1987 International Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1987 International Vibe

By 1987, International-or Navistar, if you're reading the new badge-wasn't interested in winning beauty pageants. These trucks were the backbone of every fleet from Seattle to Savannah. While the rest of the automotive world was experimenting with neon and metallics, the heavy-duty crowd stuck to what worked. We've focused our efforts on the survivors, like the heavy-hitter Beige. It wasn't just a color; it was the official uniform of a truck that didn't know how to quit. Whether it was an S-Series dump or a 9000-series highway hauler, that Beige was meant to look at home in a gravel pit or a loading dock.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the heart of The Peeling Era. By '87, the industry was moving fast into basecoat-clearcoat systems, but they hadn't quite figured out how to make them play nice with the sun. On these Internationals, you're likely dealing with "Delamination." That's a fancy word for the clear coat deciding it doesn't want to be married to the color anymore. It starts as a small white bubble or a "foggy" patch on the hood or roof, and before you know it, the clear is flaking off like a bad sunburn. If yours is still holding on, consider yourself lucky-or assume a previous owner kept it under a very large tarp.

Restoration Tip

When you're dealing with 1987 clear coat failure, you have to act before the "edges" start to travel. If you see a chip, seal it immediately. Once air and moisture get under that clear layer, it'll lift across the entire panel like a cheap sticker. If you're touching up a spot where the clear has already peeled, you need to gently feather the edges of the remaining clear with a fine-grit paper before applying your color. This stops the "stair-step" look and prevents the old clear from continuing to lift under your new repair.