1987 Citroen Touch Up Paint (3 OEM Colors)

The 1987 Citroen Vibe

By 1987, Citroen was leaning hard into its "aerodynamic minimalist" phase. You had the BX looking like it was styled with a protractor, the AX joining the family to prove small could be sophisticated, and the 2CV Charleston still hanging on to its pre-war soul with a stubborn French shrug. When it comes to the palette, we've focused our attention on the survivors-the colors that actually defined the era. We're talking about the crisp Blanc and that moody, sophisticated two-tone duo of Gris Cormoran and Gris Nocturne. These aren't just greys; they're the colors of a rainy Tuesday in Paris, and if you're driving an '87, that's exactly the vibe you're chasing.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the peak of "The Peeling Era." In 1987, the industry was fully committed to the Basecoat/Clearcoat system, but they hadn't quite perfected the "staying attached" part of the equation. On these Citroens, the base color might still look decent, but the clear coat-that shiny protective shell-has a nasty habit of delaminating. It starts as a small white bubble or a chip, and before you know it, the clear is lifting off like sunburnt skin on a tourist. Once that seal is broken, the basecoat underneath is exposed to the elements and starts to go flat and chalky faster than you can say "C'est la vie."

Restoration Tip

In this era, your worst enemy is a "dry" stone chip. If you see a breach in the clear coat, do not wait for the weekend to fix it. Oxygen and moisture are the wedges that drive the clear away from the color. Seal chips immediately before the clear lifts. If you've already got a bit of peeling, you'll need to carefully feather back the edges of the failing clear with high-grit sandpaper before applying a fresh touch-up. Just remember: you're not just painting for looks; you're performing a surgical graft to stop the delamination spread.