1987 Pontiac Background Info
The 1987 Pontiac Vibe
1987 was a hell of a year for Pontiac. You had the Firebird screaming down the highway with a hood bird the size of a dinner table, and the Fiero finally getting the suspension it deserved. It was an era of synth-pop and T-tops. When it comes to the paint, we've focused our efforts on the survivors: the Black and White classics. These aren't just colors; they're the sharp, high-contrast bookends of a decade where everything was "Excitement." Whether you're touching up a Grand Am or a Trans Am, these are the shades that defined the Pontiac silhouette.
Paint Health Check
Now, let's talk shop. If you're looking at a 1987 factory finish, you're standing right in the middle of the "Peeling Era." This was the dawn of the basecoat-clearcoat transition for GM, and frankly, the clear coat and the primer weren't exactly on speaking terms back then. We call it "Delamination." One day your roof looks fine, the next it's shedding like a sunburned tourist in Florida. Once that clear coat starts to lift or "chalk" at the edges of a chip, the oxygen gets underneath and it's game over for the gloss.
Restoration Tip
The secret to keeping an '87 Pontiac looking like it just rolled off the lot in Detroit is speed. You've got to seal your chips immediately. If you see a tiny nick from a stray pebble on the highway, don't wait. Once moisture and air get under that brittle clear layer, it will start to flake away in sheets. Use a dab of solvent-based pigment to lock those edges down. It stops the delamination in its tracks and keeps the "Great Shedding" from turning your hood into a patchwork quilt.