Custom Paint Job

[OrangeCrush]

Just thought I'd give some helpful advice. Your advice was right on the money, I was just elaborating....

I can't tell you how many times I've lost custom jobs to someone else because that bodyshop told the customer they were putting on 13 coats of clear.

Yeah, right, and when the paint is thicker than the door handle, come see me.

I'll never forget this....


One time, I lost a job on a black Chevelle to a guy that wanted a slick look. He told me that he appreciated everything I had explained to him but he was going with this other guy because he used the "12 inch rule".

I was like, ah, what is that?

He said that's the reason he was going with this other guy because I didn't know what the "12 inch" rule was. It was a standard measuring system in the US that all custom shops used.

He explained to me that when the guy was done with his car, he could stand a ruler on the car and read a full 12 inches of the ruler in the paint.

I said, you're fuking kidding me, right? You're a moron, go get it done...please.

Not to mention the fact that back then, I offered the paint job for $1100 bucks. Back then, it was easy a $2000 paintjob but I was trying to help the guy out. (stupid me)

He said that because the other guy was using the 12" rule, that was why the other guy was $3200 bucks.

Anyway, he got the car done and drove it to my shop for me to look at a few months later.

He was standing there all proud telling me how well it looked and even asked me to bring out a ruler. All I had at the time was a 42" steel ruler.

Yep, he was right, there was a few spots of 8" but for the most part, they were 11 or 12 inches to be read in the paint.

Wow, I said, that's great, how much did it end up costing you? He coughed a bit and told me that the bill ending up being closer to $4K.

I asked him if I could keep his car for about 2 hours, I wanted to try something on the hood. To my surprise, he agreed to leave the car with me for a couple of hours. I gave him my car to drive and sent him away.

All I did was start wetsanding and buffing on the hood. First, 1000 grit, then 1500, 2000, 2500 and finally with 3000. I blocksanded it and polished it out.

When he returned, we took my 42" ruler and placed it on his hood.

It was reading 36-38"... Hummphh, 12 inch rule my ass.


He begged me to wetsand and buff the rest of his car, I told him to take it to the guy that painted it.

Fukking moron, paid almost 4 grand for the same job (same my ass) that I offered to him for 1100 bucks.

Stupid people....

Mark