GMC Dark Gold Irid. (81 (1975)) Touch Up Paint

The Look

This color is the embodiment of the 1975 truck era, back when earth tones were the gold standard for ruggedness. It is a deep, honey-soaked bronze that looks right at home on a flared fender or a two-tone Suburban. Since your truck has likely been on the road for nearly five decades, the original finish has probably matured into a softer, more muted shade. Because of this natural aging, you may find that the factory-fresh pigment from your container looks slightly richer than the paint on your hood, so focus your attention on blending the edges into the surrounding panels.

Technical Details

This is an iridescent finish, which is the vintage way of saying it is a heavy metallic. The gold flakes in the mix are what give the color its life, but they also bring a unique challenge. If you apply the paint too heavily in one pass, the metal particles will bunch up and create dark, blotchy areas known as mottling. To get the best result in your garage or in the shade, you must keep the layers very thin. These light passes allow the flakes to lie flat and catch the light evenly, rather than sinking into a muddy pile.

Best Practices

Before you spray or dab GMC Dark Gold Irid. (check for code 81 (1975)), you need to shake the container for at least sixty seconds. Those heavy metallic bits love to settle at the bottom, and you need them fully mixed to get an accurate match. You can find your confirmation code on the Service Parts Identification sticker, which is almost always inside the glove box door. Test the color on the included card first to get a feel for the flow. When you move to the truck, keep the container moving at all times and wait for the proper drying time between each thin layer to ensure the finish stays crisp and metallic.