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:
Mechanical work to be done by Maaco Sunnyvale:
“Paint up-to” line requirements for Maaco Sunnyvale:
Other / additional prep, paint, & finish work for Maaco Sunnyvale:
Piece parts (off-car) & materials provided by customer to Maaco Sunnyvale:
Note: Do not need to be installed by Maaco Sunnyvale unless otherwise specified.
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
- 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)
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