1959 Austin Touch Up Paint (4 OEM Colors)

The 1959 Austin Vibe

In 1959, Austin was busy trading its post-war "bubbles" for the sharp, tail-finned elegance of the Pinin Farina era. Whether it was the fresh-faced A40 Farina or the dignified A55 Cambridge Mk II, the look was decidedly more "Milan" than "Midlands." This was a time of sophisticated, muted palettes-the kind of colors that looked as good in a rain-slicked London alley as they did on a coastal drive. We've focused our database on the essential survivors that defined the British roadside, from the iconic Old English White No. 2 to the moody, atmospheric Smoke Gray.

Paint Health Check

We are firmly in the Single Stage Era here. Back in '59, we didn't mess around with clear coats; the color and the gloss were mixed into one thick, honest pot of enamel. The legend is that this paint is bulletproof, but the reality is that it's prone to "chalking." If you rub your hand across the wing of an old Austin and it comes away covered in a powdery residue, that's oxidation. Without a clear coat to act as a shield, the pigment is fighting the elements all by itself. Over sixty years, that sun and rain have literally sucked the oils out of the finish, leaving it looking like a dry blackboard.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for 1959 steel: It needs wax or it dies. Because there's no clear coat to protect the color, you have to be the one to provide the barrier. If you're working with original paint that's gone dull, a light buffing will peel back that "dead skin" of oxidation to reveal the rich pigment underneath. Don't be alarmed when your buffing pad turns the color of the car-that's just part of the single-stage process. Once you've brought the shine back, seal it up with a high-quality wax immediately. Think of it as a raincoat for your paint; keep it sealed, or the chalky fade will be back before the next MOT.