1981 Citroen Touch Up Paint (2 OEM Colors)

The 1981 Citroen Vibe

In 1981, Citroen was busy proving that the rest of the world was living in the past. Whether you were floating over the pavement in a CX or bouncing through a vineyard in the immortal 2CV, your car didn't just have a color-it had a personality. While other manufacturers were starting to lean into boring greys, Citroen doubled down on character. We've focused our database on the heavy hitters of the era: the deep, sophisticated Rouge Delage and the vibrant, iconic Rouge de Garance. These weren't just colors; they were a statement of French defiance against the beige status quo.

Paint Health Check

If you're staring at an original 1981 finish today, you're looking at the Single Stage Era in all its glory. Back then, we didn't hide the pigment under a layer of plastic clear coat. The gloss and the color were one and the same. But here's the rub: those beautiful reds are notorious for "chalking." Without a clear coat to protect them, UV rays eat the pigment for breakfast. If your Rouge de Garance looks more like a dusty pink eraser than a ripe tomato, that's classic oxidation. The paint isn't necessarily gone; it's just "died" on the surface, creating a chalky barrier that smothers the shine.

Restoration Tip

Don't panic and reach for the sandpaper just yet. Because this is single-stage paint, you can often "exhume" the original shine. Use a high-quality rubbing compound to peel back that oxidized top layer and reveal the fresh, vibrant pigment underneath-your buffing pad will turn bright red, and that's exactly what you want to see. But remember the Golden Rule of the eighties: It needs wax or it dies. Once you've restored that luster, you have to seal it. Without a frequent, thick coat of high-quality wax to act as a sacrificial barrier, the sun will start its lunch on your French steel all over again.