I Miss Earl Scheib!!! (who can paint my beater cheap?)

[teflon6string]

Where's my old pal Earl Scheib when I need him? (Actually, lonnng gone I would guess.)

For those unfamiliar, he advertised constantly on TV in San Diego and LA when I was military/DoD there last century... "I'll paint any car for $99.99!" Was he up here in Oregon and Washington too? His $99 price rose to $199 and $299, etc., over the 25 years I served there. But I felt he did a good job on my beater Cherokees, pickups and a used Beemer (trunk, door jambs, everything)!

My faded, flaking old pickup runs perfectly (even the 4x4 and AC), but it needs a coat of real automotive paint, not my amateur rattle can touch-ups. Nothing special, just flat or matte black. Plain primer in fact, if that's a thing.

I just can't see spending 5-6 times what the truck cost me for a really basic coat of paint.

Who would you guys and gals recommend in the Portland area? (Preferably more to the west than the east, but beggars can't be choosers.)

Thanks.

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[Xaevian]

Oh, yeah, we had Earl Schreib and the $99 paint job in WA when I was growing up. Usually painted the rubber on the tires too, lol.

 

[Cavedweller]

For those unfamiliar, he advertised constantly on TV in San Diego and LA when I was military/DoD there last century... "I'll paint any car for $99.99!"

Oh, yeah, we had Earl Schreib and the $99 paint job in WA when I was growing up. Usually painted the rubber on the tires too, lol.

You guys are youngsters! I remember "I'll paint any car any color for $29.99." On black and white TV. (remember those?)

 

[teflon6string]

LOL I had no idea who Earl was until the 70s. But before that, I worked for Friendly Chevrolet and delivered used cars to/from KPTV in Goose Hollow where Friendly Joe Cahan taped his ads to air on Portland Wrestling.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Very tough to find cheap paint jobs imo. Labor and materials both high. Maaco used to do cheap paint jobs but I don't know if they still do. U can paint urself, but materials are still high and boku hours to do.

Here is one I did in the driveway. Best to paint in summer and early in morning before the bugs come out if u are painting outside.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Maaco used to be around in Salem its now long gone, 10+ years on. Now theres mostly "collision centers" where insurance companies refer car wrecks to for repairs and repaints if its worth it... usually cars get totaled anyhow and sent to U-Pull its or G&R Auto Wreckers for dismantling and crushing.

Edit. You could check if theres still any schools (community colleges/trades?) That still teach auto body and painting.. or check with the local Latino lowrider clubs for cheap jobs?

 

[teflon6string]

Very tough to find cheap paint jobs imo. Labor and materials both high. Maaco used to do cheap paint jobs but I don't know if they still do. U can paint urself, but materials are still high and boku hours to do.

Here is one I did in the driveway. Best to paint in summer and early in morning before the bugs come out if u are painting outside.
View attachment 1084366

I forgot about Maaco. Thank you!

Maaco used to be around in Salem its now long gone, 10+ years on. Now theres mostly "collision centers" where insurance companies refer car wrecks to for repairs and repaints if its worth it... usually cars get totaled anyhow and sent to U-Pull its or G&R Auto Wreckers for dismantling and crushing.

Edit. You could check if theres still any schools (community colleges/trades?) That still teach auto body and painting.. or check with the local Latino lowrider clubs for cheap jobs?

Interweb tells me there's one on N Ross in Portland. I'll call them and see what they say.

Scared to do it in my own driveway since we just painted the house and I don't want to "tint" it. It's seldom not breezy on my hill.

Keep the ideas coming folks!

 

[Alexx1401]

I well remember him saying I''ll paint any car, any color for 29.95. Then it kept creeping up. In the early 90's when I moved back a radio station here used to do comedy commercials. One day they did one on him. Voice that sounded just like him, This is Earl Scheib I'll paint any car any color for 99.95. Next a Woman's voice comes on saying this is Pearl Scheib and I'll do anything for 99.95. I almost ran off the road laughing. I have to guess the lawyers (he was still in business here then) must have gotten on them because I never heard that one again.
I have known many who got a paint job from one of his places over many years. With a little "extra prep" on the part of the owner they were all quite happy with the work. The old saying used to be you pay for Earl Scheib, you get Earl Scheib but, for the price his pain jobs always seemed to be a good deal.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I forgot about Maaco. Thank you!

Interweb tells me there's one on N Ross in Portland. I'll call them and see what they say.

Scared to do it in my own driveway since we just painted the house and I don't want to "tint" it. It's seldom not breezy on my hill.

Keep the ideas coming folks!

The transfer efficiency of an HVLP rig/gun is very very high compared to a conventional rig.

 

[SHOOTZMEDLER]

Maaco charges a lot for the work quality they do. I did a better job painting a drift car in my garage over njght vs what I paid them to do in a week on a flip car I bought from auction. They used to do decent work and it was affordable. Now a days they hire entitled youngins that barely scuff anything before spray because that involves work and using elbow grease.

If they still have the $300 basic package and you spend the couple hundred bucks to do a better prep job, I could see that being worth it.

 

[teflon6string]

Spoke with a Portland Maaco this morning. If I brought them a prepped pickup it would be $1500-1800. Their prep adds $200 per-panel going up from there, the roof counting as two for the long cab and a half. All said and done, it would be closer to $3000.

Unless I find someplace that can do a half decent job for half as much, I'll buy a LP/HV spray gun and shoot it in the driveway next summer (after I tarp my house).

 

[arakboss]

Where's my old pal Earl Scheib when I need him? (Actually, lonnng gone I would guess.)

For those unfamiliar, he advertised constantly on TV in San Diego and LA when I was military/DoD there last century... "I'll paint any car for $99.99!" Was he up here in Oregon and Washington too? His $99 price rose to $199 and $299, etc., over the 25 years I served there. But I felt he did a good job on my beater Cherokees, pickups and a used Beemer (trunk, door jambs, everything)!

My faded, flaking old pickup runs perfectly (even the 4x4 and AC), but it needs a coat of real automotive paint, not my amateur rattle can touch-ups. Nothing special, just flat or matte black. Plain primer in fact, if that's a thing.

I just can't see spending 5-6 times what the truck cost me for a really basic coat of paint.

Who would you guys and gals recommend in the Portland area? (Preferably more to the west than the east, but beggars can't be choosers.)

Thanks.

View attachment 1084359

Krylon plus driveway equals cheap. Matte Camo pattern will cover many mistakes.

 

[arakboss]

A drive thru paint job outfit would be pretty cool. Like a car wash. You do your own masking and then drive it through. They could sell masking supplies and have covered parking where you mask it. Each day of the week would be a color that they ran all day.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Not sure they would be able/willing, but Portland Truck Center might be one of the better shops around, Had my Sprinter painted by them, it turned out FLAWLESS and it was $3000 for the entire job, prep, few small dents, and clear coat! Cost me almost a grand more to have two windows installed, they had to cut the sheet metal in the two side doors and the glue the glass in using the factory type glue, well worth having it done by them while they were doing the body and paint! Buddy is doing the pinstripes this spring, cant wait!

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Not sure they would be able/willing, but Portland Truck Center might be one of the better shops around, Had my Sprinter painted by them, it turned out FLAWLESS and it was $3000 for the entire job, prep, few small dents, and clear coat! Cost me almost a grand more to have two windows installed, they had to cut the sheet metal in the two side doors and the glue the glass in using the factory type glue, well worth having it done by them while they were doing the body and paint! Buddy is doing the pinstripes this spring, cant wait!

$3000 is an excellent price these days for sure! Materials are so high now. To some ppl $1500 is minimum for materials and to some $3000 would be minimum (not me).

For me absolute minimum would be 2k primer, inexpensive base coat, and a good clear. Last car I painted with DuPont Nason and I think clear was around $100-$125, base coat maybe $50-$75, primer probably $100. But it may be double that now I dunno. All the other consumable materials add up fast too.

One thing is do not skimp on tape. Get 3m automotive green tape or better. It will save you 1000 headaches. And don't use any sort of rattle can primer or laquer based products. Unwanted chemical reactions can undue the whole thing in short order. And don't wax it, ideally for a year. Waxing can create bubbles even after a long time such as 6 months.

 

[Jason999]

Pick up a cheap hvlp spray gun, practice painting on some opened cardboard boxes. Mask it carefully and you'll do okay on painting your own vehicle.

For a few hundred you can get a mediocre paint job and have enough to drink away the rest of that weekend.

 

[P7M13]

You guys are youngsters! I remember "I'll paint any car any color for $29.99." On black and white TV. (remember those?)

I remember it from $39.99 in Detroit, and even then Earl Scheib was the butt of jokes. They would put an ad in the paper where his visage looked like Fred McMurray's, but the graphics quality was like something from a Bazooka comic.

The transfer efficiency of an HVLP rig/gun is very very high compared to a conventional rig.

Back when I was in HS and college, I had a job where I would stay after work and paint equipment at night. Had a Binks that I could turn the PSIG down to 15, minimize the needle and max the dispersion, then put the gun 3-4" away from the surface I was painting. No drips, minimal overspray, never had to wait on the compressor, and the finish turned out beautifully. That spray gun is long gone, but I found a Devilbiss unit at Goodwill for $5, missing a spray cup and gasket which (pack rat that I am) still had in my parts bin.

Taught the method to a buddy who used it to do a four coat glitter laquer on his Opal GT. It was gorgeous until he sprayed on an enamel clear coat - ruined it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I remember it from $39.99 in Detroit, and even then Earl Scheib was the butt of jokes. They would put an ad in the paper where his visage looked like Fred McMurray's, but the graphics quality was like something from a Bazooka comic.


Back when I was in HS and college, I had a job where I would stay after work and paint equipment at night. Had a Binks that I could turn the PSIG down to 15, minimize the needle and max the dispersion, then put the gun 3-4" away from the surface I was painting. No drips, minimal overspray, never had to wait on the compressor, and the finish turned out beautifully. That spray gun is long gone, but I found a Devilbiss unit at Goodwill for $5, missing a spray cup and gasket which (pack rat that I am) still had in my parts bin.

Taught the method to a buddy who used it to do a four coat glitter laquer on his Opal GT. It was gorgeous until he sprayed on an enamel clear coat - ruined it.

I've seen tons of factory import and domestic clear coats fail over time.
It looks hideous. otoh, cared for regular paint doesn't fail even after many decades of equivalent harsh exposure.

 

[P7M13]

I've seen tons of factory import and domestic clear coats fail over time.
It looks hideous. otoh, cared for regular paint doesn't fail even after many decades of equivalent harsh exposure.

Had a Suburban from one of the first years they were doing latex enamels on cars. You've seen them, paint flaking off revealing gray primer underneath, and that often flaked off too.
I didn't know this, was shooting my AR in the Tillamook. Used the front hood as a rest as I shot across a canyon. With the first muzzle blast, off comes a flake of paint the size of Texas.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Don't tell anyone but I took out the passenger mirror of my brother's beloved pickup with .357 magnum muzzle blast. Thankfully it was only like $70 or something.
I've seen guys crease hoods, roofs and quarter panels too, let alone blast damage.