1987 Austin Touch Up Paint (1 OEM Colors)

The 1987 Austin Vibe

1987 was the year the Austin badge was starting its slow walk into the sunset, but the steel was still rolling out of Cowley and Longbridge in droves. Whether you were nipping through traffic in a Metro or trying to look "executive" in a Montego or Maestro, you were part of the final chapter of a British institution. In our database, we've focused on the one survivor that defined the era: Silver Leaf. It was the color of a rainy Tuesday in Coventry-a sharp, metallic grey that made even a base-model Maestro look like it had a bit of upward mobility.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to The Peeling Era. By 1987, the factory was leaning heavily into the "new-fangled" basecoat and clearcoat system, especially for metallics like Silver Leaf. It looked like a million bucks on the showroom floor, but the clear coat they used back then had a shorter lifespan than a cheap battery. After thirty-plus years, the bond between the color and the clear is likely giving up the ghost. If your roof or bonnet looks like it's shedding its skin like a sunburnt tourist, you're looking at classic delamination. Once that clear starts to lift, the base color underneath is as vulnerable as a naked mole rat.

Restoration Tip

When you're dealing with 1987-spec clear coat, your biggest enemy is "The Edge." If you see a tiny chip, seal it immediately. Do not wait for the weekend. Once moisture and air get under that clear coat layer, it'll start to tunnel, lifting the clear away from the Silver Leaf base in huge, ugly flakes. When you go to repair it, don't just blob the paint on. Build your layers slowly and ensure you've got a clean, sealed edge around the repair to stop the surrounding clear from deciding it wants to join the peeling party.