Lead based paint question

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I'm watching an episode of Fantom Works and they were painting a gold 65 Valiant Barracuda. The painter lamented that the original paint was a lead based paint formula and matching it was difficult because of that. Any Mopar historians here know when that paint process ceased or if it was even ever used? I've never heard of it used in the automotive painting process. House paint yes. I've painted cars in lacquer, enamel, acrylic enamel and Imron but none of the newer products that seem so much better. Just curious.
 
Not an expert or historian, however it was generally 1978 on house paint, so probably around that time for car paint as well. Paint is moving to water base now.
 
It wasn't a lead base. It was a solvent based paint.

It was also enamel back in 65 for Chrysler products. Everyone else used lacquer.

Sometime (early 80's?) they changed to base coat/clear coat paints and water base paints for production.
 
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The lead was in the pigments not the base.

The red and yellow especially, don't know about others.

House paint was the same solvent or latex base lead in pigments.
 
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Thanks guys and gals if there are any. My bad on using "old" terminology. I did know they were solvent based, not lead based and should have said they contained lead. Thanks Commando1 for the google link, good info.
 
So is there not lead in the factory paint on my 67 polara? I have been sanding my car for the last few days and today i had a guy come by to give me an estimate for body work and he said there was lead in the paint of these old cars so now i been freaked out all day.
 
As said above there was lead in the pigments. You should be wearing the proper respirator style dust masks at the very least when sanding any paint and also protect others nearby from the dust as well.
 
I have been wearing them white dust masks and keeping the kids away when im working on it but now im ready to toss everything in the garage away because dust has gotten on to it and dont want the kids touching anything now.
 
Lead is especially bad for infints. I don't think you have to start throwing everything away just wipe it all down with damp/wet rags.
 
Ironram said:
So is there not lead in the factory paint on my 67 polara? I have been sanding my car for the last few days and today i had a guy come by to give me an estimate for body work and he said there was lead in the paint of these old cars so now i been freaked out all day.
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As said never in auto paints. House paints, yes, and most especially in ship board paints. The HORNET is 43,000 tons ship covered in lead paint. I chip the paint mainly so it doesn't worry me but wear a mask when sanding.
 
I am a paint contractor and have taken a lead removal class. Buy good shop vac for lead paint clean up. Leave your clothes in a bag and throw them in the wash after sanding and the swiffer/moist type rags to wipe down.

Also go to a paint store and buy some lead paint testers and find out if there is any lead in the first place. If there is use them to check your cleaning.
 
Lead may be in your paint and it may not be. It was used in certain pigments for primers and top coats.

There is some information on this site that may be useful.
http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/chemicals-management/lead/lead-in-auto-paints

I'm not some activist on lead or anything else. I just think you need to know what your dealing with and how best to do that. Instead of the blowgun, reach for the shopvac kind of advice.
 
Zymurgy said:
I am a paint contractor and have taken a lead removal class. Buy good shop vac for lead paint clean up. Leave your clothes in a bag and throw them in the wash after sanding and the swiffer/moist type rags to wipe down.

Also go to a paint store and buy some lead paint testers and find out if there is any lead in the first place. If there is use them to check your cleaning.
Click to expand...

Should have also said the ship is full of unknown amounts of asbestos. Lost a patient to mesothelioma a few years ago. What was somewhat strange is that his degree was in nuclear physics and he started at PG&E in their power plants. He eventually became Chairman of the Board. Where did he run into the stuff. His father, on the other hand, was an engineering officer in the Navy till he retired. The person in question ( 5 years old) was saying goodbye to his father on the morning of Dec. 7th, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Dad was boarding the boat to take him out to his ship the USS DETROIT when the attack started. Dad, an engineering officer before the dangers of asbestos were known, died of natural causes. He always seemed aloof, while his wife very friendly, till I got the Pearl Harbor story out of him. Once I went into the history of his father's ship he opened up to me and became a very different person from then on as we now talked Navy.
 
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