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Found a 74 nocs im debating buying, my okd man gave me one in high school I sold so there’s some sentimentality the frame and subframes not bad but it needs full body work, paint etc comes with half quarters. I got quoted like 15-20k by 2 guys for a full paint job. Was thinking I can prep it my self but like having never done body work and there’s a ton of little bubbles in the paint where I assume it’s rust underneath it would need a full sand and treatment.
just looking for some tips if I should bother I can get the car for 3500
Not 20k for paint that’s for sure, I was gonna build a 6.0
and t56 magnum. But didn’t plan on 20k in body and paint I was thinking like 5-6k lol I guess my question is it even worth trying to prep and do the body work my self to save on that 20k
The days of $5-6k for body & paint work to get an example like that to look nice are long over. $15-20k seems like a pretty good deal considering everything that will be needed for exterior restoration on that one (a top quality paint job can cost that much by itself these days, even if virtually no body work is needed). Doing a bunch of the prep work yourself will only save you money if you do it well enough that the shop doesn't have to redo anything, otherwise you'd just be wasting your time. A paint job won't come out nice unless the prep work is proper, so it's critical to get that right. Replacing those rear quarters would be a very difficult job for someone with no bodywork experience.
How's the interior? If that needs to be completely redone then it'll add a bunch to the cost as well.
If budget is a major concern, I think you'll end up spending more to get this car fully completed and road worthy than what you'd spend to buy one that's already done - but if you want to learn paint/body work and buy this car as a project for said learning purpose then it might be worth it. Otherwise, it might be a better buy for someone who can do most or all of the body/paint work themselves.
my last full car BC-CC spray job using PPG paints was $2700 in materials alone. $900 of that was primers, $200 in masking products.
if you do the metal work and body work yourself, you can get by for about $3-4k for the body and paint
if you dont mind non-shiny paint for the first body restoration, you can get by using some single-part paints to bring the total cost of paint down to about $1500. then you are in the $2500-$3500 range for bringing that body back to life.
Ok I will be really cruel here.
It's a 74 big bumper Nova. Not sure what your plans on keeping the car or flipping it. The big bumper cars just don't bring any money if you are going to build it and flip.
I help a local body shop a couple days a week. I'm retired.
Looking at the quarters there is much more rust in the car than the quarters. Just a guess on my part. Floors. Lower front fenders.
Glass? Front and back along with side glass?
A gallon of red ba/cc can cost $1000 a gallon. Doesn't include body filler, primer, or sealer. Not to include all the block sanding it will need to make it straight.
No your right it’s just it was a 73 that me and my dad built then I got custom rear bumper done out of sheet metal but I know what your saying. It was just so cheap to buy like 3500 and then I had no problem paying 20k or so to build the driveline, engine trans, suspension, brakes etc and it would give me something to do I just didn’t realize it would be so much for paint. That basically doubles the price of like 25-30 to like 50 and then at that point it’s not worth it for me even with me doing all the mechanical because I wanted to mini tub it. 4 wheel disk, lowered updated suspension etc. but long story short i backed out of the deal due to the paint and bodywork costs
Go roadkill on it. Buy it make it run make it safe make the interior decent and drive the pee whiny dog **** out of it and enjoy it. If you can manage power train yourself then later on down the road tackle the quarters if you just gotta. Then quick sand it and spray it with tractor supply paint just to protect the metal.
Almost aways cheaper to buy one done than to build it.
But, as above, how much you put in it Vs it's value when done are two very different numbers.
Looking like it needs a re-skin at a minimum, and that's $5K in metal alone (a guess) Then add labor at $100 an hour (minimum) will double that number, and paint prices are all over the place.
Back in 2008 when my car was done, I picked 3-5 colors...every one was a 3-stage and $1000 a gallon, to which I was told I'd need 3 gallons...Nope, found a 2-stage.
THEN you need a lot of faith in the shop. Money can add up quick and a lot.
Two issues with restorations at a body shop. If they do collision work that work takes first place work wise. And no one is standing in line to do rust repair and block sanding.
If it's a restoration shop most if they are good are most likely 2? years out to get your hot rod done.
Rust free projects are out there.
My current 80 RS Camaro I swapped in a LS3/4L60E. Original paint. 28K miles from the original owners son. I'm the second owner. Bought it about 5 years ago. Zero rust. Again they are still out there.
Two issues with restorations at a body shop. If they do collision work that work takes first place work wise. And no one is standing in line to do rust repair and block sanding.
If it's a restoration shop most if they are good are most likely 2? years out to get your hot rod done.
Rust free projects are out there.
My current 80 RS Camaro I swapped in a LS3/4L60E. Original paint. 28K miles from the original owners son. I'm the second owner. Bought it about 5 years ago. Zero rust. Again they are still out there.
My car was in a buddies shop...he needed $$$...I took my car there since he was a buddy, and once $$$$ is involved, we're not friends.
I gave him the keys and a nice chunk of green. I was there once every week, Work being done, more $$$$, and no progress, was no $$$$. He caught on quick.
5-6 months, car got new fenders, door, quarters, outer wheel wells, tail panel, and roof. Body work complete, and painted.
He also did other peoples cars as Insurance work came first, and that is understandable.
Lots of late nights for him, but CASH TALKS.
Is it a world of wheels or SEMA job, no, but then I'd be afraid to drive it We both happy, and still friends.
I agree that nice examples of old cars that don't need a body restoration can still be found, even in the rust belt areas. And if you're not absolutely set on top tier/most desirable model years or trim levels then you can even find some pretty good deals. I found this 42k mile '74 Cutlass a few years ago locally (northern IL) that needed zero in the way of body work. It had sat in dry storage for a long time, so all the usual suspects (fuel system, cooling system, brakes, charging, general tune up) needed some attention but all the major components were just fine. As far as cosmetics, all I did was intensive detailing and some minor trim work. I paid less for this whole car than what it would cost just to get a quality repaint at any of the shops in my area:
A post 1972 Nova has pretty hard limits on what it’ll ever be worth since it’s not as attractive to most people as the earlier ones. If you can do ALL the paint and body yourself, could be a fun hobby.
on the other hand, if you are farming any of that work out, you’d be money ahead starting with a bare space in your garage and buying a nicer car than you would be paying $3500 for that one.
A post 1972 Nova has pretty hard limits on what it’ll ever be worth since it’s not as attractive to most people as the earlier ones.
Along with that, I notice that it hasn't been mentioned if quarter panels would be available. Not to knock the OP, but I don't think that '73 Novas were all that popular. Just something to consider, before committing to a project of that magnitude.
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74 nova project - is it to much 
