1978 Dodge Touch Up Paint (27 OEM Colors)

The 1978 Dodge Vibe

Welcome to 1978, the year Dodge decided to paint the world in every conceivable shade of "earth tone" known to man. While the high-impact purple and lime greens of the early '70s were officially in the rearview mirror, Dodge didn't hold back on variety. We're talking a massive 27-color palette for their 1978 lineup-from the workhorse D-Series pickups and the legendary Lil' Red Express to the suave Magnum XE. Whether it was the deep Augusta Green Metallic or the "look-at-me" Spitfire Orange, these cars weren't just transport; they were moving canvases of 1970s bravado. It was a time of velvet interiors, CB radios, and paint that had enough pigment to survive a nuclear winter-or so we thought.

Paint Health Check

Your '78 Dodge is a proud member of the Single Stage Era. This means there is no clear coat standing between your color and the elements; the pigment and the protection are mixed into one thick, honest layer. But here's the rub: single stage paint "breathes," and over forty-plus years, it's been exhaling its soul. If your Spanish Gold Poly or Med Blue Poly looks more like a chalkboard than a mirror, you're looking at heavy oxidation. The sun has literally cooked the oils out of the surface, leaving behind a dead, chalky layer of pigment. If you rub a dry cloth on it and the cloth turns the color of the car, don't panic-that's just the paint crying for help.

Restoration Tip

When you're dealing with 1978 factory enamel, my mantra is simple: It needs wax or it dies. Because there's no clear coat, once that single stage layer wears thin, you're down to the primer (or worse, bare metal). To bring back the depth in colors like Tapestry Red or Sable Metallic, you need to gently "exfoliate" that dead oxidation with a fine polishing compound. But once you find the shine, you have to seal it immediately. A high-quality carnauba wax or a modern sealant acts as a prosthetic clear coat, feeding the paint and blocking the UV rays that want to turn your Yellow Blaze into a pale ghost. Skip the wax, and that chalky haze will be back before the next oil change.