1981 Jaguar Touch Up Paint (16 OEM Colors)

The 1981 Jaguar Vibe

1981 was the year Jaguar decided to get serious about surviving, and they did it with a healthy dose of walnut veneer and the launch of the "High Efficiency" V12. Whether you were wafting through traffic in a Series III XJ6 or trying to look like a Bond villain in an XJS, you were doing it in style. We've managed to track down 16 survivors for our database from this transition year-and it's a proper 1980s mood board. You've got the earthy "Grosvenor Brown" and "Silver Sand Metallic" for the boardroom types, and the unapologetic "Sebring Red" or "Cranberry Metallic" for the weekends in Monte Carlo. It was a time when a Jag didn't just arrive; it loomed with presence.

Paint Health Check

Here's the reality: 1981 sits squarely in the Single Stage Era, and Jaguar was still wrestling with Thermoplastic Acrylic (TPA). Back then, the paint didn't have a clear "shield" on top; the color was the protection. The bad news? If your "Sage Green Metallic" or "Sapphire Blue" looks like a dusty chalkboard, that's oxidation. The sun literally eats the binders in the paint, leaving behind a chalky, dead layer. Even worse, the TPA used back then is famous for "crazing"-those tiny spider-web cracks that happen when the body panels flex or the temperature drops. If you ignore it, the paint becomes porous, absorbs moisture, and starts a slow-motion divorce from the metal.

Restoration Tip

If the paint is just "chalky" and hasn't started cracking yet, you're in luck. Single-stage paint is actually a joy to restore because you're working directly on the pigment. Use a dedicated paint cleaner or a light finishing polish to rub away the dead "white" oxidation and reveal the deep "Claret Metallic" or "Poseidon Racing Green" hiding underneath. But remember the Salty Painter's Golden Rule: It needs wax or it dies. Without a clear coat, your fresh polish job is naked to the elements. Once you've brought back the shine, seal it with a high-quality carnauba wax or a sealant immediately. If you skip the wax, that oxidation will be back before the next oil change.