AMC Spirit Touch Up Paint (39 OEM Colors)

The Color Breakdown

AMC wasn't afraid to have a little fun with the Spirit. Between 1979 and 1983, they recorded a total of 39 colors, and they really went for it. You could find these hatchbacks in everything from the bold Saxon Yellow and Firecracker Red to the more sophisticated Topaz Gold Metallic. Whether yours is a "survivor" in Jamaican Beige or a sleek Quicksilver Metallic, the factory wasn't shy about giving these cars a personality that matched the era.

What to Watch For

Before you start, you'll need to confirm your color code. On the Spirit, you can usually find that two-digit code on a metal tag located in the driver's side door jamb. Because these cars are true classics now, the most common issue you'll run into is "UV fatigue"-where the sun has worked on the hood and roof for decades. You might also see small "crow's feet" (tiny cracks) or thin spots where the original paint has been cleaned a few too many times. Don't worry, though; these old-school finishes are very forgiving for driveway repairs.

Driveway Repair Tip

When you're using a touch-up pen or the little brush in the bottle, the secret is in the "dot." Instead of trying to paint a long line over a scratch-which usually ends up looking like a scar-use the tip of the pen to dab small dots of paint inside the chip until it's filled. If you're working with one of those 70s or 80s metallics like Copper Brown, shake that bottle for a full two minutes. You want all those tiny metallic flakes to wake up and mix evenly so your repair doesn't look darker than the rest of the car. Remember: three thin "dots" that dry in between will always look better than one big glob!