1978 Jeep Touch Up Paint (13 OEM Colors)

The 1978 Jeep Vibe

Welcome to the peak of the AMC era, where the CJ-7 was king, the Wagoneer was the original luxury "SUV," and the Golden Eagle package made everyone feel like a desert racer. In 1978, Jeep wasn't just a brand; it was a lifestyle bathed in glorious earth tones. With 13 colors in our database for this year, we see the era's soul: deep browns like Mocha Brown Metallic, rugged Sand Tan, and the unmistakable Golden Ginger Metallic. It was a time when your Jeep matched your corduroy jacket, and even the wheels got special treatment with Green Gold. These weren't just vehicles; they were tools for the great outdoors, finished in heavy-hitting pigments that looked as good in the mud as they did in the driveway.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at an original 1978 finish, you're dealing with the Single Stage Era. Back then, we didn't have the "luxury" of a clear coat to take the hit for us-the pigment and the resin were mixed into one thick, honest layer. But here's the rub: because that pigment is sitting right on the surface, the sun is its worst enemy. Over the decades, 1978 Jeeps are prone to "chalking"-that milky, white oxidation that makes Firecracker Red look like a dusty pink and turns Brilliant Blue into a hazy ghost of its former self. If the paint feels like a chalkboard when you run your hand across it, that's the binder breaking down and the pigment literally dying on the vine.

Restoration Tip

The good news about this era is that there is no clear coat to delaminate or peel like a sunburn; if there's paint left, there's hope. My advice for a '78? It needs wax or it dies. If you're touching up a survivor, you've got to "feed" the paint. Use a heavy-cut cleaner to buff away that dead, oxidized layer and reveal the true Sunshine Yellow or Autumn Red hiding underneath. Once you've restored the shine, you must seal it immediately with a high-quality carnauba or polymer sealant. In this era, the wax isn't just for show-it's the only thing standing between your factory color and a one-way trip to "Chalk Town."