1985 Ferrari Touch Up Paint (23 OEM Colors)

The 1985 Ferrari Vibe

It's 1985, and if you aren't wearing a pastel linen suit while driving a Testarossa or a 308 GTS through South Beach, you're doing it wrong. This was the year Ferrari fully embraced the "more is more" philosophy-more strakes, more cylinders, and a shifting philosophy in the paint booth. While everyone remembers the sea of red, we've focused our attention on the real survivors of the era: the sharp Argento Metallic and the iconic White (Bianco) that defined the high-contrast luxury of the mid-80s. These weren't just colors; they were statements of intent in a decade of pure excess.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the dawn of The Peeling Era. By 1985, Ferrari was moving away from the thick, old-school single-stage gloop and experimenting more heavily with base coat/clear coat systems, especially on metallics like Argento. The problem? Early clear coat technology was about as stable as a V12 with a vacuum leak. If your car spent any time baking in the sun, you're likely seeing "delamination"-where the clear coat decides it's no longer on speaking terms with the color underneath and starts flaking off in sheets. Even on the solid White models, the finish from this period was famously "hand-sprayed," which is a polite way of saying the thickness varies more than the Italian stock market.

Restoration Tip

In this era, a stone chip isn't just a cosmetic blemish; it's an invitation for disaster. Once the seal of that factory clear coat is broken, moisture and air get underneath and start "lifting" the edges. The Golden Rule for 1985: Seal your chips immediately. Don't wait for the weekend. If you see a nick on that Argento hood, get some touch-up on it to lock the edges of the clear coat down. If the clear starts to bridge and lift, you aren't looking at a touch-up anymore-you're looking at a full respray, and trust me, your wallet isn't ready for that conversation.