1984 Original paint

[Walter F.]

My 1984 Corvette which I have owned for over ten years seems to be having some paint issues. Places seemed to bubble in several small spots and when I peal off the paint it is white underneath, same color as the car. This car was a Florida car most of its life and I have never had it in the rain or bad weather. I realize the paint is old, but it still holds a shine. What I am trying to find out can I tell if it was ever painted before. I got this car from a family member who owned it about ten years and he never had it repainted. Should the color under the original paint be white or prime ?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

My 1984 Corvette which I have owned for over ten years seems to be having some paint issues. Places seemed to bubble in several small spots and when I peal off the paint it is white underneath, same color as the car. This car was a Florida car most of its life and I have never had it in the rain or bad weather. I realize the paint is old, but it still holds a shine. What I am trying to find out can I tell if it was ever painted before. I got this car from a family member who owned it about ten years and he never had it repainted. Should the color under the original paint be white or prime ?

Walter------


All I can tell you is that I've seen quite a few 84's with paint problems. I think it may have to do with the paint formulation used for 1984. While this car may not have been driven in rain and bad weather, has it sat out in the sun a lot? That's murder on paint.

[Walter F.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

It was and everyday driver but garaged.

[Walter G.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

I have an early production red '84 that I've owned since May of '83. Many of the reds have gone purple and/or faded especially on the front & rear fascias. White probably wouldn't be subject to fade to the same degree, but 30+ year old paint has likely seen a fair amount of sun and damage will still occur. My car has only 26,000 miles and has had limited sun exposure but I'm sure there has been fade-just not as noticeable. The clear coat may also tend to peel/flake on the '84's as well as on other GM cars of that era. I would think the primer under the paint would be a medium/dark gray color but maybe someone who knows for sure can verify this. Any stone chips I've picked up show a dark color and not white where the top layer of paint has been chipped off.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

Walter, Its possible that its had a paint repair at sometime, if I am reading your post correctly. paint over paint if not done correctly will flake of over the years sometimes due to poor prep. The factory does paint repair's if there is a flaw in the paint or even the local dealership before delivery. the only way to know truly is if the original owner may have some details.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

...or even the local dealership before delivery.

Edward-------


This is why I never and highly recommend that others never have minor paint defects seen at new car delivery "fixed" at the dealership. Live with them because the cure will usually be worse than the "disease", especially in the long-term.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

Edward-------


This is why I never and highly recommend that others never have minor paint defects seen at new car delivery "fixed" at the dealership. Live with them because the cure will usually be worse than the "disease", especially in the long-term.

Amen, brother.

[Loren L.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

I have an early production red '84 that I've owned since May of '83. Many of the reds have gone purple and/or faded especially on the front & rear fascias. White probably wouldn't be subject to fade to the same degree, but 30+ year old paint has likely seen a fair amount of sun and damage will still occur. My car has only 26,000 miles and has had limited sun exposure but I'm sure there has been fade-just not as noticeable. The clear coat may also tend to peel/flake on the '84's as well as on other GM cars of that era. I would think the primer under the paint would be a medium/dark gray color but maybe someone who knows for sure can verify this. Any stone chips I've picked up show a dark color and not white where the top layer of paint has been chipped off.

I seem to recall from a friend in the paint mixing business that in 1984 there were at least SEVEN different formulas for mixing the Corvette "red" - be careful and aware.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

Edward-------


This is why I never and highly recommend that others never have minor paint defects seen at new car delivery "fixed" at the dealership. Live with them because the cure will usually be worse than the "disease", especially in the long-term.

Joe, working at GM dealerships for years, I use to see the results of body shop repairs in as little as a year, paint peeling, flaking, or just not sticking. painting at any level with the most experienced body techs, results in mass production and sometime meant painting cars with the worst weather and Lacquer finish's never really got the bond that the factory applied.

[Walter G.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

Yes, the '84 reds have multiple formulas. Mine is VIN #4935 which is among the early red cars (from what I know) as the first '84's built & sent to dealers for the April introduction were either white or silver. The very minor brush touchups I've had to do used code 70, I believe, which works. Respraying a portion of or a complete panel may show a different result. There is a small crack in the paint near the antenna hole that has been there since it was delivered and I decided to leave it alone and am glad I did...it's never spread and if redone by the dealer it would have likely been an issue by now.

[Richard S.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

I ordered a two tone bronze in 84 with what I was told was the amazing new "Bowling Green" paint job. To me the paint quality and finished appeared equal to the C3's, just not better. In 94 I ordered a copper Vette only to have the order canceled for paint issues with the copper color. When the 94 did arrive, now in red, the hood was scratched however, GM shipped a new hood from the factory-perfect color match and no further paint issues.

[Don G.]

Re: 1984 Original paint

It is my understanding that early C-4 production experienced clear coat adhesion problems. What you are seeing under the peeling is the original color coat that has now lost its clear coat protection. This probably does not indicate a repaint but just the result of the peeling clear coat problem.