1997 Mitsubishi Touch Up Paint (43 OEM Colors)

The 1997 Mitsubishi Vibe

Welcome to 1997, the year the 3000GT VR-4 was terrorizing stoplights and the Eclipse was about to become a cinema icon. Mitsubishi was hitting its stride with "bubble" styling-all soft curves and integrated spoilers that looked like they were poured out of a mold. Our database focuses on the survivors of this era, the colors that actually stayed on the metal long enough to be remembered. Whether you're rocking the high-end Galaxy White Pearl Tricoat on a Diamante or trying to keep a Kalapana Black Montero looking like a stealth bomber rather than a chalkboard, you're dealing with the peak of 90s Japanese aesthetic.

Paint Health Check

We are firmly in the "Peeling Era." By 1997, Mitsubishi had fully committed to the basecoat/clearcoat system, but the bond between those layers wasn't always a lifelong marriage. If you own a Pajero or a Galant from this year, you know the "Mitsubishi Sunburn"-where the clear coat starts to cloud up and then peel off in giant, translucent flakes like a bad day at the beach. Once that delamination starts on the roof or hood, the basecoat underneath is defenseless against the elements. If your Pyreness Black Pearl is starting to look "ashy" or white around the edges, that's the clear coat losing its grip.

Restoration Tip

In this era, a stone chip isn't just a cosmetic blemish; it's an entry point for air and moisture to begin lifting the surrounding clear coat. Therefore, you must seal chips immediately. If you spot a small nick on the nose of your 3000GT, don't wait for the weekend. Use a precision touch-up to fill the void and lock the edges of the factory clear coat back down to the base. If you're working with one of the tricoats like Galaxy White Pearl, take your time with the mid-coat layers to get that depth back-just don't leave the edges of the original clear coat exposed, or the wind on the highway will do the rest of the "stripping" for you.