flat-black mirror shells?

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

Dean Mericas asks whether the flat-black mirrors and wiper arms on his '74 GT
Veloce are unique to the '74.


I can marshall evidence for the flat black wiper arms on the '74, but unless
like Jack Rugh he was present when his car was unloaded at the dock I would
doubt that the flat black mirror shells were original. There is much evidence
that certain countries, especially in northern Europe, were getting fussy
about needlessly reflective brightwork in the driver's (and possibly others')
view-field, showing up for example in gray-painted outside mirrors on
Alfettas, but the popularity of flat black (as on the Vitaloni Toronado
mirrors on '78 Alfettas) takes off later in the decade, culminating in the
dechroming of the Alfetta GT for the GTV 6 and, outside the US, its four
cylinder versions. I don't KNOW that the round conicals never came in flat
black, but I would bet that it was owner's taste rather than factory supplied.
Might loose the bet, but that is my guess. Anybody know better for certain?


John H.

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