1987 Dodge Touch Up Paint (51 OEM Colors)

The 1987 Dodge Vibe

It's 1987. You're wearing way too much denim, "Appetite for Destruction" is blasting through the factory deck of your new Dakota, and life is good. Whether you were rocking the turbocharged punch of a Conquest or the boxy utility of a Ram Pickup, 1987 was the year Dodge decided to get serious about looking mean. Our records show that for the survivors still on the road today, the color that truly defines this era is Black. It was the "bad boy" choice for the first-gen Dakota and gave the imported Colt a level of street cred it probably didn't deserve. It's a deep, obsidian look that says you're here to work-or at least look like you might.

Paint Health Check

Now, let's talk shop. If your '87 Dodge still has its original skin, you're likely witnessing a phenomenon we call "The Great Delamination." This was the dawn of the Peeling Era. Dodge was moving full-steam into basecoat-clearcoat systems, but let's just say the bond between that shiny top layer and the color underneath wasn't exactly "until death do us part." By now, that factory clear coat on the roof or hood is likely flaking off like a bad sunburn on a tourist. Once the clear lifts, the base color is defenseless against the sun, turning that once-menacing Black into a chalky, neglected gray. It's the classic Mopar heartbreak: the engine will run for 300,000 miles, but the paint wants to quit after ten.

Restoration Tip

If you see the clear coat starting to bubble or "fringe" at the edges of a stone chip, you need to move fast. My advice? Don't just wax over it and hope for the best. You've got to seal those chips immediately before moisture gets under the clear and starts a full-scale lifting operation. Use a fine-grit sandpaper to very gently level the "edge" where the clear is failing before applying your touch-up. This stops the peeling in its tracks and gives the new paint a fighting chance to grab hold. Think of it like a localized skin graft-fix the small spots today, or you'll be repainting the whole truck tomorrow.