1987 Bentley Background Info
The 1987 Bentley Vibe
1987 was the year the "Silent Sports Car" found its voice again. While the Mulsanne and the Eight held down the fort of old-world dignity, the Turbo R was out there terrorizing the autobahn with 6.75 liters of turbocharged hubris. It was an era of excess, wall-to-wall Wilton carpets, and enough burl walnut to start a forest. In our database, the color that defines this era is Racing Green. Honestly, back then, it felt like the only color that truly mattered. If you weren't rolling in that deep, mossy shade of British heritage, were you even driving a Bentley? It's the color of old money and fast corners, and it still looks like a million bucks when the light hits it right.
Paint Health Check
Welcome to the heart of The Peeling Era. By 1987, the industry had mostly moved to two-stage systems-base coat for the color and a clear coat for the shine. On a Bentley, they didn't just spray it; they labored over it. But even the craftsmen at Crewe couldn't defeat time and UV rays forever. If your Bentley has spent too much time basking in the sun rather than tucked away in a climate-controlled garage, you're likely seeing the dreaded "Delamination." It starts as a faint haziness on the roof or boot lid, eventually turning into brittle flakes that peel off like a bad sunburn. Once that clear coat lifts, the base color underneath is defenseless.
Restoration Tip
Because this is a 1987 build, your primary mission is containment. These early clear coats become incredibly brittle with age; a single stone chip is often the "patient zero" for a massive peel. The Golden Rule: Seal every chip immediately. If you spot a nick in the Racing Green, don't wait for the weekend. Dab a bit of solvent-based touch-up into the crater. This acts as a mechanical anchor, sealing the edges of the clear coat to the base and preventing air and moisture from getting underneath to lift the rest of the panel. Catch it early, and you save the factory finish; ignore it, and you're looking at a full-car strip-down.