Hi,

I found this website yesterday and it has a wealth of info. I just recently received my 1987 GTA back this weekend. I purchased it new, it has fire red metalic paint (code 9535?). The car has 8700 original miles and it still smells new. In 2002 I gave it to my disabled sister,she loved the car and my dad gave her rides in it. She passed away in October of last year,so getting it back has been a bitter sweet event for me.

The car was garaged and covered for years except the last 3 years it was stored underneath a overhang and uncovered. The cars right side paint is weathered by sun in 3 areas,the roof,the hood and the spoiler. The right fender,door and back panel is OK. The left side of the car is near new condition.

Today I got a quote from the best body shop in town to repair the damage. The estimate was $1800 which isn't bad. My question is should I have the spot work done or should I spend another grand and have the whole car repainted.

The estimator told me he can get it close,but he thought because of the original color and the difference in the current finish on the car,he would prefer to shoot the whole vehicle.

Is it better to stick with having it with mostly original paint and just having the hood,roof and spoiler done or have a complete repaint.

Any advice,thoughts or experience that you could give me would be much appreciated. I live in Reno so the car would mostly be for the car events here and a occasional drive and I plan to be buried in the car someday.

 

Welcome to TGO!! Yes, you have found a gold mine here.

Great story about the car. It's those stories that keeps the car hobby alive.

If it were me, I would have the entire car painted. That nice of a car deserves a pristine paint job.

 

If you really want to know what color your gta is look inside the console arm rest there should be a sticker in the inside of console. Probably has that cassette storage thing in it. I still have mine. But it is'nt the car. Anyway there is like a whole bunch of codes like WS6 which is option on the gta, for special suspension and other features. Good source of information about the gta can be found here. http://www.gtasourcepage.com/newauthentication.html
and
http://www.gtasourcepage.com/
I think somebody here also has a option decode list program that I used to decode the option on my GTA.
I'd like to see what the car looks like now. Do you have any pictures of it?

 

Steve,

My car looks like your's (avatar).

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ml#post4169804

 

Have you ever thought about selling it? i always wanted a gta and i live in reno ive been searching for about half a year now and i still cant find one
its really been hard.... email me @ dirtybird89@gmail.com thanks

 

Imho I agree with your painter, those are a tough match if the job is older or original.
But it is really up to you...

 

I'm gonna have to agree with your painter too. I had a friend that had a 1987 GTA that was identical to yours except it had black interior and from what I remember there was gold flakes in the paint and from what I have read on painting that can be real hard to match because a lot of things can be different (flake size, spray pattern, mixture rate) I guess I think it would be real hard to match so I would just repaint the whole car and be done with it.

 

:-( Sorry to hear that you lost your sister.That was nice of you to let her use the car.
I would do a full repaint.Some nice fresh clearcoat would be great considering where you live.

 

I would agree with that. My car looks multi-colored. My car need to be completely re-painted. The paint matches from a distance but up close it looks different. I would say if you have the money and want the car too look right have it completely re-painted.