Paint or not to Paint? 71 911T Vintage Racer Project

[911SCcdn]

Hello Everyone,

Currently in the middle of a vintage/street project. New engine, fuel cell, oil cooling system will all be installed in the next month or so. A minimalist interior with possibly vintage seats.

My question is whether I should look at a new paint job or a respray.

The car is a 71 911T with a relatively recent paint job done by the previous owner. Apparently it is a Dodge Viper Blue (metallic). The car has porsche decals.
The drivers door definitely needs a new paint job because of some problems that occured with the removal of track day numbers.

Since I will have the engine out (and lights and trim) in the next couple of weeks I was wondering if this would be a good time for a completely new paint job going with some traditional Porsche colours or just doing a respray where required on the current blue paint work.

Other than the drivers door the current paint is not that bad. I would say it is a good "15 foot" paint job.

I dont want to break the bank on a completely new paint job but I think I could get a decent colour change for $1000. Trunck and engine compartment have a good grey coat.

Any suggestions you may have would be appreciated.

New colour? or stay with the current. Show me your thoughts for a nice early car that will see the odd trackday, vintage race, and "spirited" weekend country drive.

Thanks
Andy
71 911T
91 C4

[Flieger]

Great Car

Metallic paint is a lot of work to touch up because of the blending, even in small spots.

I would go for a repaint in Mexico Blue or Minerva Blau if you still want metallic blue.

Silver and Grand Prix White are always good 911 colors, too.

just MHO

[bonkers]

I rather like the colour it is now actually. May not be an official Porsche colour but it certainly looks the part.

[Pele911]

Awesome car. Id go with a 70's Nonb-metallic color. If you like blue there are many blues that are flat and creamy and represent the era of the 70's.

[CanuckRS]

I like the current color too but if you want to change, how about the original colour; whatever that was ??

Nice car BTW....My Vintage racer is Pastel Blue...original color

[Tinker]

For a race car that looks good from 15', I'd say save your money for consumables like tires, brakes, gas and entry fees. It's just going to get chewed up and pelted with rocks.

I had mine painted a few years back due to an 'off' that tore up the car pretty good (still putting it back together). It had other minor rust issues that I figured was a good time to get it all done at once. But I have no illusions that it's going to get beat up on the track.

Spent about $2,600 for an Earlsheib (sp?) job. Looks good from 10'. I'm hoping to get it on the track again this year.......god willing.

Tinker

BTW, I like the current color.

[blau911]

Originally Posted by 911SCcdn

I dont want to break the bank on a completely new paint job but I think I could get a decent colour change for $1000. Trunck and engine compartment have a good grey coat.

You are greatly mistaken if you think you can get a good color change pain job done for $1000. A good color change paint job done by a qualified professional will cost at least $6000 and that's assuming you do a significant part of the work taking apart and putting the car back together. A gallon of glasurit paint, with reducer etc. will cost you $750.

Of course $1000 may buy you a paint job where a guy tapes down your car for two hours and sprays over the existing paint. But that will cost you more to strip and repaint when you regret how crappy it looks afterwards.
It will also more than likeley further reduce the resale value of the car. Your best bet is to do the touch up on the door, add a few stripes or decals until the paint really looks like crap, and then drop real money for a repaint or sell the car as is.

[blau911]

Here's how I know. These pic's were of my 72T repainted red in the 80's and brought back to blood orange last month. I took most of the car aoart myself, and put it back together.
The whole time my painter was *****ing about how little he charged for the repaint. And it was way north of the $1000 you think a repaint goes for.


http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20414

[nameisbauer]

Great car! Maybe just the blank white circle for numbers will cover your door blem. Cheap and easy especially for a track day car that will get beat. Wait till its a 30 footer until you repaint.

[911 in SC]

Originally Posted by nameisbauer

Wait till its a 30 footer until you repaint.

This has to be my favorite quote this year!