1961 Chrysler Touch Up Paint (19 OEM Colors)

The 1961 Chrysler Vibe

Welcome to 1961-the year Chrysler decided to tilt the headlights, invert the grille, and keep the fins soaring just long enough to make a statement. Whether you're piloting a Newport, a Windsor, or the legendary 300G "Letter Car," you aren't just driving; you're navigating a space-age land yacht. With 19 colors in our database, 1961 was a playground of "Poly" metallics and deep solids. From the neon-adjacent pop of Mardi Gras Red to the sophisticated cool of Tahitian Turquoise, these weren't just colors; they were personality traits for the man who wanted the neighborhood to know he'd arrived.

Paint Health Check

Back in '61, Chrysler was bragging about their "Lustre-Bond" super enamel. It was a single-stage alchemy designed to bake onto that heavy-gauge steel and stay there until the sun burned out. BUT, here's the reality: single-stage paint is a living thing. Without a clear coat to take the hits, it faces the "Chalky Death"-better known as oxidation. If your Midnight Blue Poly or Tuscan Bronze looks like it's been dusted with flour, the binders have reached their limit. These paints were thick and durable, but they were also hungry for maintenance. In this era, it's simple: it needs wax or it dies.

Restoration Tip

If you're touching up an original 1961 finish, remember that this old-school enamel is incredibly hard and non-porous. Modern paint won't just "bite" into it through chemistry alone. To get a proper bond, you need mechanical adhesion. Don't just wipe it down and spray; you've got to scuff the repair area thoroughly with 400-grit to give the new pigment something to grab onto. And when you're working with those "Poly" colors like Sheffield Silver, keep your spray distance consistent-those aluminum flakes like to move around, and a heavy hand will leave you with "tiger stripes" faster than you can say "Forward Look."