1985 Bentley Background Info
The 1985 Bentley Vibe
1985 was the year Bentley decided to put the "sport" back into "sporting luxury" with the launch of the Turbo R, alongside the stately Mulsanne and the drop-dead gorgeous Continental. It was an era of shoulder pads, champagne breakfasts, and a presence on the road that made everything else look like a toy. While other manufacturers were busy experimenting with neon plastics, Bentley stayed the course with deep, liquid finishes. Our database has focused on the survivors of this distinguished era, and frankly, the only color that truly mattered in '85 was Racing Green. It's the color of old money, victory at Le Mans, and a car that refuses to apologize for its curb weight.
Paint Health Check
If you're looking at an original 1985 finish, you're standing right at the dawn of the Peeling Era. This was when the industry began moving toward basecoat-and-clearcoat systems, and while Bentley's hand-painted quality was leagues above the average commuter car, they weren't immune to the physics of the time. The clear coat of the mid-80s hadn't quite perfected its UV-shielding game. The "conflict" here is delamination-the clear coat starts to lose its grip on the color underneath, usually starting as a small, milky bubble or a flaky edge around the hood or roof. If you see "crow's feet" (tiny cracks) in the finish, that's the paint telling you it's tired of the sun.
Restoration Tip
The secret to keeping a 1985 Bentley looking like a million bucks is aggressive vigilance. Because this era is prone to delamination, a single deep rock chip on that massive hood is an invitation for moisture to get under the clear coat and start the peeling process. My advice? Seal every chip the second you see it. Don't wait for the weekend. Use a high-solids touch-up to bridge the gap between the base and the clear. By sealing those edges immediately, you prevent the clear coat from "lifting," which is the difference between a simple touch-up and a five-figure trip to the spray booth.