Should I Paint This?

After years of talking about it, I finally went to California and bought some cars, then brought them back here to the north east. I sold all but one, right away.

This is the one I have left.. It's a 74 Super Beetle with original paint. It's solid as a rock everywhere that counts, and it runs/drives excellent. I'll probably keep it, but not indefinitely.

When I do go to sell it, shiny paint could either make it worth more, or it could make it look like every other rehashed northeast VW out there. The way it is now, it's plain to see that it is solid, and isn't loaded with bondo.

What sayeth you, GRMers? Paint it or leave it original?

They're only original once .. I would probably keep it original and show it off at a few VW centric shows. Then if you go to sell it, if people don't like the paint, revisit the issue.

BTW, awesome job on actually doing something we all daydream of doing!

Personally, if I was buying the car I'd rather it was left in original paint. You can spend some time compounding it and buffing it to make it look as good as possible.

The thing is, a quality repaint will cost more money than it's worth for a car you're flipping. On the other hand, a cheap repaint will look cheap.

Leave it just like it is, as was already said, they're only original once.

BTW, Has this expedition been profitable?

In reply to stuart in mn:

I would rather have the original paint, too. To me, the guy who would want it the way it is, is the guy who knows what it costs to fix rust & sees he is money ahead by starting with such a solid, original car.

That said, how many of us could there be out there? I could prep the car myself and get a reasonably good paint job for around $1200, all-in. It won't be show quality, but my prep work ain't bad, either.

No leave it.

Happy Andy,

So far, only marginally. I kicked butt with a 55 New Yorker, lost with an 87 CRX, and broke even with another 74 Beetle. This car could be the one to determine if the trip was actually profitable.

It's really tough to find decent old cars out there. There are plenty of cars, but most are either too expensive (because of CA car culture?) or have been modified to death with ill-fitting body kits, huge wheels, etc...or they've been turned into low riders.

stuart in mn wrote: Personally, if I was buying the car I'd rather it was left in original paint. You can spend some time compounding it and buffing it to make it look as good as possible. The thing is, a quality repaint will cost more money than it's worth for a car you're flipping. On the other hand, a cheap repaint will look cheap.

this.

Slather it with Herculiner and dust on some glitter.

Just don't get it on your hootus.

As a retirement scheme I'd invest in a hotshot rig n trailer if there was money in it.... is there money in it?

From Pa. here, the land of road salt

I don't think CA is the place to go for vintage cars. I would bet going to desert states like Arizona, parts of Texas, etc would be the ticket. I think CA has too much of a car culture as well as higher cost of living. Go to an area with dry air, low cost of living, and very little car culture. That should be the ticket for low rust, relatively inexpensive cars. It may be harder to find interesting old cars in those areas though.

Don't paint it. Beetles look awesome when they are original.

M030 wrote: I could prep the car myself and get a reasonably good paint job for around $1200, all-in. It won't be show quality, but my prep work ain't bad, either.

Do you think you'd get $1200 more for the car if it was painted? And, this is assuming your labor is free.

I had my car painted the year before last and spent more than that just for materials, never mind the labor...unless you can make it look as least as good as OEM for that amount, I'd sell it as is.

Wash it, compound it, buff it, Wash it, clear coat it. That way original paint is there in best it can be shape and now is protected. Best of both worlds. Leave any chips as they are as clear will protect.

leave it

stuart in mn wrote:

M030 wrote: I could prep the car myself and get a reasonably good paint job for around $1200, all-in. It won't be show quality, but my prep work ain't bad, either.

Do you think you'd get $1200 more for the car if it was painted? And, this is assuming your labor is free.

I guess that's my real question. I already own it in the low 3s, which may be too much. I have it on eBay, but it doesn't seem to be really taking off.

It's item #170854076688 if you want to check it out.

I'd rather see a good paint job than an old crappy paint job. But I am apparently in the minority here. Just take a bunch of pics so you can show it wasn't repainted because it was rolled into a ball

While some car guys will say "it's only original once", I suspect most buyers will go for the car that looks new as opposed to old.

I'll 2nd Keith. Take lots of pictures of the painting process and make it shine.

I was expecting this to be a tough choice, but looking at the pictures, it's extremely easy: Leave it. Buff/Shine/Wax and enjoy the paint the way the factory did it. It'll never look like that again.

I don't think the cost of a good paint job would pay off. I'd clean up whats there.

4-speeed or autostick?

I'm with mguar, actually. If that will buff up well, touch up the rough spots and go with that. It'll be cheaper (always important when you're flipping) and then the originality weenies get their originality and Joe Average sees lots of shine without age. That's if it'll buff up of course.

4 speed

I think you should 924 the suspension, stuff a 3.6L Porsche motor in it... THEN paint it.

Don't paint it, just add these:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/porsche-wheels/49932/page1/