1982 AMC Touch Up Paint (15 OEM Colors)

The 1982 AMC Vibe

1982 was the year Kenosha, Wisconsin, decided to give the world the future a few decades early with the AMC Eagle-the 4x4 wagon that refused to admit it wasn't a truck. Whether you were rocking an Eagle, a Concord, or the punchy Spirit, you weren't just buying a car; you were buying a piece of independent American defiance. With 15 colors in our database, it's clear AMC wasn't shy about variety. They leaned hard into the "earth-tone hangover" of the 70s with Jamaican Beige and Copper Brown Metallic, but they were starting to see the neon writing on the wall with Oriental Red and Sun Yellow. It was a palette for people who wanted to look just as good at the grocery store as they did getting stuck in a snowbank.

Paint Health Check

In '82, we were still firmly in the Single Stage Era. This was the age of high-solids baked enamel, where the color and the protection were mixed into one thick, honest layer. But here's the rub: without a modern clear coat to act as a sacrificial shield, these paints are prone to "The Chalk." If you look at an original 1982 Spirit today and it looks like someone rubbed a blackboard eraser all over the hood, that's oxidation. The sun literally eats the binders in the paint, leaving behind a dry, powdery pigment. Oriental Red is notorious for turning pink, and those heavy metallics like Topaz Gold can start to look "dusty" if the surface hasn't seen a garage since the Reagan administration.

Restoration Tip

The good news is that single-stage paint is surprisingly resilient if there's still "meat" on the bone. Before you reach for the sandpaper, try a specialized oxidation remover or a medium-cut polish. You'll be amazed at how much Vintage Red Metallic is hiding under that milky haze. But remember the Salty Painter's golden rule: It needs wax or it dies. Once you buff that shine back, you've exposed "fresh" paint that has zero UV protection. Seal it immediately with a high-quality carnauba or polymer sealant, or you'll be back to square one before the next oil change.