1985 Austin Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1985 Austin Vibe

Welcome to 1985, the year Austin Rover decided to give the future a voice-literally. While the Maestro was busy telling you your "oil pressure is low" in a digital synthesized tone, the exterior was trying to look every bit the executive cruiser. This was the era of the Montego and the Metro, where British Leyland was pivoting toward a "sophisticated" European aesthetic. While the factory was churning out plenty of experimental shades, we've focused on the ultimate survivor: Silver Leaf. This metallic finish was the height of mid-80s tech-chic, designed to make a humble hatchback look like it belonged in a high-rise car park.

Paint Health Check

If you're staring at a 1985 Austin today, you're likely witnessing the dawn of The Peeling Era. This was when the industry fully embraced the basecoat-and-clearcoat system for metallics, but the chemistry hadn't quite figured out how to stay married for life. On models like the Maestro and Montego, "delamination" is the primary villain. The clear coat starts to go cloudy, turns into a brittle lizard skin, and then decides to flake off in giant sheets, leaving the "Silver Leaf" basecoat exposed and defenseless. Once that clear lifts, the metallic pigment underneath starts to oxidize and turn a dull, dusty grey faster than you can say "Longbridge."

Restoration Tip

When dealing with 1985 Austin paint, your biggest job is containment. If you spot a chip where the clear coat is starting to "halo" or lift at the edges, you need to seal it immediately. Do not just dab paint into the center; you have to ensure your touch-up covers the feathered edge of the failing clear coat to prevent oxygen and moisture from getting under the rest of the panel. Use a fine-tipped brush to build the Silver Leaf base in thin, surgical layers. If you blob it on, the metallic flakes will "mottle" (clump together), and it'll look like a dark thumbprint on your fender. Build it slow, seal the edge, and keep that 80s dream alive.