1981 Alfa-Romeo Touch Up Paint (8 OEM Colors)

The 1981 Alfa-Romeo Vibe

Welcome to 1981, the year the GTV6 started screaming its V6 symphony and the Spider Veloce was the only way to feel the Mediterranean breeze-even if you were stuck in traffic in New Jersey. In our database, we track 8 survivors from this era, a tight list where the only color that really mattered was Signal Red. But if you were feeling adventurous (or just stuck in the late 70s), you might have opted for Chocolate Brown or Straw. It was a weird time for Alfa; they were trying to look modern with Silver Metallic and Grigio Nube, but they were still using the same recipes that made Italian cars the most beautiful-and high-maintenance-machines on the road.

Paint Health Check

We are firmly in the Single Stage Era here. Back in '81, your Alfa didn't have a plastic-like shell of clear coat protecting the pigment; the color was the protection. That means your Signal Red hasn't just "faded"-it's literally dying on the surface. We call it "Signal Pink." When you run your hand across the hood and it comes away with a chalky white residue, that's oxidation eating the life out of your paint. The metallics, like Silver and Grigio Nube, were the early experiments with clear-over-base tech, and let's just say the Italians hadn't perfected the chemistry yet. If those aren't peeling, they're likely turning into a dull, grey fog.

Restoration Tip

Listen close: This paint is thirsty. It needs wax or it dies. If you're dealing with original 1981 pigment, you've got to buff away the "dead" oxidized layer to find the vibrant China White or Black hiding underneath. Once you hit fresh color, you have to seal it immediately. For chips and repairs, don't even think about using thin, modern factory enamels. You need a high-solids, solvent-based touch-up that actually has enough "meat" to level out with the thick, old-school finish. Build the color up in thin layers, but remember-on an '81 Alfa, your best friend is a high-quality carnuba wax. If you aren't sealing that single-stage finish every few months, the sun will turn your masterpiece back into a chalkboard before the next oil change.