CiCiC3

How difficult is it these days to find a body shop that will replace a fiberglass panel and then do some extensive painting to blend and match? Seems impossible unless you live near a race track etc. to find a shop. Probably need to find someone who does work from home on the side? Any suggestions?

Oldguard 7

Do you have any pics? When you say extensive body work what do you mean? As for painting/blending paint, how much of the car needs bodywork? You will save yourself some money if you can do the work yourself. I had my vette painted and had some bodywork done. I spent 6000. But to answer your question, ask around, go out and visit bodyshops and question them, ask to see some vehicles they worked on, have they repaired any c3 corvettes. Hope this helps.

CiCiC3

I had it painted in '97 with minor body work for around $14K using Sikkens metallic with clear coat. Still looks fairly awesome except for the left rear QP that has been torn. Body shops in town say they don't work with fiberglass and have no suggestions other than the Concord NC race track area or around Charlotte. Long drive though.

John 65

Any shops that repair trucks in your area? Years ago I had an 80 vette repaired and painted by a body shop that does only truck bodys. (fiberglass) They tinkered with it in their spare time when slow, and did an outstanding job.

mamamia69

We live here in Cincinnati, just a little north of you. Plenty of painters up here. How extensive do you want to go?

CiCiC3

OK Cinci seems a good place not too far away. I'll have to start calling around in that area and see what I can find. I would like to match the shade fairly close but most shops tell me that's going to be an impossible task for an aqua mettalic color. So I may have to re-shoot the whole thing i don't know. Thanks for the info about OH that's good to know!

Alan 71

Hi cici,
Although I can't offer any shop suggestions I would think long and hard about bringing any Corvette I cared about to a shop for fiberglass repair and paint that didn't mainly or totally work only on Corvettes.
Corvettes require a knowledgeable shop.
I would suggest you try to find a contact with a local Corvette Club to see where those people are having their work done.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

Korevette

You have lots of great replies for solutions CiCiC3. I was fortunate to be using Sikkens paint the same year your car was painted. Sikkens is very high quality paint from Holland, Akzo Nobel is the parent company.

With that car being painted aqua metallic colour, the invoice could very well provide the paint code to replicate the formula to help you save a "re-shoot". Check the invoice or the original shop. We kept all of our custom paint codes.

If that is not possible, go to a Sikkens body shop and they can at least 'Colour Map' the paint and provide a code. All that is left is getting it repaired.

Lots has been offered regarding fiberglass repair and I support it all but do want to stress a couple of things. Going to Oldgaurd 7's question, what do you mean by extensive body work? My '76 was purchased with the right front corner crushed up to the forward outside fender with no structural damage and the broken parts in a cardboard box. The original pieces were fitted and as good as new.

As for blending paint you are lucky as it is 'clear coat'. The colour can be blended with a 'spot in' just up to the crown line of the quarter panel and then a polish back with no visible lines.

To help you out, I would suggest to post some pictures to maybe help you save some dollars.

Korevette

Easy Mike

Where have you looked? I would think you could find two or three places in the Lexington area who could do Corvette work. Have you Contacted these folks? http://bluegrasscorvetteclub.org/

CiCiC3

Yes Bluegrass is right around the corner from me. They are a cool looking shop and said to be best in town but they said they don't do fiberglass anymore and didn't know who to send me to. I asked B n A Corvette but they referred me to a place that is no longer in business. Have not been able to get any referrals but maybe I should check with a Vette Club if i can find one here. I've heard they have some here. Thanks for the help though.

CiCiC3

Thanks for the detailed suggestion. I'll have to post a picture soon. I've fixed it temporarily so I can drive it around to do all the other work that needs to be done on it without torn fiberglass flapping in the wind. When I spoke of extensive work all i was refering to was blending of the paint and not the body work which should be a fairly straight forward remove and replace rear quarter panel. maybe I should attempt it myself but thought I would get an estimate first and then determine. Yes Sikkens is a beautiful paint that shows an incredible depth when out in the sun. People really remark about it on a sunny day. Thanks for the advise Korevette.