Site Meter Automotive Blogger » Blog Archive » Paint your car for fifty dollars

Paint your car for fifty dollars

by Will Thompson

Everyone who’s had a project car and is a little strapped for cash has been at the point where the car/truck’s ready for paint. This is usually the point in the project that people really dread. Not only do you have the prospect of your car being in “paint jail” for six months or longer, but you also have to swallow a big pill when it comes to the cost of decent looking paint.

The lowest quality professional paint jobs out there are from places like Maaco and Earl Scheib, and the lowest you can generally go is about $300. Personally, I’ve never heard of anyone being quoted less than $500. Mind you, that’s for single stage paint that’s generally just shiny enough to get the customer out the door in a fairly good mood. Most of the jobs at that price are going on cars that are about to be sold, so the current owner doesn’t really much care how the paint will look in a year.

corvair.jpg

What would you say if I told you the Corvair above has a $50 paint job that the owner did in his driveway?

That’s right, fifty dollars. Five-zero. American currency. Not only is it possible, but it requires no special tools, no air compressor or spray guns or paint booth. I’m talking about painting your car in your driveway for $50. Check out this $50 paint job:

charger.jpg

The secret? Rustolem mixed very thin and applied with a roller. I happened upon this website on Friday and after checking a few links like this one I had emailed a gazillion people I know who are in the same limbo of needing average to decent paint on their rides on the cheap.

It turns out the whole thing started in this thread on Moparts.com. A year and a half and 80 pages later, there were a whole lot of disciples, including a writer for Hot Rod magazine, who did a feature for the July issue that’s in stores as we speak.

Take a look at some of the pictures posted up by folks who have tried it, including this one (Martin is the guy who got all this started on Moparts.com) and check out the wicked satin black job on the Mustang here. Here’s a preview:

flatmustang.jpg

As it’s stated many times in the links I’ve listed on this post, this isn’t something you’d want to do with your super rare 70 Hemi ‘Cuda. However, if you have a driver and don’t want to spend at least $3K in paint, what do you have to lose by trying this?

–Will

, , , , , , , , ,


13 Responses to “Paint your car for fifty dollars”

  1. George Beaumont Says:

    This is really very good from the photographs. Of course it takes lots and lots of surface prep and sanding & polishing afterwards. I wonder if a clearcoat would eleminate the polishing and make it hold up even longer? George B.

  2. Will Thompson Says:

    I dunno if a clearcoat would help or not, George. Might be fun to try, though. What’s the worst case scenario, you’d be out another $50?

    –Will

  3. Scoob Says:

    The car used in the Hot Rod Magazine is a ‘62 Falcon…killer job. Besides the paint they dropped the front end, which gave the car a nice stance.

  4. Repaint your car for just $50! | Automotive News Says:

    […] Source [Automotive Blogger] […]

  5. TotalDismay.com » Blog Archive » Seriously, Should I Paint My Own Car? Says:

    […] found out about a growing trend in DIY auto painting. You can thank the power of the Internet. Many bloggers and automotive journalists are raving about the results that are being achieved with Rust-oleum and mineral spirits mixed 1:1, […]

  6. Joe Says:

    Can the same rustoleum and mineral spirits mixture be sprayed with an automotive paint sprayer? Thanks for the info.

  7. Will Thompson Says:

    From what I read they can be applied with an automotive paint gun, but the point was that it was possible to apply a decent looking paint job yourself without having to have that stuff.

  8. Max Says:

    $50? hmm.. that wouldn’t cover even a third of decent materials..and where is the labor? but ok, your solution can be good for some situations..

  9. ed Says:

    Hey guys

    I paint cars all the time at my house. If what you want is a cheap one coat paint job it can be done for $600 if you do all the sanding and body and rust repairs yourself. I do one a month that way, but all I do is shoot enamel on the car after I tape it off. The owner does the sanding and other prep work. It comes out very well and looks great for years if they do a good job of preping the car. i have a hand out on what they need to do before they bring me the car

    ed

  10. crown vic Says:

    I have a 1999 crown vic that has the beginnings of door edge rust and a number of scratches made by the cops who owned it before me. Most of it is easy enough to hand-sand down to shiny metal but the wheel well’s lip’s upper and lower sides have areas that are crusty rusty. I think there is enough real metal left to avoid any replacement metal. My goal is to stop as much as is feasible the rust from progressing. I want the paint job to make the car look nice for five or more years but do not need to create a “perfect” showroom paint job.

    So someone suggested Rustoleum and I found this blog in searching about the idea.

    Ed said “If what you want is a cheap one coat paint job it can be done for $600 if you do all the sanding and body and rust repairs yourself. … if they do a good job of preping the car. i have a hand out on what they need to do before they bring me the car”

    So, Ed, would you be willing to send that hand out to me in plain text form?

    Thanks!

  11. Ryan Says:

    I ahve also done this at home, but with a different methos of applying the paint. I used a foam brush to apply the paint and it really helped to eliminate a lot of the orange peel associated with performing this sort of at home auto paint. In fact, I laid down six coats of paint, and only had to sand the car 2wice!

    Here is a write up on how I did it:

    http://www.stylusscustoms.com/poorMansPaintJob.html

  12. Justin Says:

    Hey Will, just wanted to let you know the roll on paint job is the best thing ever man. The reason for me saying that is it takes away over sray and allows all of the paint to be applied to the car. I’m currently trying the $50 paint job on a 1968 olds cutlass and it is turning out very good so thanks for the information Will.

  13. Ryan Says:

    I have recently updated my write up. There is now a six month update on how the paint is doing, as well as some more in depth tips to getting the job done.

    http://www.stylusscustoms.com/poormanspaintjob.html

Leave a Reply


About Automotive Blogger

Some people use their automobiles only to get from Point A to Point B. You know there's more than that. You get mad when someone makes a remark about your car that's less than flattering. You get riled when a cool car is destroyed in a straight-to-video movie. You realize when a new car doesn't deserve it's name of a great car of the past. When you see someone driving a boring vehicle, you feel sorry for them. You know it's not the destination that counts - it's the journey. Welcome home gearheads. Welcome home, car freaks. Welcome to the site that fuels your automotive obsession - AutomotiveBlogger.net

Automotive Blogger Author(s)

Automotive Channel Posts

  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide - Tocca 007 Candle
    From now through December 24th we're offering gift suggestions for auto enthusiasts. This week's gifts are all in the $25 - $50 price range. * * * * * For the female auto enthusiast in your [...]
  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide: Cars (WS or FS)
    From now through December 24th, we’re offering gift suggestions for auto enthusiasts. This week, all our gifts are $25 or less. * * * * * For the junior enthusiast in your family, the movie [...]
  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide - Heated Seat Cushion
    From now through December 24 we're offering a holiday gift guide for auto lovers. This week: gifts under $25. * * * * * This Wagan Tech IN-9738 Heated Seat Cushion keeps you cozy and warm [...]
  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide - Kensington FM Tuner
    From now through December 24th we're offering gift suggestions for auto enthusiasts. This week's gifts are all under $25. * * * * * This FM tuner by Kensington works with any iPod that has [...]
  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide - Turtle Wax
    From now through December 24th, we're offering gift suggestions for auto enthusiasts. This week, all our gifts are $25 or less. * * * * * Turtle Wax Ice, unlike most polishes, can be used in [...]
  • 2007 Holiday Gift Guide - Armor All
    As promised, from now through December 24th, we're offering gift suggestions for auto enthusiasts. This week, all our gifts are $25 or less. Armor All has long been a product of choice for [...]
  • Tips for Night Driving
    With the nights growing longer, weather infringing upon the daylight, and holiday lights catching our attention, driving safely at night becomes increasingly important. Especially when you consider [...]
  • Autos A-Z: Diesel
    Greetings folks, and welcome to the fourth edition of Autos A-Z, your one-letter-at-a-time trip through the automotive alphabet. In the past couple of weeks, we've covered 'A' - axles, 'B' - [...]
  • Coming Attractions
    We wanted to give you an idea of what's to come in the next month at AutomotiveBlogger.net: The holiday season is upon us, and even auto aficionados can get caught up in the hype. We're going to [...]
  • Video Break - Monday night edition
    Greetings fellow motorists. I trust that you all had an excellent Thanksgiving. That's my excuse for not posting for a few days - I am just now conscious enough to type (somewhat) [...]

Hot Off The Press

  • What Has Happened to Audio?
    Part of the answer to that question is readily apparent to anyone who is reading this column on a regular basis. The population has become enamored of the ‘total experience’ of the home theater. [...]
  • Velvet Verbosity's 100 Words
    Ah, it feels so good to be back writing here again. And doing my beloved 100 words again! I suppose I could have done the one I missed on my personal site, but… Yeah, that’s probably not a [...]
  • Rihanna’s fashion totally confuses me
    It would probably take us into a nervous breakdown if we would see our favorite stars in their not-so-good looks. But then again, since I’m not a fan of Rihanna, I don’t exactly know what to [...]
  • Some Summer Music Pics from Five Magazine
    That's this SUNDAY in TAOS....go camping too. Brave Combo Nearly thirty years ago, someone classifi ed Denton, Texas’ Brave Combo as a new wave polka band, which they are. Th ey even won [...]
  • Hart Hanson tells original Zack story
    At the Banff World Television Festival recently, Hart Hanson gave attenders an earful about the show and what we almost had - from the beginning and if we hadn't have had the writer's strike to screw [...]
  • Weekly Forecast: View To A Kill
    (Hint: Play song and read at the same time!) Mystery, intrigue and dances in the fire, or a least a little snarkiness, are the keynotes of this dramatic week as the planet of secrets, Pluto, [...]
  • Photo Gallery: Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles; July 4th, 2008
    Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles; July 4th, 2008 [...]
  • Bevy of Hogs Advance on Day Six of U.S. Olympic Trials
    EUGENE, Ore. – The 200- and 1,500-meter races were stellar events for Arkansas Razorback track and field on day six of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Oregon's Hayward Field on Friday. [...]
  • Samuels, Spearmon Stellar in 200 on Day Seven of U.S. Olympic Trials
    EUGENE, Ore. – The 200-meter rounds produced some good and some bad for Arkansas Razorback track and field on day seven of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Oregon's Hayward Field on Saturday. [...]
  • Hollywood's Next Top Celebrities
    Amanda Seyfriend, Emma Roberts, Blake Lively and Kristen Steward are named some of the younger celebrities who will be come the future toast of Hollywood, according to Vanity Fair. For its August [...]