1990 Pontiac Touch Up Paint (45 OEM Colors)

The 1990 Pontiac Vibe

Welcome to 1990, the year Pontiac was trying to "Build Excitement" while transitionally shedding the boxy 80s for those rounded, plastic-clad silhouettes. Whether you were rocking a grand-touring Grand Prix or the imported Lemans, the aesthetic was all about aero-efficiency and aggressive trim. While the factory brochures were full of trendy teals and metallic burgundies that usually didn't make it past the mid-90s, we've focused on the ultimate survivor: White. It was the "safe" choice back then, and today, it's often the only original shade still holding its ground against the elements.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at a 1990 Pontiac today, you're likely staring at the poster child for the Peeling Era. This was the peak of GM's struggle with early clear coat technology. We call it "Delamination," but you probably just call it "ugly." By 1990, the industry had moved almost entirely to a basecoat/clearcoat system, but the bond between the two was... let's say, optimistic. On the hood, roof, and trunk of your Lemans or Sunbird, that clear layer is likely lifting in sheets, leaving the base color exposed and chalky. Once that clear coat fails, the sun starts eating the pigment for breakfast.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up a 1990 finish, you can't just slap paint over the edges of a peeling spot and call it a day. If you don't feather the edges of the surviving clear coat with 800-grit paper until the transition feels smooth to your fingernail, the new paint will just highlight the "crater" where the clear lifted. More importantly: Seal chips immediately. In this era, once the clear coat gets a microscopic "chip," moisture crawls under the edges and starts lifting the rest of the panel like a bad sunburn. Catch it small, or you'll be stripping the whole panel by next summer.