2009 Itasca Touch Up Paint (14 OEM Colors)

The 2009 Itasca Vibe

Welcome to 2009-the year when "Metallic" wasn't just a choice, it was a personality. Whether you were piloting a sleek Navion, a beefy Suncruiser, or the top-tier Ellipse, you were essentially driving a high-end office park on wheels. This was the era of "Conservative Differentiation," where we moved away from the 1990s swirls and into a sea of sophisticated neutrals. With 14 distinct shades in our database, it's clear Itasca wasn't shy about the palette. You had your pick of the litter: from the earthy Antique Sage Pearl Metallic and Subtle Green to the "Titanium-and-Suits" look of Steel Blue Metallic and Brilliant Silver. It was a good time for curb appeal, as long as you liked your colors shimmering and your clear coats glossy.

Paint Health Check

We've officially entered The Thin Paint Era. By 2009, the robots in Forest City had become surgical with their efficiency. They realized they could get a perfect finish with about half the material used in the old days. The result? A stunning Medium Opal Metallic or Sandstone Beige finish that looks a mile deep but is actually thinner than a politician's promise. The clear coat is the usual victim here-especially on the roof radiuses and front caps. If your Itasca has spent its life under the desert sun, you're likely seeing "checking" (those tiny spider-web cracks in the fiberglass) or clear coat delamination that starts as a white flake and ends in a headache. These thin factory coats don't leave much room for error; once the clear goes, the base metallic is defenseless.

Restoration Tip

Because these factory finishes are so lean, the biggest mistake you can make is trying to fix a chip with one giant "blob" of paint. 2009 metallics-especially tricky ones like Antique Sage Pearl-rely on the way the flakes lay down to catch the light. If you dump a thick drop into a chip, the metallic flakes will sink to the bottom like lead weights, and your repair will look five shades darker than the rest of the coach. Build your layers slowly. Apply a paper-thin coat, let it flash off, and repeat until you're level with the original surface. It takes a little more patience, but it's the only way to keep your Light Grey Metallic from looking like a polka-dot project.