I stand corrected Tim, the first application EDP in automotive use was in the early 60's, I believe Ford was the first to use it. I recall a discussion we had about this a year or two back.
In stripping some of the interior parts for the '54 I've run into a black primer under the Pearl Beige that looks exactly like the EDP parts. I started working for Chevrolet in 1959 as a parts runner and our entire attic above the dealership was stocked with black primed sheet metal parts hanging like beef in a meat locker, much of which had been there for a decade or more. I do recall at the body shops that I delivered to seeing them scuff the black primer and shoot primer surfacer over it before finishing. That’s the primer that I'm seeing under the paint. This early pre 60's black primer also is tough to cut. Just today I've had some parts soaking in Aircraft stripper for more than an hour and all it does is slightly soften the finish or the primer. This stripper will take the hide right of you if you splash it on your bare skin.
We still haven’t heard from any of our resident paint engineers or chemists concerning exactly what this paint was. The lead was a pigment but it’s the binder that is hard to cut and I would imagine it was some sort of oil base. Lots of guesses but you know how reliable guesses are. I’m sure this is a leaded paint because when I wire brush it on the pedestal grinder it has that distinctive sweet smell to it. I want to remove the majority of it chemically because I hate to cover my entire shop with the residue from wire brushing it or using a 3m stripping disc for the task.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
