47-55.1 Looking for a good painter/shop in the Denver area

[rnrdthefox]

I'm looking for a paint shop that will take on a custom job for my truck. I'm not to the point where I'm at paint, but would like to start discussing a game plan with a local shop. I plan to take the bodywork up to the final sealing, then turn it over to the shop. Is there anyone someone could recommend? Thx

[mongocanfly]

You may have issues finding a bodyshop thatll finish your work..hopefully you can..
Most any body shop will want to do the work from start to finish...after all , their rep is on the bottom line..
About the only ones I know thatll do what your wanting, is places like maaco..

[fauXGT]

Past experiences, Mongocanfly is correct. I've given a few projects for final paint. And even though it was 'ready for paint' IMHO, they won't do it unless they can take to bare metal and start afresh...including bondo.
It's their way of assuring that every layer will bond to the previous one, and no 'flakey, flakey'.

[rnrdthefox]

Yes, I realize this will be an issue for most places but I'm hoping that there will be someone who will be willing. Even if it's a professional who is looking to makes some money on the side that has access to the proper setup for doing the work. Thx.

[e015475]

My experience was similar to Mongo's.

I had all my bodywork done and was ready for paint, but the bodyshops that looked at it either didn't want anything to do with it or wanted to prime it again and block it again before they'd paint it. They typically had wait times of a year or more too.

The guy who did my metalwork can paint, but didn't have a booth so I rented a booth from a local body shop. He painted and I was the 'gofer' holding the hose and mixing paint for him.

I found several 'production' paint shops that'd rent their booth, and some would even supply a painter. I found these folks through my local paint/bodywork supplies outlet. This would have worked OK if I'd wanted to shoot the truck assembled, but it tied up their facility too long to paint it in pieces

The paint booth I rented was made for painting buses and would let me paint everything at once


The jambs, interior, firewall, inner fenders and the backside of all the fenders and hood were painted in my bodyman's shop without a paint booth then finished in the big paint booth.



I've also run accross painters and booths on Craigslist who advertise their services, and I've used them with cars I flipped, but results were pretty spotty as you'd imagine

Good luck

[rnrdthefox]

e015475, this is the path I was thinking about and hoping to take. I know it's going to be a challenge.

[e015475]

There's a paint and body supply store in the Phoenix area called "Space Age" and another called "Library of Paint" - I've been buying painting supplies off and on at both since the 70s. I painted a car maybe every couple of years.

However, I did get to know the managers/owners at both places, and they'd generally know all the body shops within about a five mile radius. I'd usually start my search for a painter/booth by talking to them when I was in buying supplies. There's a few painters doing side hustles or shops willing to rent that they always seemed to know about, and the paint store manager usually knows if they're a quality painter or just churning out schlock work.

You might consider talking to the manager or outside sales person at a paint supply store in Boulder and see what you can find

Another thing you might consider is an inflatable spray booth. They make them in all different sizes, including one that fits in a single stall in a garage. I've seen some excellent results using one. They include blower and filters and create a positive pressure environment which is safer and cleaner than any temporary booth you could cobb together.

If I ever paint another car/truck (which I won't - too old) I'll buy an inflatable booth and do all the jamb/interior/underside work in there with a purple HF gun, then loosely assemble it and have the top coat shot in a rented production booth.

Whatever you decide to do, take your PPE very seriously. The isocyanate in auto paint can really tear up your lungs and cause long term issues

You might want to start thinking about what kind of top-coat you'll be using and if you're going to color sand after you're done. Most painters will have a paint brand/system they like to use and you should make sure all your substrate material is compatible.