1981 Buick Touch Up Paint (26 OEM Colors)

The 1981 Buick Vibe

Welcome to the peak of the "Personal Luxury" era. In 1981, Buick wasn't just selling cars; they were selling velvet-lined living rooms on wheels. Whether you were cruising in a Regal, a LeSabre, or the flagship Riviera, you had a mountain of choices. Our database tracks 26 distinct shades for this year, which is basically a Skittles bag of earth tones and disco leftovers. We're talking about a palette that looks like a high-end harvest festival: Bright Tahitian Yellow, Burnt Orange Metallic, and enough variations of Jadestone and Waxberry to make a florist jealous. It was a time when Buick let you be bold, as long as that boldness was wrapped in a thick layer of 1980s confidence.

Paint Health Check

Here's the reality: your 1981 Buick is a proud survivor of the Single Stage Era. Back then, we didn't separate the color from the shine; it was all one thick, pigment-heavy soup of resins. This stuff has more soul than modern "shrink-wrap" finishes, but it has a massive weakness: Oxidation. Because there's no separate clear shield, the sun goes straight for the throat of your pigment. If your Charcoal Metallic looks more like a dusty chalkboard, or your Dark Maple has faded into a chalky, pinkish ghost, the paint isn't dead-it's just dried out. That "chalk" you see is actually the top layer of paint dying of thirst.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for 1981 iron is simple: It needs wax or it dies. If you're dealing with that heavy oxidation, don't just throw a bucket of soapy water at it and hope for a miracle. You've got to gently "exfoliate" that dead, chalky layer off with a fine polishing compound to find the fresh, vibrant Sterling Silver or Dark Sandstone hiding underneath. Once you've buffed it back to a mirror finish, you have to seal it immediately. In this era, wax isn't just an optional Sunday chore-it's the only thing standing between your Buick and a permanent matte finish. Keep a thick layer of protection between the paint and the sky, and that single-stage depth will look deeper and richer than anything coming off a modern assembly line.