2016 Itasca Touch Up Paint (11 OEM Colors)

The 2016 Itasca Vibe

By 2016, Itasca was fully leaning into the "Classy Professional" look. If you were rolling in a Sunova, a Meridian, or the ever-popular Navion, you likely picked a palette that looked like it belonged in a high-end boardroom. We're talking about a sea of sophisticated neutrals-11 different shades in our database, dominated by the likes of Brilliant Silver Metallic, Champagne Silver, and Pewter Pearl Metallic. It was the era where "Silver" wasn't just a color; it was a statement of technological sophistication. Even the outliers like Seafoam and Moonstone Metallic kept things muted and expensive-looking. It was a good year for looking like you had your life together, even if you were just wandering the interstate.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. By 2016, the factory floor was ruled by robots with terrifying precision and even more terrifying stinginess. These robotic sprayers were programmed for "maximum efficiency," which is just a fancy way of saying they applied the absolute minimum amount of clear coat required to pass inspection. The result? A finish that looks spectacular on the showroom floor but starts to sweat under the sun after a few years. On these Itascas, the "Roof Radius"-that curved transition where the sidewall meets the roof-is the primary battleground. You'll often see the clear coat start to flake or "cloud" there first because the robot arm stretched that thin layer just a little too far over the edge. Once that clear lifts, the metallic base underneath is defenseless.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up a 2016 finish, you have to fight the urge to "fill the hole" in one shot. Because the factory paint is so thin, a big, thick blob of touch-up paint will stick out like a sore thumb and likely won't level correctly. Build your layers slowly. Apply a thin coat, let it flash off, and repeat until you've reached the height of the surrounding clear. If you're working on a metallic like Black Mist or Iron Gray, remember that the "flop" (how the light hits the metal flakes) depends on a smooth application. Don't go globbing it on; treat it with the same surgical precision the robots used-just give it a little more heart (and a little more thickness) than they did.