I am considering a re-paint on my 2002. May I ask what price range you have found? I have the hardtop as well.
A full take it apart repaint from custom shops start at 10K around here. Locals doing their classic car restorations use a painter at a local Maaco shop. Their best urethane paint job is $1449.90 plus any prep work more detailed than prep sanding and urethane primer.
I'm getting the doors adjusted to make the lines match up, and getting all imperfections, chips, road rash spots, missing clear coat, all especially taking care of, and also adding a third clear coat for around $2500. On top of that I have purchased separately the 4 Thunderbird front and
side emblems, that I will install later after paint cure and a good buff out next spring. A car just had came out of the booth when we delivered ours and the paint was already glass smooth and reflections were true, so this guy knows what he is doing.
So ask local good guys club members or other locals to see who does painting. I have shot cars, was an aircraft mechanic and painted small aircraft, so know a bit about it. I never thought I'd take my car to a Maaco shop but after a local well known detailer and a big custom shop who wanted the 10K+ suggested this guy, in it went! I'll post pictures when it is complete.
I'm not doing my white
hardtop. It's in perfect condition and we like the white contrast to the Thunderbird Blue car.
Mark Durham
Post Falls, Idaho