1980 Dodge Touch Up Paint (39 OEM Colors)

The 1980 Dodge Vibe

Welcome to 1980, the year Dodge was figuring out how to survive the "Automotive Dark Ages" while still giving you 45 different ways to skin a Challenger or a Colt. Whether you were hauling drywall in a Pickup or cruising in an Import Truck, the color palette was a wild mix of "Disco's Not Dead Yet" and "Let's Blend into the Dirt." We're talking about everything from the high-voltage Spitfire Orange and Bright Green Metallic to the era-defining earth tones like Natural Suede Tan and Black Walnut Metallic. Dodge even went heavy on the More Two Tones options, because why settle for one shade of brown when you could have two?

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at a factory 1980 finish today, you're looking at the Single Stage Era. Back then, Dodge was spraying acrylic enamel where the pigment and the gloss were invited to the same party in one layer. The legend says these finishes were bulletproof, BUT here's the reality: they love to "chalk." If your Van or Pickup looks like it's been dusted with white flour, that's not patina-it's oxidation. Without a clear coat to take the hit, the sun spends its days eating your actual color pigment for breakfast. It's a slow, chalky fade that turns a proud Baron Red into a sad, matte pink.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for 1980 enamel is simple: It needs wax or it dies. Because there's no clear coat to protect the color, the paint is "open" to the elements. If you're seeing that chalky haze, you can often buff it back to a mirror shine since you're working directly with the pigment. But don't get cocky-once you've polished it, you've thinned the layer. You must lock that shine down with a high-quality wax or sealant immediately. If you leave it "naked" after a buff, the oxidation will come back twice as fast and twice as angry. Build your layers slowly, keep it sealed, and that Burnished Silver Metallic might just outlast the engine.