1987 Daihatsu Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1987 Daihatsu Vibe

Welcome to 1987-the year of the boxy silhouette and the "bigger is better" hair. Whether you were zipping through city streets in a Charade or bouncing over curbs in a Rocky, your Daihatsu was built with a specific kind of scrappy Japanese utility. While the factory offered a handful of shades, we've focused on the ultimate survivor of the era: Silver Metallic. In the late '80s, silver wasn't just a color; it was a statement of high-tech optimism. It gave these compact machines a "shrunk-in-the-wash" DeLorean vibe that actually held its own against the neon-soaked backdrop of the decade.

Paint Health Check

Here's the cold, hard truth from the spray booth: 1987 was the heart of the "Peeling Era." Manufacturers were deep into the transition from old-school single stage to the basecoat-plus-clearcoat systems we use today, and let's just say the first-gen clear coats weren't ready for a lifetime of UV radiation. On a 1987 Daihatsu, Silver Metallic is a notorious offender for delamination. If your roof or hood looks like it's recovering from a bad sunburn-with white, flaky edges where the clear is lifting away from the silver base-you're looking at classic clear coat failure. Once that bond breaks, the silver underneath oxidizes faster than a cheap cassette tape left on a dashboard.

Restoration Tip

To keep that Silver Metallic from shedding like a lizard, you have to be aggressive with chip maintenance. The moment you see a stone chip or a pin-sized break in the surface, seal it immediately. If moisture gets under the edge of the clear coat, it'll travel, lifting the finish in giant sheets. Use a fine-tipped applicator to dab the color and clear exactly into the wound; don't wait for "later," because by then, the clear will have already started to lift. Keep it sealed, keep it waxed, and maybe park it in the shade once in a while-your clear coat will thank you.