1978 Alfa-Romeo Touch Up Paint (15 OEM Colors)

The 1978 Alfa-Romeo Vibe

Welcome to 1978-the year of the Spider Veloce, the Alfetta GT, and a palette that looks like it was curated by a disco-loving interior designer with a thing for fondue parties. With 15 colors in our database, Alfa wasn't exactly holding back. You've got your legendary Alfa Red and Signal Red for the speed demons, but the real soul of '78 lies in the earth tones. We're talking Chocolate Brown, Straw, and Champagne Metallic. It was a time when your car could blend in with a corduroy jacket or stand out like a neon sign in Canary Yellow or the high-voltage Giallo Pozzuoli. It was the peak of the analog era: no computers, just carburetors and a whole lot of style.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at original 1978 paint, you're looking at the Single Stage Era. This was before the industry started "plastic-wrapping" cars in clear coat. These paints are alive-they're porous, they're thick, and they're vulnerable. The biggest enemy here isn't just the Italian rust (which we know starts from the inside out); it's Oxidation. If that Ruby Red Metallic looks more like a dusty brick or your Navy Blue has a chalky, white film on top, that's the paint literally drying out and dying. Without a clear layer to hide behind, the pigment is fighting the sun one-on-one, and the sun usually wins.

Restoration Tip

Here's the deal: 1978 paint needs oil. Because it's a single-stage finish, you can actually "rehydrate" it. If it's looking chalky, don't just jump to a heavy compound; you might rub right through the color. Use a high-quality polish to pull that oxidation off and reveal the fresh pigment underneath. But remember the Golden Rule of the 70s: It needs wax or it dies. Once you've brought back the shine on that English Racing Green, you have to seal it. Modern waxes and sealants are your only barrier against the "pink fade." If you leave it naked, it'll be back to chalk by next summer.