85 TA.. brown/ gold. The sticker thing with the paint codes is gone from the console. I found the paint codes online (I'm trying to order touch-up) but it lists 2 codes for each color, one with a W and one with an E.. for water-based or enamel.. how do I tell if i need the W or E? I hope i explained that well enough.

 

Here's what I found online....

 

if car was built in California, for sure, it is water based. Other states could be lacquer . My '84 was a Cal car & painted water based.

 

Is lacquer the same as enamel? How do I tell where it was built?

 

By the 1980s, lacquer was no longer being used by American auto manufacturers...

 

Enamel is called single stage = paint only. Old school.
Lacquer paint was used in the past, especially hot rod projects where many coats were applied for depth of shine. The paint, the better the shine. Auto manufactures used lacquer back in the '80's. Paint tends to web crack over time.
in the vin, the 11th character would be, as an example N = Norwark L = Van Nuys
My '84 TA was built at Van Nuys

 

... thank you... good info. checked my VIN.. my 11th digit is N. so Norwark? or Norwalk? .. not sure where that is (CT maybe) but assume it's not California.. and pretty sure my car is not "paint only" .. it must have clear coat. so does that mean it's water-based? .. and I should go with the paint code that has the W ?
thanks

 

Norwood Ca.

 

Ok. So it sounds like it's definitely the water-based paint i guess that's what ill go with. I just wanted to make sure. Thanks

 

Van Nuys is in California and Norwood is in Ohio.

 

Norwood is in ohio. Me old.

 

I'm gonna get the water based touch up paint and hope it's right

 

It's touch up paint. It's not going to be right. It's going to be "Oh well. Close enough. I can live with that."