1955 Chrysler Touch Up Paint (19 OEM Colors)

The 1955 Chrysler Vibe

Welcome to the year Virgil Exner pulled Chrysler out of the "stuffy" era and launched the "Forward Look." In 1955, Chryslers stopped looking like upright refrigerators and started looking like they were moving at 60 mph while parked. With a massive palette of 19 colors in our database, Chrysler was basically handing out Easter eggs to the American public. From the space-age shimmer of Nugget Gold Metallic to the backyard-party feel of Wisteria Blue and Porcelain Green, these cars were designed to be seen in two-tone (or even three-tone) glory. If you're looking at a 1955 New Yorker or Windsor today, you're looking at the peak of mid-century optimism sprayed in high-solids enamel.

Paint Health Check

Since we are firmly in the Single Stage Era, you need to understand that your Chrysler doesn't have a "shield." There is no clear coat sitting on top to take the beating from the sun; it's just raw pigment and resin fighting the elements. The biggest enemy here is "Oxidation." Over the decades, the binder in the paint breaks down, leaving a chalky, white film on the surface. If that Crown Imperial Maroon or Tango Red looks dull and "dead" to the touch, that's not the color failing-it's the paint literally drying out and turning to dust. If you leave it alone, it'll eventually thin out until you're looking at the red oxide primer underneath.

Restoration Tip

Listen close, because this is where most amateurs screw up: It needs wax or it dies. Before you try to touch up a scratch or a chip, you have to level the "dead" paint. Use a medium-cut polishing compound to buff away that chalky oxidation until the "live" color underneath starts to shine. You'll know you're doing it right because your buffing pad will turn the exact color of the car-don't panic, that's just the top microscopic layer of oxidized paint coming off. Once the depth is back, seal it immediately with a high-quality paste wax. That wax is the only thing acting as a "clear coat" for your 1955 classic, so don't be stingy with it.