Collector Car Body and Paint Shops
Paint is the last ten percent of a body job. The work that decides how a car looks in five years is underneath: how rust was cut out, whether panels were repaired in metal or shaped in filler, and how the gaps were set before any color went on.
Collector car body work is slow by nature. Shops that do it well tend to have a queue, and a quote that is much faster or cheaper than the others is describing a different job.
Specialists on Fully Sorted
Nobody is listed under this trade yet. The directory is new and filling by application. See every specialist currently listed, or apply if this is your work.
What to ask before you book
- Is rust repaired with new metal, and can I see photos of a job at the bare-metal stage?
- Will the color be matched to the factory code, and in what paint system?
- Who strips and refits trim, glass and seals, and how are original parts stored?
- What is the timeline, how are delays communicated, and how is the work billed along the way?
Common questions
Should a collector car be repainted or is original paint worth keeping?
Sound original paint is increasingly valued, even with wear, because it cannot be recreated. Repaint when the paint has failed or is hiding problems, not just because it is imperfect. A paint meter reading tells a buyer which one they are looking at.
Why do body and paint jobs take so long?
Because the hidden work expands once the car is stripped, and because curing, blocking and refitting cannot be rushed. Several months is ordinary for a full repaint done properly, longer with rust repair.
Does a color change hurt value?
Often, on cars where originality is documented and prized. A factory-correct color for the chassis is the safe choice; a period-correct alternative is a smaller risk than a modern custom shade.
Other trades
Researching a particular car first? Model histories cover what to look for and what goes wrong, model by model.