1997 Lotus Touch Up Paint (2 OEM Colors)

The 1997 Lotus Vibe

Welcome to 1997, the year the world was obsessed with Titanic and the spice was officially "Girls." Over at Lotus, things were finally looking up. The Esprit had just grown a V8, and the Elise S1 was busy redefining what it meant to "add lightness" by essentially being a go-kart with a windshield. While the rest of the world was experimenting with those tragic "champagne" metallics and weird purples, we've focused on the only color that truly earned its keep: British Racing Green. It was the shade that reminded everyone that even if the electrics were questionable, the heritage was bulletproof.

Paint Health Check

We are smack in the middle of The Peeling Era. By 1997, everyone was using clear coats, but the bond between that glossy top layer and the color underneath was often more of a "suggestion" than a commitment. If your Lotus has spent any time baking in the sun, you're likely seeing the dreaded delamination. It starts as a small milky bubble and eventually peels away like a bad sunburn, leaving the base coat exposed and vulnerable. On a Lotus, you also have the "Composite Factor"-these fiberglass bodies don't rust, but they do "gas out," leading to micro-blistering if the paint wasn't sealed perfectly at the factory.

Restoration Tip

Here's the deal: with 90s clear coats, oxygen is your enemy. The moment you see a rock chip or a tiny edge where the clear looks loose, seal it immediately. Don't wait for the weekend. Once air and moisture get under that clear layer, they act like a crowbar, lifting the rest of the panel bit by bit. When you're touching up that British Racing Green, use light, thin layers to build the depth. Don't try to fill a canyon in one go; you want to mimic that factory-thin profile without creating a "blob" that will just shear off the next time you hit it with a high-pressure hose.