Paint

[PanRider]

I've got my 62 all torn down and am looking to paint it stock - HiFi Blue and Birch White stripes. But I can't believe how much painters want to paint it! I was thinking I could get it done for $1500. That seemed pricey but doable. I've gotten quotes from $3400 to $6500!! The last one was for $3400 - $800 materials and 50 hours labor. That's a solid week plus 10 hours just on my bike. It will all need blasted but there are really no dents or problem areas other than the saddle bags and he just threw those in with the price. I can't do these no.s. Economically it just doesn't make sense. Told the wife I might just put it all back together and ride it. So tell me, are these prices realistic? The bike is going back to stock, thus the stock colors - and I really like the HiFi Blue and Birch White. But it isn't going to be a 100 pointer. I'm in the Fargo area. Any suggestions besides a spoof can?

[steve_wood]

Wow. Those prices are definitely high. I had two bikes painted by a shop in Boston a few years back and they were both right around $2000. Awesome jobs too.

Can't believe prices could go up that much in 8 years....

[old.wrench]

panrider,
The price quotes you got are high.
There is a lot of work that goes into prepping and painting, especially on the tanks - it's mostly labor-intensive hand work because of all the curves and contours. I do know that some professional paint shops (the local ones here) put plenty of extra money into the quote to cover cleaning and sealing the gas tanks too, so there aren't problems with "gas" messing up the paint down the road.
I do a little bit of painting myself (I had to learn how because I couldn't afford to have a professional shop do it )and good materials aren't cheap, but they are only a small part of the price when you consider how much a shop charges per hour for labor.

Geo.

[Bigincher]

My painter quoted me $1,000 to $1,200 for the tins.
Charged around $300 for the frame, and another few hundred for all the black-painted parts.
All he does is motorcycles.
A couple thousand should cover a complete paint job, I think. Even if you add 20 percent, 'just because', it's under $2,500.

[58flh]

Panrider---The quote you got was for 3-4 Bikes!./Im with everyone on this-(Way to much scratch for something that will get a few over time).I have a good guy that owns a Body-shop & does all insurance work on pricey cars.When we painted my bike EGGPLANT PIRPLE,The Paint was $100 for PPG, the Hardener was $38.--My sheetmetal was OK /there were a few spots on the tank that needed sone work & I also blasted the chrome off the chainguard,& painted that.All was done in a EPA-certified downdraft booth.--(This is what your paying for!--Their licence & However many booths they have .My buddy has 2 one for suvs & 1960s caddys!-($380,000)-The smaller booth was $80K less.The most exp. paint you can by is IMRON-Again Most shops cant handle that as the booths are 60 feet long.Anyway The amount of work on 2-fenders /2-tanks,tool-box,& whatever else you want is a breeze to shoot.I actually tried it on my fender & I never shot with a devilbliss /Im a rattlecan guy!.But It came out great /After he fixed my run .Plan on spending $200 for your paint & hardener & orangepeel additive.After that its sanding & making those curves nice.(This Takes Patience & I hate body-work anyway.)So the guy that quoted you that price probably has a huge overhead /Has to make Pay for the men every week.& if he has a lot of realstate offices & all that crap That's why Paint is SKYHIGH!.Its good to know a buddy or anyone that is in that trade!--They make a weeks pay in a few hours/& your saving a $1000-easily!.---(the olny thing you pay for is PAINT & its Additives).----& the price that you agreed on for doing the job.----Respectfully----Richie

[cdndewey]

My buddy wants to paint his 62 Hi-Fi Blue but we're having a hard time finding any paint...any suggestions here...paint code/brand perhaps.

[58flh]

I know of 3 --PPG---DUPONT---& if you need special stuff Some guy I know purchased a Candy Color with a Silver base & it was Beautiful!-It was House of Color a few yrs. back.I know you can get QTs. now So that saves ALOT of cash!.Hell a gallon is $110.00--Depending who you buy from.It use to be that you could olny buy the paint per gallon!----Another good thing to do is Find out who the GUY is that's shooting your bike.Hand off a $50 bill/The best 50 youll ever spend!---Respectfully---Richie

[cdndewey]

I know of 3 --PPG---DUPONT---& if you need special stuff Some guy I know purchased a Candy Color with a Silver base & it was Beautiful!-It was House of Color a few yrs. back.I know you can get QTs. now So that saves ALOT of cash!.Hell a gallon is $110.00--Depending who you buy from.It use to be that you could olny buy the paint per gallon!----Another good thing to do is Find out who the GUY is that's shooting your bike.Hand off a $50 bill/The best 50 youll ever spend!---Respectfully---Richie

Richie...do you have paint codes? We live in Canada so sending stuff across the line is a bit of a hassle.

[6hds]

Panrider, try looking up John Pierce Colorwrite on the web.

[58flh]

CDNDEWY----I probably have the same paint codes that you can get!--If you can get into PPG, Dupont,or any aftermarket place like House OF COLOUR--That's what I pull up on the bourd!--HI-FI BLUE that's a real nice one!/It reminds me of a MARINA BLUE I had on my 66 chevelle just darker.Im sure somebody here can help you finding that color with a swatch bourd or metal/strip bourd.I wish I could give you more info!----Respectfully---Richie

[OLD WUN]

Those paint quotes are really high even with the good paint. I think you are just getting stuck with the Harley tax. Had the same issue with a Corvette, the price doubled every time I needed something. I would say for a 2 tone paint $1500 / $1750 is good, remember two colors is almost double the work as it all has to be double masked and taped for any stripes. Single color is much easier.

[4pans1man]

NOT SURE IF THIS INFORMATION IS OF ANY HELP. BOUGHT SOME TYPE OF DEALER PAINT CODES. 1959 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE COLORS. SO CALLED HI FI (FLAMBOUYANT) COLORS. Y-797-66929 BLUE. THESE ARE COLORS PRODUCED IN A TWO COAT SYSTEM, THE FIRST CONSISTING OF AN ALUMINUM GROUND COAT, FOLLOWED BY TRANSPARENT (Y-797 LINE) COLOR TOPCOATS. DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT ALL THAT MEANS. PLUS IT STATES THAT THE BIRCH WHITE IS (93)-74637.

TONY

[58flh]

Im going to take a guess here/But Tony has GOOD INFO!--I would hunt it down & see what ya get!--The second number after the Fist SET of numbers -Is the HARDENER that is to be used with the manufacturers paint whosever producing it!.I shot a nice Rattlecan job in Navy Battleship grey /with metalflake!/I should of left well enuff alone ///but I got a can of clear+hardener for said paint!//Instead of trying it out on a practice piece ,The second this shit hit the fender it SPIDERWEBBED & cracked anyplace it hit!/So always a dry run. for me that's not a painter!----Richie

[FL54]

PanRider
I had a 69 FLH painted by a real craftsman in the Portland area. Tanks,saddle bags, brackets, fenders etc. he said it would be between $2-3k. It ended up being $2800 but I think he cut me a little slack. It turned out beautiful.
Your price is high but a quality job is going to cost. You get what you pay for. Most of the labor is in the prep work and those bags take time to make it right.

[Panacea]

IMG_9735.jpeg

Here's a pic of my 51 my brother in law painted at his body shop for me. He said he had over 70 hours in it! It was just a rider but I did blow tons of cash on it...