1979 BMC Touch Up Paint (5 OEM Colors)

The 1979 BMC Vibe

Welcome to 1979, the year the disco lights started flickering and British Leyland was trying to keep the "BMC" spirit alive through sheer willpower and a lot of Pageant Blue. Whether you were tossing a Mini around a tight corner or trying to look dignified in one of the last MGBs to roll off the line, you weren't just driving a car-you were participating in a glorious, rust-prone experiment. Our database has curated the five colors that actually survived the era, from the punchy, citrus-vibed Snapdragon to the deep, "disco-meets-the-docks" look of Persian Aqua Metallic. These weren't just colors; they were the final flares of a British industry that refused to go quietly into that good night.

Paint Health Check

In 1979, we were firmly in the Single Stage Era. This was the age of thick, honest enamel that was slapped on at Longbridge and Cowley with more character than consistency. You didn't have a clear coat to hide behind back then; what you see is the pigment itself. The good news? That paint is usually thick enough to survive a nuclear winter. The bad news? It's prone to the "Chalky Fade"-technically known as oxidation. If your Persian Aqua Metallic looks more like a dusty chalkboard than a shimmering sea, that's the pigment literally dying on the surface from UV exposure. These cars were famous for being "Friday cars," and if the lad on the spray line was thinking about the weekend, you might find some lovely orange peel or thin spots around the scuttle.

Restoration Tip

Since this is single-stage paint, your best friend isn't a spray booth-it's a high-quality buffing compound and a lot of elbow grease. You can actually "level" this paint to bring the color back from the dead because the pigment goes all the way through. But listen to me: It needs wax or it dies. Once you've polished away that chalky oxidation to reveal the true Snapdragon or Leyland White underneath, you must seal it immediately. Without a protective wax barrier, the sun will start eating that fresh pigment before you've even finished your pint. Treat it right, and that 1979 shine will outlast any modern "robot-sprayed" finish.