Painting Full Hard Doors (Red to Green)

[nathanielt]

I was able to find a couple full hard doors today for $400, thanks to another forum member that posted a craigslist ad in here. Had to drive 3 hours each way, but I haven't really seen any less that 7-800, let alone anywhere closer than 3 hours away.

Anyways, so my jeep is green (Pearl Citron), and the doors are bright red. I bought them anyways, figuring I'll buy now, fix later.

My jeep is a 97 with original paint that appears to have been kept in good shape. I'm wondering how much the paint might have faded over the years, assuming it was somewhat well maintained?

I was thinking I'd go ahead and buy a gallon of pearl citron (suggestions on where to buy?) and paint the doors to see how well they match. If it doesn't look right, I'll just paint the rest of the jeep. Never done it before, but if you happened to read my spark plug post, I don't imagine it could be any harder! Just a lot more time consuming. But I have a ton of time on my hands right now

So, does anyone have a good write up on painting doors, or just painting the body since it's not any different really? Do you think the paint will have faded significantly in the last 12 years (I'm assuming yes, but crossing my fingers someone will say otherwise). If I only scuff up the paint on the rest of the body to paint over it, will it look different than the doors that I sand all the way down and primer? It seems to me it shouldn't, but I always seem to be unpleasantly surprised by these things.

[jerrym_7758]

what you can do is wet sand the whole jeep and paint the doors and then fade the paint into the rear quarter panels and the front fenders after that give it one more wet sand and clear the whole jeep. this will keep the cost down and make the doors match the jeep without painting the whole thing

[nathanielt]

Originally Posted by jerrym_7758

what you can do is wet sand the whole jeep and paint the doors and then fade the paint into the rear quarter panels and the front fenders after that give it one more wet sand and clear the whole jeep. this will keep the cost down and make the doors match the jeep without painting the whole thing

That's an interesting idea, although I think it's a bit out of my league So, I decided I'm going to take the doors to a shop and have them try to match my paint the best they can. They quoted me 350 to do both doors. Does that sound like a fair price? If they do a good job I'll be happy with it.

I'll show some pics before and after to show how it came out.

[Danegerous]

Strizzy on the forums painted his from red to black. Give him a hollar, I bet he could help ya a bit.

[jerrym_7758]

Originally Posted by nathanielt

That's an interesting idea, although I think it's a bit out of my league So, I decided I'm going to take the doors to a shop and have them try to match my paint the best they can. They quoted me 350 to do both doors. Does that sound like a fair price? If they do a good job I'll be happy with it.

I'll show some pics before and after to show how it came out.

Thats a real good price.....if they do it the rite way they are gunna do it the way i told you

[nathanielt]

Originally Posted by jerrym_7758

Thats a real good price.....if they do it the rite way they are gunna do it the way i told you

Thanks, Jerry (why do I feel like i'm always thanking a Jerry?)

Glad to know that's a good price, since I'm not sure how much that should cost!

[rob97tj]

If you do have a shop paint them give them the jeep with the doors on. I thought my paint was alright when I had mine done (off the rig) and if the sun catches them right you can see the change. In my experience it's not a huge deal but you know its there...

[Danegerous]

ask around a bit, I'm sure you know a dude that has a booth. Or make a booth out of 2x4, alligator clamps and plastic sheet to paint em yourself. I use to know a dude (mnpctech.com, i think that could get a mirror finish out of a spray can paint job...

[jerrym_7758]

So how did they turn out

[DBLJ]

Go to your local high school. You only need to buy the paint ~$25. It gives them a learning tool and it comes out great. Mine are going in next week.

[Doctor7474]

Around here it would be something along the lines of:

48$ per hour paint labor, probably 2.0 hours per door
48$ per hour labor to detrim doors prior to painting 1.0ish per door
30$ paint materials per paint labor our so x4
car cover to protect from overspray would be normally factored in 0.5 hours but since the Jeep doors are so easily removed I won't figure that in.

so you have 6 hours x 48$ per = 288$ labor

30$ x 4 = 120$ paint materials (masking tape, paint, clear coat, every material needed).

428$ total and that's just the doors at insurance rates.

To blend the fenders and the quarters add time for detrimming both, plus about 1.5 hours each to blend and you get the point. You didn't get quoted for blending and such, and to be honest the paint on a 12 year old vehicle would be faded, and most shops won't blend a faded vehicle. You would have a nice new bright stripe down the middle that literally fades out.

[nathanielt]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm actually debating whether or not I want to keep the full doors. The more I think about it, I live in socal, so I pretty much never have the top on. I put it on for just a few weeks last year, so I might just keep the half doors, lol. I bought these doors on a whim, since it was such a good deal...

[Doctor7474]

I only have mine on in the winter, or if I have to drive in a down pour (bikini + door surrouds + duster + full doors = I don't get wet. The rest of the time the doors are off unless I know I'm going to run through some mud then I put them on first.

[nathanielt]

Originally Posted by Doctor7474

I only have mine on in the winter, or if I have to drive in a down pour (bikini + door surrouds + duster + full doors = I don't get wet. The rest of the time the doors are off unless I know I'm going to run through some mud then I put them on first.

yeah, that's what I was thinking. I bought my jeep in january of last year and had the top off until november, but only because my girlfriend would complain that it's a little chilly. I always just put a jacket on, lol. It rains a little for about a 2-3 week period, even then, not much. So, I'm thinking more and more I should just keep the half doors.