Respraying - feasible or not even worth considering

[Ruttager]

I'm sure this has been asked before but is a respray a valid option when looking at westfields? Talking to a friend he mentioned grp which has the colour pigment through it which suggests a respray may not be ideal. I only ask as a lot of the cars that have the kind of spec/price I'm after are black and I've had 3 black cars and a black motorbike, with black leathers and a black lid(it's become a bit of a joke with my friends) the westfield needs to have some colour. =) 

 

[Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO]

Mine is painted, and I know of others that are. Some are done built, but I think mine was painted with the body off. 

[Steve (sdh2903)]

Perfectly possible although preferably done by someone who knows what they're doing regarding painting grp.

I recently looked into it and depends how much strip down you're prepared to do. I was giving the painter a completely new bare body and the quotes ranged from 1k up to 3k.

@Marto303 is our resident paint guru he might be able to give you more info.

[Captain Colonial]

Also, from the past (2007), download and see page 11:

 

[Steve (sdh2903)]

Some good info here aswell

 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

As above, painting is absolutely possible, and can give fantastic results! (TVR and Lotus show what can be done, even without getting adventurous!)

But, it is a bit more specialised than just painting metal bodied cars, so you do need someone who knows what they’re doing.

Marto’s work looks stunning, and if I ever have one painted, I know exactly where I’d want to take it, even if it is rather a distance from me!

How much preparation you can do also makes quite a difference to cost. Prep for any high quality paint job is quite extensive, and labour intensive, so if you can reduce that, so much the better.

The cars can be sprayed with the body on, though personally, I would strip it back to only the tub being on the car, so that the sprayer could get in everywhere. Again, it depends what you’re after.

There is of course wrapping, too. I’ve seen some very effectively wrapped Westfields and other kits. Again though, how good the end result looks is greatly effected by the prep, and the more of that you can do, the better the price. (It would be a brave and skilled owner that tackled their own car, as arches and the nose are tricky to wrap, to say the least!)

[Onliest Smeg David]

@Marto303 is your grp paint man

[DE04*]

I have a black Westfield and broke the plainess up with some stick on stripes from a graphics shop. Just another option.

[Thrustyjust]

Had my pre-lit painted in Jaguar racing red, I believe as the 'nearest' to the gel colour after some pillock reversed into his own gatepost of the house . Also had a few tweaks to the rest of the panels, such as a small bulge I moulded using an industrial light bulb, to stop the carb from further cracking the bonnet and was moulded in and also replacement front cycle wings. Its not a difficult job to paint it, but with all painting, its in the prep work to get it right. Also decent etch primers and other materials. Looked fab when done  and still does according to the chap who still has it and you dont get the fibre glass craze in it too. Cant remember the cost, as was a cash jobbie, but I think I paid about £600 for it , but 18 years ago !

[corsechris]

Had ours painted many years ago after a repair (long story, but not our fault). Result was good and lasted many years. Sadly, it was red....and after about 10 years started to look dull & faded, so we got it painted again, this time in a metallic green.

I looked at a re-body the first time round but it wasn't the cheap option (by a very long way) so the insurance wouldn't cover it. Also looked the second time, but again, it was cheaper to go with paint, even with paying a fair whack to have it done by a chap with lots of experience on FG cars. We are 7 years on from that now and it still looks cracking.

[Ruttager]

Interesting. If I were to do it, I would be paying a professional. There is no way I'd try that myself. It sounds like it's doable, but for the cost it would really have to be a car that needed it done, which would be reflected in the sale price. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the help. 

[bigals]

New nose cone and bonnet and swap the rear arches to a contrasting colour could be one low cost option as your parts will sell to recover some costs . Or look out for a unbuilt  kit to buy and do a body swap and sell the components after, I have just done a full body swap for arround £1200 including fixings which compaired to a repaint or wrap is good value . 

[6carjon]

Lots of people apply  colour with stripes and alternative colour bodywork such as nose cones and front and rear wings.

Look in your copy of westfield world for ideas. There are very few cars the same 

[Arm]

Wrap or paint all good options. Mine has been painted several colours.

2k paint exactly same as repairs on the tin top. Nothing special or unusual required.

 

[SXRORY]

21 hours ago, DE04* said:

I have a black Westfield and broke the plainess up with some stick on stripes from a graphics shop. Just another option.

Yep £25 on eBay livened up my blue one no end