OK, so these parts started off silver/grey in HQ & were black in HZ. Anybody know when the change happened, or tell me just to look in spare parts books....

Wiper arms
Interior mirror stem
Interior sun visor stem/pivots

Possibly the start of HX, but I'm not sure it's that straight foward?

Glove box & ignition key bezel bit were later

Thanks for any knowledge

Edited by user Tuesday, 22 March 2022 7:00:47 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I have a feeling it's to do with ADR12. ADR12 was tied to an SAE Standard, J941. J941 was revised over the years and the three revisions that fall during the W size Holden run are J941c (June 1972), J941d (Feb 1975), J941e (March 1977) and again but re-titled in March 1981. There was also ISO 4513 issued in 1978 which is I think the European version of similar topics. So my guess, and based upon what I remember over the years on Holden and Torana would be March 1977, at least for the wipers. I don't recall the black sun visor pivots prior to WB but they might have been. Wipers and rear view mirrors were black on a lot of the cars I used to pull apart but I never really took much notice as they stayed on the cars when they went to scrap.
Note that GMH often fitted ADR changes earlier than the official date too.

Edited by user Wednesday, 23 March 2022 7:18:26 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I remembered in LX Torana it changed and I always thought it was only the later ones that got the black wipers so just had a look in the LX Features Manual. Page A-12 was revised in December 1976, and the sole purpose of that revision was to add matt black wiper arms. The prior version (April 1975) doesn't have it. The earlier stuff was all titled "glare reduced", it is all through HJ and HX and that must be the words used for dull alloy and matt finish stuff like the A-pillar dressing.

So that means either GMH changed the wiper arms with HX ready for the J941e changes in March 1977 or they did it maybe at the start of 1977 model year or possibly even at the SOP in 1977 calendar year.The Features manuals tended to lead the actual changes a little but not always.

LX didn't. I had a very original LX Hatchback. It was a 2/76 auto almost identical to the sales brochure car ie Royal Plum (mine had black trim whereas the sales brochure car was 60A). It had dull alloy wipers just like the car in the sales brochure. SS had black wipers from the start, I have the styling turntable images of the initial styling car and they were black on it too. I think SL/R had black wipers too.
HX I tend to agree but don't have enough evidence for the call yet. HX sales brochures issued in July 1976 show black wipers and the cars in it were built back around April 1976 however the Sandman ute in the brochure which I have full ID for doesn't show its wipers, just the other cars. I don't trust sales brochures though, images are never what they seem - lots of airbrushing went on.

I believe my 11/1976 HX Sandman wipers were black. as Dr terry says a package with such a car I believe.