My engine mechanic paints planes on the side, and was willing to come to my house in 2020 to help me rebuild the Lycoming, selling me part at his cost and charging a flat labor fee of $2400 for the build assistance (plus multiple dinners at my house). He has offered to come help me prep the plane and shoot the paint using his equipment in my hangar. We are hoping for a ten-foot job, here, and since we'll be painting in a pole barn, there may well be a few bugs impinged in the top coat.
Stewart waterborne urethane. He's estimating 48 hours of prep labor based on other 4 seat models and no need to strip, and a few more for shooting. I'll have at least one helper pilot who lives upon the road and was there to scuff aluminum with me in '98 when I painted the 6A, wants to lend a hand again.
Price may climb if I add vinyl trim/graphics and outside help with scheme rendering. I know the 8k sounds low but I had an expectation of 15-20k before his quote, so I'm braced for a little disappointment that won't actually be disappointment if we can't hold it that low. Already realizing I will probably want to add some side lighting to the hangar walls for better visualization of how it's going down. Just bought a second creeper with adjustable head rest to help the poor schmuck who has to wash and scuff the belly and underside of the wings. These things add up, and I'm not sure it's "fair" to lump them into the paint job cost. But I will check back in when we're done, to brag or eat crow depending on the quality and the receipt totals