Originality vs paint correction

[BSNMOE]

What % of devastation is deducted when a rear 1/4 Panel is repainted due to a scratch?

[AG81]

It depends on the repair. Was it completely taken to bare metal? Small repair and a respray? That is a difficult question to answer. I have seen some numbers at +100%

[BSNMOE]

Sorry
I meant devaluation not devastation

[Jonny042]

IMO it's worth trying to fix a scratch. Half the time a clueless body shop will repaint a solid color car that has original single stage with base/clear because they aren't aware of the difference, and it ends up looking wrong.

[PeteKz]

Like everything else, it depends. If the work was done correctly, using the correct paint, with correct body work, no overspray, etc. it should be no devaluation. For example, i would consder it a bonus if the hood was repainted to get rid of rock chips, IF it was correctly done.

All that said, very few body shops do work to OE standards, even those who claim they do! BTDT. See Chris Hamilton’s thread about this topic.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Jonny042

IMO it's worth trying to fix a scratch. Half the time a clueless body shop will repaint a solid color car that has original single stage with base/clear because they aren't aware of the difference, and it ends up looking wrong.

This. Almost all "normal" body shops use two stage paint now. It is really hard to find a shop that will use single stage paint.

[wildthing]

Depends if it's a driver or a garage queen. Driver, not so much. Garage queen, maybe 10%. 20% if it's one of those rare cars. (I'm estimating only. Lots of auction results on classic.com for reference.)

[ChrisHamilton]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

This. Almost all "normal" body shops use two stage paint now. It is really hard to find a shop that will use single stage paint.

Mainly because they don't want to do open blends which eventually fail. You can blend single stage but doing so will leave you with an open edge blend which will eventually show. Especially on horizontal surfaces.

You can do it and buff it out to where most wont see the edge but it's there, it's thinner than the rest of the paint and will eventually show/fail/delaminate. Your other option is to adjust the formula of a color to match the vehicle being painted and then panel paint. Harder to do. More expense and time.

Old days most painters could tint and adjust a formula, mainly because they had to. These days you are not going to find many that can. Especially at your run of the mill in and out type production shop.

And with collision type shops all they focus on are late models. For 30 years or so everything has been cleared from the OEM's. So most shops can't mix SS (don't have the product line) or have an interest in spraying it.

Never a good idea to take something like a classic 911 to a collision shop.

[ChrisHamilton]

You can actually take a scratch, fill it with paint (assuming single stage color) then sand it and buff the area and while not perfect will look pretty good. Sometimes you get lucky and it nearly disappears. This is assuming you are using refinish grade paint, meaning high quality activated stuff. Not the little bottles of touchup paint. Works better with single stage but you can also do it with BC/CC.

Slightly OT but IMO nothing looks worse than where someone dabs some paint on and around a scratch. I'd rather have the scratch than that. Just looks terrible.

[GH85Carrera]

Few shops can survive on just specialty car high end restoration paint jobs. Most need the collision repair for modern cars to stay open. We have one shop in our metro area that know old air cooled Porsches and he used to do single stage, but he has to do insurance based collision repair to stay open. I understand economics of a business.

To answer the OP, unless you are trying to enter a concours in preservation category, have it repaired to look like it should. Just my opinion.

[ChrisHamilton]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Few shops can survive on just specialty car high end restoration paint jobs. Most need the collision repair for modern cars to stay open. We have one shop in our metro area that know old air cooled Porsches and he used to do single stage, but he has to do insurance based collision repair to stay open. I understand economics of a business.

To answer the OP, unless you are trying to enter a concours in preservation category, have it repaired to look like it should. Just my opinion.

Most collision shops aren't like that though. I've been around the block working at many shops over the years so I know what I speak of here. It ties in to what you said above, margins are so thin, guys that work collision have one thing on their mind, get it in, and get it out. Lots of compromises on every job. If they don't turn hours they don't stay employed at that Shop for very long. Guys that try to do things correctly can't turn hours. Turning hours is the only thing that matters at a Collision Shop. Trying to get a guy to turn off that mindset for one particular job doesn't work very well.

It's just never a great idea to take something you want done nicely to a collision shop because the guys doing the work have the collision mindset. No offense to your friend or you but a shop that does collision and restorations is not going to do either very well. Are there exceptions? Sure. Not many but there probably are a few. But for the vast, vast, majority that is the case.

If someone is OK with that then more power to them. But if someone is particular about their vehicle and want's it "right" then they would do well to search around and find a Shop that does that. Often a small one man type operation will be ideal for such a car as the OP's.

Just my 2 cents.

[GH85Carrera]

The shop I mentioned is an independent, custom oriented shop. He would love to stay busy with high end repairs, but reality is collision work is necessary. He is the "go to" place for old Porsche repair work.

Back in 2007 while in California, near San Luis Obispo, up in the hills, I hit a deer. The windshield was smashed, and the hood caved in and both fenders and damage along with one fog light and the front bumper and valence. It was a blast driving through LA at rush hour trying to find a good place to see out. I get a new windshield in San Diego.

I drove it home from California. I took it to him and told him make it look like it did before. He did. My insurance company did not blink.


A recent photo.

Pretty much everything from the windshield forward was damaged. It was just the ultimate bug hit. Now after all the years and miles, it still looks great and has won at car shows.

[ChrisHamilton]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The shop I mentioned is an independent, custom oriented shop. He would love to stay busy with high end repairs, but reality is collision work is necessary. He is the "go to" place for old Porsche repair work.

Back in 2007 while in California, near San Luis Obispo, up in the hills, I hit a deer. The windshield was smashed, and the hood caved in and both fenders and damage along with one fog light and the front bumper and valence. It was a blast driving through LA at rush hour trying to find a good place to see out. I get a new windshield in San Diego.

I drove it home from California. I took it to him and told him make it look like it did before. He did. My insurance company did not blink.


A recent photo.

Pretty much everything from the windshield forward was damaged. It was just the ultimate bug hit. Now after all the years and miles, it still looks great and has won at car shows.

Beautiful looking car. Glad you found a good guy to do it.