1997 Aston-Martin Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1997 Aston-Martin Vibe

Nineteen ninety-seven was the year Aston-Martin finally found its modern stride. While the world was busy watching The Lost World, the DB7 was busy redefining the grand tourer. It was a transition era-the hand-built grit of the old V8 Vantage was still in the air, but the sleek, Ian Callum-designed curves were taking over. In our records, we've focused on the ultimate survivor of that year: Stornoway Silver. It was the high-tech, precision look of the late '90s, making these cars look like they were milled from a solid block of billet before they even left the Newport Pagnell gates.

Paint Health Check

By 1997, the industry had fully committed to the "Base Coat/Clear Coat" system, and we officially entered what I call The Peeling Era. On a DB7 or a V8 Volante, that factory finish looks a mile deep, but the bond between the silver base and the clear topcoat is where the war is lost. If your Aston spent too many afternoons outside a London club or a Miami beach house, you're likely seeing "Delamination"-that's when the clear coat starts to lift and flake away like a bad sunburn. Once that oxygen hits the base layer, your Stornoway Silver will go from "Bond's choice" to "chalky mess" faster than you can hit 60.

Restoration Tip

Because this era is prone to delamination, you have to be a hawk about stone chips. On these 1997 models, a chip isn't just a cosmetic blemish; it's an entry point for moisture to crawl under the clear coat and start the peeling process. Seal chips immediately. Use a high-quality solvent-based touch-up to fill the void and lock the edges of the factory clear coat down. If you see the clear starting to "halo" or lift around a chip, don't just wax over it-clean it with a prep solvent and get some fresh paint in there to bite into the original layers before the whole panel decides to shed its skin.