Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs?
| Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #207931] |
Thu, 16 May 2013 12:43  |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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I have been thinking about having my GMC painted. Remembering that Larry Bontrager (owner of Topeka Graphics) and Byron Songer did a GMCMI seminar on paint jobs a few years ago, I decided to give them a call. After explaining to the woman that answered the phone that I was interested in a paint job for my GMC, I was told that they don't do GMCs anymore. They only do graphics on new RVs.
Has anyone else heard this?
Richard
SE Michigan
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #207954 is a reply to message #207950] |
Thu, 16 May 2013 16:55  |
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WD0AFQ
Messages: 7111
Registered: November 2004
Location: Dexter, Mo.
Karma: 207
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I have not talked with Larry but I am being told the same thing. While they were not busy, RV buisness down, they were taking GMCs in like crazy, with little notice. Before the RV down turn it was a long wait, nearly 2 years. That is why our's got painted in 06 at a body shop in Carbondale. Larry did repaint our roof last year. He also painted our Vdub and wanted to paint my 65 Mustang. I just never got it up there to him.
So, my thinking is, he may not paint anymore, just do the graphics on the new 5th wheels that are made right there next door. Next time I am up that way I plan to stop, as I usually do, and will see what his long term plans are regarding our coaches.
Dan
3 In Stainless Exhaust Headers
One Ton All Discs/Reaction Arm
355 FD/Quad Bag/Alum Radiator Manny Tran/New eng.
Holley EFI/10 Tire Air Monitoring System
Solarized Coach/Upgraded Windows
Satelite TV/On Demand Hot Water/3Way Refer
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #207969 is a reply to message #207954] |
Thu, 16 May 2013 18:56 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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| WD0AFQ wrote on Thu, 16 May 2013 17:55 |
I have not talked with Larry but I am being told the same thing. While they were not busy, RV buisness down, they were taking GMCs in like crazy, with little notice. Before the RV down turn it was a long wait, nearly 2 years. That is why our's got painted in 06 at a body shop in Carbondale. Larry did repaint our roof last year. He also painted our Vdub and wanted to paint my 65 Mustang. I just never got it up there to him.
So, my thinking is, he may not paint anymore, just do the graphics on the new 5th wheels that are made right there next door. Next time I am up that way I plan to stop, as I usually do, and will see what his long term plans are regarding our coaches.
Dan
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Arch spoke highly of that place in Carbondale. As you know he also had his done there. He thought that it was "THE PLACE" to get GMCs painted. I was going to go there with him and take a tour and discuss getting mine painted. Thunderstorms kept me from flying there that day and I never rescheduled the trip. Soon after Arch dropped out of the GMC thing. I wonder if they still are interested in painting GMCs? I sure would hate to have to make a 2,400 mile trip to get my GMC painted in Orlando. There is always Cinnabar, but I don't think my wallet could handle that.
Richard
SE Michigan
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #207994 is a reply to message #207969] |
Thu, 16 May 2013 22:20 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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| rjw wrote on Thu, 16 May 2013 18:56 |
... That is why our's got painted in 06 at a body shop in Carbondale. ...
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Carbondale IL? I've got relatives near there and will be there in July for a family reunion. I'd be glad to stop by and investigate if it's the same city as you're talking about.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208010 is a reply to message #207972] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 06:14 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Well, where is the magic in painting a GMC? Surely a good shop with a large enough booth could do a commendable job of prepping and spraying. Relative to a car, wouldn't be cheap due to the time involved, but I see nothing particularly different about it. I don't doubt we could of done one at The Aircrafstman back in The Day, we painted a lot of lightplanes. Technique and materials are very similar, except you wouldn't necessarily have to strip the GMC.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: Dan Gregg <gregg_dan@hotmail.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 8:13 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs?
Richard, there was one other painted after mine. Arch was not happy with how long it took. Mine took 4 months, if I recall right. Arch would always check and call me advising me to call them. Good quality work but too slow to suit me. Although it was winter and I got storage while in the shop. Seems like the third one took about 12 months. Arch no longer recommended them, for that reason. The shop is still there. I do remember Arch telling me you were supposed to check it out.
dan
--
Dan & Teri Gregg
Dexter, Mo.
http://danandteri.blogspot.com/
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208012 is a reply to message #207931] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 07:06 |
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I've often said that I'm glad that our shop didn't have a spray booth large enough to to paint our GMC. I had the Buckeye Cruiser painted at Topeka at about 30% of what we would have charged to do the job.
Topeka did an amazing job for what they charged. The GMC community has lost a valuable resource.
Bill Brown - '77 Buckeye Cruiser
Coshocton OH
carguybill@sbcglobal.net
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208022 is a reply to message #208012] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 08:39 |
rjw
Messages: 697
Registered: September 2005
Karma: 4
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| carguy wrote on Fri, 17 May 2013 08:06 |
I've often said that I'm glad that our shop didn't have a spray booth large enough to to paint our GMC. I had the Buckeye Cruiser painted at Topeka at about 30% of what we would have charged to do the job.
Topeka did an amazing job for what they charged. The GMC community has lost a valuable resource.
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They did seem to be a cost effective place to get a decent paint job. I think we all knew that they were only doing GMCs to help keep their shop open while waiting for the RV industry in Indiana to rebound. Apparently that has happened and they don't need our business anymore. So it would appear that my painting project will have to be on an indefinite hold. I had hoped to be able to get it done for around $6,000. I should have pulled the trigger on getting it done last year instead of waiting until this year.
Richard
76 Palm Beach
SE Michigan
www.PalmBeachGMC.com
Roller Cam 455, TBI+EBL, 3.42 FD, 4 Bag, Macerator, Lenzi (brakes, vacuum system, front end stuff), Manny Tranny, vacuum step, Tankless + OEM water heaters.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208030 is a reply to message #208010] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 09:26 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Johnny,
I agree there is nothing special in painting a GMC. What I found to be special about Topeka was that they charged between $4-5,000
for a paint job. Drive your 26' GMC to local paint shop and ask them what they'd charge to paint it.
Regards,
Rob M.
USAussie - Downunder
-----Original Message-----
From: Johnny Bridges
Well, where is the magic in painting a GMC? Surely a good shop with a large enough booth could do a commendable job of prepping and
spraying. Relative to a car, wouldn't be cheap due to the time involved, but I see nothing particularly different about it. I
don't doubt we could of done one at The Aircrafstman back in The Day, we painted a lot of lightplanes. Technique and materials are
very similar, except you wouldn't necessarily have to strip the GMC.
--johnny
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208032 is a reply to message #208024] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 09:30 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Todd Sullivan owns Seattle Collision Center. A full service autobody repair
facility. His coach, the"war pig", he purchased after a fire totaled it. He
took it apart and dealt with the damage caused by the dry chemical fire
suppressant. He then prepped and painted it. Beautiful job. He told me that
he would not do another coach for under $10,000.00. It is an amazing amount
of hand work. (labor) The material cost is large as well. His job looks
great close up, too.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Gmc Royale 403
On May 17, 2013 6:47 AM, "George Rudawsky" <GeorgeRud@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
> :cry:
>
> I had talked to them in the fall with the hope of getting my coach painted
> by them, and they were booking out a few months at that time. Glad to see
> they're doing well and staying busy, but I also was hoping to take
> advantage of having a good job done locally. Perhaps now it'll take a trip
> to Orlando to get a good job.
> --
> George Rudawsky
> Chicago, IL
> 75 Palm Beach
> _______________________________________________
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| Re: Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208034 is a reply to message #207931] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 09:40 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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A total vehicle wrap might be cheeper at this point. Endless graphic possibilities. If you store out of the weather I would think it would last a while. This is a bummer about Topeka. Like the post office they just didn't charge enough. At 20% more they would have still been a good value.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208039 is a reply to message #208030] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 09:55 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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| Robert Mueller wrote on Fri, 17 May 2013 09:26 |
...Drive your 26' GMC to local paint shop and ask them what they'd charge to paint it...
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I've painted a few cars...6-7. Big cars are especially difficult just because of the sheer size. It becomes difficult to not have dry blends so you end up paint the car in panels which leads to subtle color differences.
Metallics are a special issue because the way the metallic particles lay in the paint is a function of the angle and direction of the spray gun. Large panels are prone to having 'tiger stripes' that can be seen in direct sun where you were going one direction and then another.
Another factor is the price of product. Paint has gotten really pricey. You can easily spend 2K just on basic paint products. And when you get into higher priced products like reds and metallics, you can get a lot higher. I'd think you could pretty easily spend 4-5K on paint product alone. A shop wouldn't have that much in it because they buy a lot more product at volume discounts but still you have primers, surfacers, hardeners, base, clear, tape, sandpaper, etc. And that doesn't even get to the labor aspect.
And they you have the safety gear. Even with HVLP guns (High Volume Low Pressure), you're going to have overspray that you will breath. Isocynates in modern paints can kill you! A full paint suit with a filtered fresh air is more or less a necessity.
At least a grand there unless you can borrow one.
The spray guns themselves are an issue also. While Harbor Freight has a pretty decent HVLP spray gun, to try and paint something as big as a GMC without a external pressure pot gun would be a real bear.
I'd think a local shop with a large enough paint booth for a basic 1-2 color job would be in the 10K and UP...possibly WAY up...range.
Paint is not a high priority item for us yet. We're still working on mechanicals and interior and the coach is somewhat presentable...at 20' anyway  
However, within a couple years, it's going to need paint and I'm going to be looking at options including doing it myself.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
[Updated on: Fri, 17 May 2013 10:09] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208055 is a reply to message #208034] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 11:06 |
Ray Erspamer
Messages: 1707
Registered: May 2007
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Karma: -3
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Sad news ! They were such an asset to the GMC community, they did a great
paint job on ours, we're sure happy we pulled the trigger when we did. They
will be missed but we wish them well.
Ray
Ray & Lisa
78 Royale "Great Lakes Eagle"
Center Kitchen TZE368V101144
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53226
Email: 78GMC-Royale@att.net
414-745-3188
Web Site: http://ray-lisa.page.tl/
________________________________
From: John R. Lebetski <gransport@aol.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Fri, May 17, 2013 9:42:34 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs?
A total vehicle wrap might be cheeper at this point. Endless graphic
possibilities. If you store out of the weather I would think it would last a
while. This is a bummer about Topeka. Like the post office they just didn't
charge enough. At 20% more they would have still been a good value.
--
John Lebetski
Chicago, IL
77 Eleganza II
Source America First
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Ray Erspamer
78 GMC Royale Center Kitchen
403, 3.70 Final Drive
Holley Sniper Quadrajet EFI System,
Holley Hyperspark Ignition System
414-484-9431
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| Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs? [message #208058 is a reply to message #208030] |
Fri, 17 May 2013 11:49 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Oh, I understand. We'd have painted your Twin Commanche for about that price. Using Alumigrip. In 1967.
--johnny
From: Rob Mueller <robmueller@iinet.net.au>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 10:26 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Topeka Graphics no longer painting GMCs?
Johnny,
I agree there is nothing special in painting a GMC. What I found to be special about Topeka was that they charged between $4-5,000
for a paint job. Drive your 26' GMC to local paint shop and ask them what they'd charge to paint it.
Regards,
Rob M.
USAussie - Downunder
-----Original Message-----
From: Johnny Bridges
Well, where is the magic in painting a GMC? Surely a good shop with a large enough booth could do a commendable job of prepping and
spraying. Relative to a car, wouldn't be cheap due to the time involved, but I see nothing particularly different about it. I
don't doubt we could of done one at The Aircrafstman back in The Day, we painted a lot of lightplanes. Technique and materials are
very similar, except you wouldn't necessarily have to strip the GMC.
--johnny
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http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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