1974 AMC Touch Up Paint (9 OEM Colors)

The 1974 AMC Vibe

1974 was the year American Motors decided to get weird and wonderful. It was the swan song for the legendary Javelin, while the "coffin-style" Matador Coupe was just beginning to confuse and delight neighbors across the country. We've tracked down the survivors of this era, and let me tell you, the color palette was pure 70s soul. Whether you're spraying a Gremlin or a Hornet, you're looking at a time when Sienna Orange and Copper Metallic weren't just choices-they were statements. With 9 iconic colors in our vault, from the psychedelic Medium Purple to the stoic Silver Green Metallic, we've got the exact DNA of the Kenosha factory ready to go.

Paint Health Check

You're dealing with the Single Stage Era, specifically AMC's "Lustre-Guard" acrylic enamel. Back then, they didn't hide the color under a plastic clear coat; the pigment did all the heavy lifting itself. The legend says these finishes were bulletproof, BUT if your AMC has spent any time baking in the sun, you're likely staring at Oxidation. That's the chalky, white haze that makes your Bright Red look like a dusty pink eraser. Because there's no clear coat to peel, the paint just "chalks" away, sacrificing itself one layer at a time until you're staring at primer-or worse, the "Deep-Dip" rustproofing that AMC swore would save the car from the salt belt.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up these 1974 gems, remember the Golden Rule of Single Stage: It needs wax or it dies. Once you've laid down your new color, you've got to seal those pores. Without a modern clear coat to act as a shield, the environment will start chewing on your fresh paint the second it cures. If you're reviving an old panel to match your new touch-up, give it a light buff to clear the "chalk" and then hit the whole car with a high-quality carnauba or sealant. If you don't keep a coat of wax between the sun and your Tan or Medium Blue enamel, you'll be back at the buffer within a year.