1976 BMW Touch Up Paint (18 OEM Colors)

The 1976 BMW Vibe

Welcome to 1976-the year BMW was handing the torch from the legendary 2002 to the new E21 320, while the 530 and 630 were busy proving that German luxury could actually have some teeth. Our database for this year is a technicolor dream with 18 distinct shades, ranging from "look-at-me" 70s staples like Inka (Orange) and Golf (Green) to the sophisticated Sienna Brown Metallic. It was an era where BMW wasn't afraid to let their cars look like a bowl of citrus fruit or a very expensive piece of teak furniture. Whether you're rocking Malaga Red or the crisp Chamonix White, your car was designed to stand out in a parking lot full of beige land yachts.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at original 1976 paint, you're looking at the absolute peak of the Single Stage Era. Back then, the color and the protection were mixed into one thick, heavy-hitting layer of enamel. The good news? You've got actual pigment depth. The bad news? This paint is "breathable," which is just a fancy way of saying it's slowly eating itself. If your Sahara or Jade Green looks like it's been dusted with flour, that's Oxidation. The binder in the paint is breaking down, leaving a chalky, dead layer on top. And for those of you with New Polaris or Fjord Blue Metallic, you're dealing with the early, experimental days of clear coats-if that roof looks like it's peeling like a bad sunburn, it's because those first-gen clears were more of a suggestion than a shield.

Restoration Tip

In this era, the rule is simple: It needs wax or it dies. Because there isn't a modern plastic clear coat protecting your Verona Red, the environment is constantly trying to turn your gloss into matte. Before you touch up any chips, you have to "find" the real color again. Use a dedicated paint cleaner or a light polishing compound to rub away the chalky oxidation until the rag comes up the color of the car. Once you've reached "live" paint, apply your touch-up, let it cure, and then seal the entire car in a high-quality carnauba or polymer wax. Think of it like skin moisturizer for a 40-year-old athlete; keep it sealed, or the sun will turn your Bimmer into a chalkboard.