Yes there is lead in the old paint. Unless you are pregnant or young enough that your brain is still developing you are fine. The concentration of lead in sanding dust from that paint is very low. I know guy that did this type of work for 40 years and never used a mask and they didn't did not have lead poisoning, that showed anyway. I know a few that had alcohol poisoning but that was for a different reason. Serious tho lead builds up in your system over time one exposure, even a bad day would not hurt you as long as it not 50 times a year. To put it in perspective. You could sand 20 engines and still not hurt you body as much one doing one brake job on a pre-1985 set of drum brakes.


BTW the crud inside the motor from the old leaded gas way worse then anything on the outside of the motor. Scrap yards try to avoid pre 80's engine blocks and heads cause they end up with hazardous waster, if they do everything by the book Tetraethyl is something to be worried about. When US Military leads an investigation hazardous material because its loosing too many men you know its bad.

 

Agree with Gorn. And if the block is painted blue, it was corporate blue, mid-80"s engine.