unopened 42 year old cans of paint ? what is the shelf life on paint ?

[rav440]

i have my 97 taurus listed for sale or trade . i got an email that reads :

" HI

Any chance you might be looking for original Mopar paint from the like about 66 - 71? I have about 6 cases of it in a couple of colors. I can get exact years and colors for you if interested. I asked a friend of mine who runs his family auto body garage and he says folks are still looking for these and I should be able to get $50 a quart but I refuse to sell on eBay any longer and have not got it on Craigslist just yet.

Thanks

Rob "

would the paint still be useable after all of those years ? 

[BB1]

I don't know, but I bet it has wonderful lead in it.

[KS71owner]

It may still be usable - I've used some pretty old enamels in our sign shop in the past (25-30 years) with no problems as long as they're well mixed and thinned properly.

[Silver R/T]

I would not use it and recycle it properly.

[Ghoste]

I don't know about the 50 bucks a quart part though.  The stuff might make for an interesting novelty if it is actual Mopar paint and says as much on the label but beyond that it's pretty much worthless isn't it?

[knitz01]

Paint has a pretty short shelf life( 1 year i think)

[hemi-hampton]

If cans never been opened & kept tighly sealed may still be good. BUT, Problem is what good is the paint with out the proper 40 year old Catalyst/hardener. I dont think the newer catalyst/hardeners will work with this paint & most likely if I had to guess it's probably single stage Acrylic Enamel. Hard to spray & not recommended rubbing it if metallic & not cleared. If you were going for a 100 point OEM orange peely factory look you may want it but nobody else would. I would guess a very small market & not to many interested in such paint. If no market then totally useless.  LEON.

[rav440]

i heard back from the guy . im not going to trade , coz as i thought , it wouldnt be any good . but i wanted to check just in case . there certinly isnt any interesting colors .  and the paint survived a fire  so that coulndnt be to good as far as extrem temp changes 

Hi Randy

I have 4 different ones.

1. AQ-127,  Beige, Color Code X, Acrylic Lacquer
1966 Dodge - Beige
1966 Plymouth - Beige
1966 Chrysler - Desert Beige
There are 9 quarts of this one.

2. BQ-67, Sandust Beige, Color Code B, Kril Enamel
1966 T-Bird - Sandust Beige
1966 Continental - Chesterfield Beige
There are 2 quarts of this one.

3. BQ-80, Daffodil Yellow, Color Code R, Kril Enamel
1966 Chrysler, Imperial - Daffodil Yellow
1966 Dodge, Plymouth - Yellow
There are 6 quarts of this one.

4. BQ-82, Beige, 1966 Color Code 3, 1969 Color Code BL1, Kril Enamel
1966 Imperial - Dove Tan
1969 Dart, Dodge - Beige
1969 Valiant, Plymouth - Sandpiper Beige
1969 Chrysler - Sandlewood
1969 Imperial Navaho - Beige
There are 12 quarts of this

My friend told me that they should still be good. They sound liquidly when you shake them up. I did work there for a while and know first hand they had paint that they mixed well over 10 years ago that was still good. At least up until they building caught fire and all of the paint cans expanded and the lids popped off.

Take care.

Rob

......................................

[Ghoste]

Some lovely shades there, no wonder they still have them.  Tell them the best thing they could do is take all of that "liquidly" sounding paint to the nearest toxic waste disposal and get rid of it.  I think the stuff is probably worthless. 

[rustafarian]

Too bad there's not Statutory Red on the list......

[hemi-hampton]

If he had a 1970 code FK5 dark burnt orange color available I'd buy a quart & put to the test LEON.

[BROCK]

If he had a 1970 code FK5 dark burnt orange color available I'd buy a quart & put to the test LEON.

Or FY1.  Yep wrong colors for most of us.

[Dodge Don]

Mmmmmmmm. Beige lead. 

[Ghoste]