Appreciate the thought. I've had similar friendships with a few indy shops, shop owners or employees over the years but I'm too grumpy, old and isolated to be that guy anymore. I spoke with the paint shop owner in Priest River a while back. While discussing the paint job and the current condition, I mentioned that the bike had been painted with primer/sealer black. I shared a joke (to me) about folks walking up and asking if my bike was "denim". Instead of laughing or appreciating the irony of old school black primer being mistaken or even that look being hijacked by the factory, the guy said... "If you wanted it to look denim, you should have just painted it with denim paint." That's when I knew that guy and I weren't anywhere close to the same page... so I walked.

I've got a very well connected and successful old friend in Sandpoint that's told me to hit up the Auto Body shop over there. Says the owner owes him a favor and he guarantees the guy will take my job but he's in high demand and will charge for it. I've been trying to save up so I can approach that angle but living on disability in this economy isn't helping. Fixing my plow truck, replacing a tractor tire and re-designing my pole-barn/shop after shutting down my medical grow have bitten a significant chunk into the savings I had set aside. You know the story... life is what happens while you're making other plans.

 

The shops that do general auto repair, turn and burn in my experience are not worth it, even if they accept the job. A classic or specialty shop can appreciate and will take the time for multiple coats, in between prep and take pride in the finished product. My experience with a repair shop painter was little better than Maaco. Okay I guess if you just getting ready to sell it quick.

It is like getting permission to hunt on somebodies land. You share your game, you remember them on holidays, you bring them salmon/halibut from your Alaska trip. You sit with the family when you visit. I look at a painter the same way, even if I was only doing one bike.

Let us know and post your tins when painted and your finished bike.

 

Yea... no arguing the facts. The people that have that pride also expect top dollar. At one point, I had a close friend get me in contact with a local custom painter of reputable success in Spokane. He wouldn't even consider the job and I offered him $3k, when I had it. That's why I keep coming back to doing it myself. BC/CC painting isn't really that hard to do but at the very least, I'll need a better gun. I tried a patch repair on my Bronco with a cheap gun from my "Husky" tool kit and I had to wet sand so many times, that job took me 2 months. Came out fine, until the interior rust worked it's way back up to the surface. Internet pics never do justice to paint but just so ya'll don't think I'm full of it...