because I don't want to risk denting them when moving them individually...that's why I have those items listed as being installed with weather strips by the shop; they can't bang-around when I trailer the car home for the rest of the assembly. As far as alignment, I am not concerned about that and can do it myself. They just need to be roughed-in for safe keeping.

      The only seam sealer I know needs some addressing is on the front-left fender. It was replaced back in 2008 due to a little collision, and the shop did a shitty job. As for the rest, I am not really sure where all of the other seams are. For the most part, I am not planning to have anything done to the bottom of the car. I have been under there a lot in the last few years, and there are no rust spots or anything as far as I can tell.

      VIN decals...good question. I had not thought about that. Worst case I guess I will have them mask around them, but good call on getting repros.

      Other notes...a lot of parts are NLA, such as the gaskets that the side mirrors use to seal to the body, the rear side window seals, some fasteners and clips, etc. I bought most of this stuff back in 2018, and got one of the last new-old-stock rear side window seals (I forget which side) in the world from a BMW part dealer in Egypt via eBay lol. Figuring out what to do with that stuff will be the real challenge IMO. All up, I am probably $4k in OEM parts into this. I have a spreadsheet with all of the stuff I bought, so if you need a BOM let me know.


      (edited OP with some edits / additions)

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        #4
        Nice list. Here are a couple of thoughts:

        1.) Should you specify the number of coats of paint that you want?

        2.) I am completely in agreement with you to make a list that both you and the body shop can agree on. However, I"m also worried that some body shops will be overwhelmed by this list and not quote the job just because they don't want to wade through the " paperwork". You might eliminate a really good shop just because they don't have as much office support.

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          #5
          Good call on the number of coats, I suppose I will need to speak with them about that. Do you know what a "typical" number is for a good quality job?

          I have considered that walking in with this thing could flag me as a "pain in the ass customer." So be it. I'd much rather deal with a shop that is OK with the work and expectations up front than a shop where I have to spend 2 months arguing with them over details after the job is halfway done. I already know which shop I am going to be using, and have met the guy who would be overseeing it, and I don't think that he would mind getting everything ironed out 100% before starting the job.

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            #6
            I'm with you on getting it right in the front. If the shop doesn't want to partner up, then move on. Unless you go to every shop in the area and get nowhere, then maybe you can adjust your tactic. if someone wants the job, they will comply.
            Alex 88 m5 | 91 318is | 19 Subaru Ascent
            BMW Tool Rentals & Fender Roller

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              #7
              Originally posted by bmwman91 View Post
              Good call on the number of coats, I suppose I will need to speak with them about that. Do you know what a "typical" number is for a good quality job?

              I have considered that walking in with this thing could flag me as a "pain in the ass customer." So be it. I'd much rather deal with a shop that is OK with the work and expectations up front than a shop where I have to spend 2 months arguing with them over details after the job is halfway done. I already know which shop I am going to be using, and have met the guy who would be overseeing it, and I don't think that he would mind getting everything ironed out 100% before starting the job.


              I can't help you much with how many coats of paint it needs: I've only painted one car.

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                #8
                I am getting ready to take the car apart for this adventure. Does anyone have some pro-tips for how to remove the windshield wipers without messing them up? They are fairly stuck on there it seems. Also, how do you get the black plastic air inlet covers off? I did not buy new ones, and I would very much like to not destroy them (if possible).

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                  #9
                  its a good list. i'm gonna have to keep this in mind as i approach the paint on my car.

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                    #10
                    No shop worth the effort will spray illegal paint. I won't touch the stuff and if a client brings it in before I turn them down, they're transporting it back out. The fines are outrageous and I'm not risking it. There are plenty of decent paints available that are CA-legal.

                    I would recommend doing base-clear if you're going to drive the car often. Any damage that might occur to the roof or quarters won't be correctly fixable without spraying the body, increasing repair costs. With base-clear, you can just blend. I understand the commitment to originality but there also needs to be a consideration to the fact cars get damaged during use. I was married to the idea that cars sprayed single-stage stay single-stage but the more I have to deal with repairs, the more I hate single-stage for cars that see actual road use.

                    If you decide to tape off the VIN stickers, make sure they're cognizant how fragile the stickers can be.

                    You can buy a wiper puller: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lil-54150

                    I've also been wondering about the air inlet grilles and found this: https://s14net.vbulletin.net/forum/s...e-removal-help You'll want post #10. If you want to wait, I'll try it tonight and let you know if I find anything. I would prefer not to break the grilles but will probably be replacing them regardless.
                    1990 325i/4/5, 1992 240SX, 1995 RRC, 1998 M3/4/5

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by SOneThreeCoupe View Post
                      No shop worth the effort will spray illegal paint. I won't touch the stuff and if a client brings it in before I turn them down, they're transporting it back out. The fines are outrageous and I'm not risking it. There are plenty of decent paints available that are CA-legal.

                      I would recommend doing base-clear if you're going to drive the car often. Any damage that might occur to the roof or quarters won't be correctly fixable without spraying the body, increasing repair costs. With base-clear, you can just blend. I understand the commitment to originality but there also needs to be a consideration to the fact cars get damaged during use. I was married to the idea that cars sprayed single-stage stay single-stage but the more I have to deal with repairs, the more I hate single-stage for cars that see actual road use.

                      If you decide to tape off the VIN stickers, make sure they're cognizant how fragile the stickers can be.

                      You can buy a wiper puller: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/lil-54150

                      I've also been wondering about the air inlet grilles and found this: https://s14net.vbulletin.net/forum/s...e-removal-help You'll want post #10. If you want to wait, I'll try it tonight and let you know if I find anything. I would prefer not to break the grilles but will probably be replacing them regardless.
                      Great info, thanks. Yes, it makes sense that a quality shop would not be willing to break the law. If a base+clear setup is what will give me the most robust result for a street-driven car, then so be it. A friend got his new Lexus RC half-wrapped with 8 mil protective film, and I honestly could not tell where it started or ended. So, I will probably be getting one of those jobs done a month or two after the paint job (since I assume that it takes a fairly long time for the new paint to finish curing and out-gassing).

                      Regarding the grilles, I just ordered new ones. They are not that expensive at all. While I was at it I also got new grommets and bushings for my wiper linkage since I might as well refresh the old stuff while I am in there.

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                        #12
                        As far as removing the grilles goes, there are four clips across the top of the left grille- one in each "grille" section. You can see the leftmost one from the top, it's a rectangular projection into the void area. If you look with a flashlight, you should be able to see the others- the second from outer is on the outer half of the opening, the third from outer is in the middle, and the innermost opening's clip is at the innermost void area. I used a 1.5" putty knife (I always blunt the edges to further protect the paint) after taping the cowl and windshield trim. Push toward the center of the grille with the putty knife and use a trim spoon to provide gentle upward pressure. After you've gotten the first one, the rest are simple.
                        1990 325i/4/5, 1992 240SX, 1995 RRC, 1998 M3/4/5

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                          #13
                          OK, so a small update. I spoke with the Maaco where a number of E30 owners in the area have been resprayed, and it is bad news. Oliver, who was the contact there, left a while ago, and they won't take the job due to "environmental costs associated with pre-1995 paint dust". They referred me to a body shop in the area who I spoke with about the project. They are certainly capable and willing, and would likely do a much better job, but they basically said that there's no way it would cost less than $20K even with me doing all of the mechanical work. I assume that that was their polite way of saying that they do not really want to do it lol. I understand that a proper resurfacing & build-up is a lot of work, and that CA + Bay Area are going to increase costs, but there's no way I am spending that much on a repaint. Maybe I will just continue to let it look worse and let the sleeper effect increase.

                          So, the only other option is, I think, to start looking out of state were labor and environmental remediation costs are less onerous. I have to assume that being in the CA Bay Area is adding at least $5K-10K to the cost.

                          So, does anyone know of a reputable body shop in Nevada or Oregon? I can see dropping $10K for a really nice overhaul, but any more than that is not worth it in my mind, and I guess I will just enjoy the car until the paint is gone and rust eats it.

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                            #14
                            Bummer. This is my issue due to pandemic. Supplies have doubled at a minimum um and the labor has also gone up so that shops recuperate what they have lost. Even if I do the all the disassembly and reassembly, it is a $10k price. I am sure CA vs FL has something to do with it. When just pre pandemic it was $4k max for something I was looking for. I am going to address some areas just to protect the body from rust and then either do it myself or wait it out.

                            im sure if you keep looking you will find something.
                            Alex 88 m5 | 91 318is | 19 Subaru Ascent
                            BMW Tool Rentals & Fender Roller

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                              #15
                              Yeah, I too am going to take a wait & see approach. The rear bumper skin is torn up a bit from a little oops in 2018, which is what got me on the track to a full repaint in the first place. Maybe I will just get the used white skin I picked up painted to match well enough for now. Then it is just a matter of hoping that prices ever do come back down...a LOT of money has been printed in the last year. Maybe the inevitable recession that will hit at some point will make shops hungry for business again, although I might also be looking to cut expenses at that point too!

                              Luckily, rust is not an issue or the car, and it is one potential upside of the drought that the west coast will probably remain in perpetually! I don't like having the car look shabby, and getting it polished/waxed will further wear through several places on the hood, but at least it would be shinier lol. The car has not seen wax in close to 3 years since I lost track of time and assumed it would get repainted lol.

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